SERIOUS CHARGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21979, 14 June 1933, Page 8

SERIOUS CHARGES

TREATMENT OF ABORIGINES ALLEGED SLAVERY. . ; v ; (From Our Own Correspondent.} SYDNEY, June 1. Australian Governments do not enjoy the same good reputation as the JNew Zealand Government in regard to the treatment of the native race. There are many Australians who believe that the aborigines have not had fair compensation for all they gave up when their country was settled by white people, and the fight to improve the conditions for the blacks goes on continuously. It has not been attended with a great deal of success for the aboriginal problem has never been regarded very seriously by either the Federal or the State Governments. It may be because the blacks have no vote—no say in the management of the country over which, at one time, not eo long ago, they were free to wander at will. Now they.are more or less herded in compounds, or allowed a free hand in those parts where Nature has been most unkind.

Permits to employ natives in the Northern Territory and other parts of Australia are issued, and members of a deputation which waited, on the Minister for the Interior (Mr Perkins) on Monday made serious charges in this connection. They said that the conditions under which many of the blacks worked were closely related to slavery of the very worst type. One speaker alleged that a settler could bring in a black at the point of a gun, and for the payment of £2 could make him work long hours. Australia was a signatory to the agreement against slavery, yet it permitted forced labour within its own shores.

The Eev. W. Morley said there were 21,000 aborigines in the Northern Territory, and at least 80,000 aborigines in Australia —the remnant of probably a million when Australia was first settled by the white people. He hoped that the" Minister would inaugurate a policy and practice, that ultimately would sweep away long-continued neglect and, ill-treatment of a noble race. If the Government would enact a policy of emancipation and development for the voteless and helpless natives of the Northern Territory, it would have a repercussion that would affect the States m which blacks still remained. It would make this year—the centenary year-* of the emancipation of slaves —a year of release and uplift to the oppressed and oi the removal of a sad blot on the national escutcheon. • Fully 95 per cent, of the murders by aborigines of men of other races were the result of interference with the women of the blacks. It was the cause of the first attack on the whites in New South Wales, and it ran through New South Wales and Queensland history. Mr D. G. Stead said that in recent years there had been instances of unadulterated cruelty to blacks and lack of justice. Aborigines in heavy chains had been taken over 200 miles on foot, and then had been released because they were not guilty. That sort of thing had done permanent injury to Australia. The aborigines were among the brightest and most intelligent people on the earth, and they should have the chance that had been denied them for so long of becoming useful citizens. The Minister said he would make personal inquiry, into the allegations.