NORTH AUSTRALIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 April 1929, Page 10

NORTH AUSTRALIA

COLOURED POPULATION.

The report of the Government Resident of North Australia for the year ended June last shows that in the schools there are more coloured children than white. There has been a continued decrease in the number of Chinese miners during the ‘ last 34 years, which has resulted in the closing of some productive mines and the non-working of promising mining shows and propositions; also the restriction of output to the very few mines where Chinese are still employed. The Director of Mines for the Territory says:—“This state of affairs would not be unfavourable if the decrease in number of Chinese miners resulted to some • extent in an increase of European miners, which unfortunately has not been the case.” But though the numbers of Chinese have decreased in regard to mining operations they have increased in Darwin, and the report draws attention indirectly to the state of affairs in this regard at the Territory State schools. The percentage of scholars of foreign extraction increased during the year. A table of descent of children on the rolls at the Territory ischools as at June, 1928, reveals that European children, comprising British and Greek, totalled 122, whereas Chinese, cuadroon, half-caste, Malay half-caste and Malay-Chinese totalled 127.

The head teacher’s report to the Government Resident emphasises that there still exists a strong objection by the white parents resident in North Australia to the mixing while in the schools of the various coloured children with the white and it is said that there is a strong desire on their part for separate schools for white children only.