Native Mission in Australia to Serve Immense Territory

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 66, 19 March 1938, Page 2

Native Mission in Australia to Serve Immense Territory

ADELAIDE.—TI>e must constructivi step taken for many years in the in forests of the aborigines is the purchasi of Ernabella station, 400 square miles it extent, situated at the eastern end oJ the Musgrave ranges in the north-west corner of Central Australia. The title of the land and homes to; will be vested in the Presbyteria Church of South Australia. The statioi is a well-known homestead, has a gooc water supply, and is in close proximity to the Australian Aboriginal Reserve ol 65,700 square miles. One third of thi? reserve is in the farthest north-west corner of South Australia, another third in the south-west corner of Common wealth territory of Central Australia and the remainder is adjacent to Wes tern Australia. The South Australia Government has contributed £lOOO to assist the mission. The controlling committee comprises re | presentatives of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, the Christian En deavour Union, the Women’s Non-party Association and other public bodies. The mission will exercise direct control over the native population, not onlj on its own territory, but the Reserve and adjacent areas. The extent of its worh may be judged from the fact that the whole country exceeds the area of the United Kingdom. It is hoped to provide training for thf half-castes who already have become partly civilised. Protection will also bt provided for the uncivilised blacks on the reserves and the welfare of the nomadic tribes will be a constant care. The missioner who will be in charge is the Rev. J. R. B. Love, and he will remain for at least 12 months. He ha? had considerable experience among th( natives of the northwest of Western Australia, where he has been stationed for many years. The minister recently published a oook entitled 1 ‘Stone Age Bushmen of To-day.” This tells the story of his work at the mission there, and the book tlready has won high praise from those who are able to appreciate the difficulties associated with caring for the blacks of Australia.