THE WESTRALIAN BLACKS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13207, 14 February 1905, Page 5

THE WESTRALIAN BLACKS

MANUFACTURING CRIMINALS. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, PERTH, February 13. (Received Feb. 13, at 9.22 p.m.) An extract from Dr Roth's report states that an aboriginal child, 14 years old, is undergoing two years' hard) labour for alleged cattle-killing. Examined, the boy said he was caught by a policeman, who asked if he ha<l killed cattle. He said " No." The policeman and another man then talked together, and said they would shoot him. One of them put a cartridge in a rifle, and pointed: it at witness. This frightened him so that he at once said', " I did kill a bullock." He was taken with some other hlackfellows, who- were also frightened, and all said they had killed bullocks because they were frightened. The policsman put handcuffs on their legs and hands, two of them being chained together by the legs. They then caught some more blackfellows and some gins and took them away. Afterwards the prisoners were taken to the courthouse, but they said nothing because they ltadi been told not to talk. The magistrate did not ask them ■whether they killed bullocks.