ABORIGINES.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19012, 1 August 1933, Page 9

ABORIGINES.

ALLEGATIONS OF ILL-TREATMENT. CALL TO PRODUCE FACTS. (From a Correspondent.) CARBERRA, July 20. “The Commonwealth Government challenges those who make allegations of ill-treatment of aborigines in the Northern Territory to produce evidence to support their charges,” said the Prime Minister (Mr Lyons) yesterday in reference to attacks made in newspapers by Mr Donald Maekay, leader of the Mackay aerial expedition to Central Australia, who returned to Sydney on Monday, and the Rev. J. S. Needham. Incalculable Harm. “Mr Mackay is. reported to have admitted that lie referred to incidents which occurred many years ago and that he had made the statement that ’German atrocities are nothing to the Australian atrocities’ in connection with aborigines, on what he had read and not on what he had seen,” said My Lyons. "Such statements do incalculable harm to the good name of Australia. It is highly probable that Mr Mackay’s remarks will be cabled to London and reproduced in the Press of Great Britain. They will be regarded by the publlo of the United Kingdom as the state of affairs existing to-day. “The Rev. Mr . Needham points out that too much reliance cannot be placed on many of the statements made In regard to the alleged illtreatment of aborigines, but he asserts that in the north of Australia they do not regard the killing of aborigines as murder. In the north they boast of atrocities against the blacks, whom they regard as animals. In the north public opinion is as callous as it can be.

“These statements are a grave reflection on the people of the north, and also on the Government officers whose duty it is to carry out the policy of the various Governments for the protection and welfare of aborigines. "The Commonwealth Government knows only too well that reliance cannot be placed on many of the statements in regard to alleged atrocities. It would welcome any information that would lead to the punishment nl persons who ill-treat aborigines in the Northern Territory. Nevertheless in practically every case where the authors of such statements have been asked to assist the Government by supplying evidence or indicating how evidence can be obtained the desired information or assistance has not been forthcoming.”

Unfair and Detrimental. The Prime Minister added that the “raking up” of atrocities that might have occurred in the early days ol settlement In Australia and the featuring of them as an indication of the state of affairs existing to-day was not only unfair to the Governments of to-day but was extremely detrimental to the good name of Australia. The Commonwealth Government had accepted the guardianship of the aborigines of the Northern Territory as a sacred trust, and was doing everything in its power to faithfully carry out its obligations in that respect. It challenged any person to produce evidence that the aborigines of that -Territory were not properly cared for or that, when an irregularity had been bought to notice, prompt and adequate action in 11 1 e interests of the natives had not been taken.