NORTH AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20229, 13 April 1929, Page 16 (Supplement)

NORTH AUSTRALIA.

COLOURED POPULATION, PREPONDERANCE IN .SCHOOLS. The report of tlio Government Resident, ef North .Australia fur the year ended dune last shows thai in 1110 schools Ihero *ro rnoro coloured children than while. There has heeri a continued decrease in tho number of Chinese, miners during tlio 1 asti 31 years, which has resulted in tlio closing of some, productive mines and the non-working of promising mining shows and proportions; also the restriction of output to (he Aery few mines where Chinese are still employed. The/ DireHor of Mines fur tho*' Territory says:—"This stale of affairs would not ho unfavourable if tho decrease in number of Chinese miners resulted to some extent in an increase of European miners, which unfortunately has nut been the case." Kill, (hough the numbers of Chinese liavc decreased in regard lo mining operations tln-y have increased in Darwin, and I lie report draws attention indirectly to I lie slate 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 chikhen on the rolls at, the Territory schools as at. .lune, 1928, reveals that ."European children, comprising British and Greek, totalled 122, whereas Chinese. • oadroon, half-caste, Malay half-castc and Malay-Chinese totalled 127. The head teacher's report to the Government Resident emphasises that there still4».\its a strong objection by the while parents resident in North Australia tp tho mixing while in the schools *of tho various coloured children with the white ( and it is saiil that thero is a strong de*ire on their part for separate schools for whito children only.