THE AUSTRALIAN BLACK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 45, 22 February 1905, Page 10

THE AUSTRALIAN BLACK.

(To the Editor.! Sir.—T have rend -with great interest the various statements made by Uγ. Roth in reference to the cruelty practised on the natives of Northern Western Australia. I for one can substantiate a lot of what the doctor states. In the course of out-back life in Western Australia I have seen blacks taken prisoners for the merest trifles, and .chained up to the stirrup of troopers' horses, and made to trot alongside for miles through the sand and scrub with the thermometer over a hundred degrer-s in the shade, and then chained up to logs in the bush all night with, very little food. At the present tirr.o there are several men in Fremantle gaol serving life sentences for flowing these poor ■".'retches to death. I noticed a statement made in Wednesday's night's issue in which a Mr iVnton asserts that not very long ago. when in Perth, he used to sec white convicts chained together going up the streets, and no notice was taken of them: I would like to know how long back Mr Fenton is speaking about. It must ho a very considerable time indeed since anything so disgraceful

as v.liite chained gaugs were seen in the streets of Perth. L can of twelve years liack. when 1 weut to Prrt'i. and I never saw any chain g:mgs in Perth. Mr Fenton must be referring to the old convict days a very long time ago. Why. sir. r.t Freraantlc, where all ciasses of prisoners are kept. there have been no chain gangs ot prisoners to bo seen on the streets f«r years. All you will now sen of the prisoners is a small gang of short sentence men marehirjr to the quarries, a distance of two hundred yards from the gaol gates, accompanied by two warders, who do not even carry riSes. In conclusion, sir, I think tluit Mr Farrell in last night"s issue docs the doctor an injustice when he likens him to .i tinneiimilk explorer. And as far ns tlie blacks go it is all very well for Mr Furrell to sta.te what they cot v.iicn tiiev arc in

paol : that can't be very well avoided, as it i> gaol diet allowed to the blacks by the Government. No wonder they are so well pleased when in gaol at their treatment. f>>r ii comes u> a pleasant siirprisr alter tl.i -uJiVriugs they p> through. They have enough i-nrunion >euse to appreciate kindness even in iraol after the way they ;irr- treated by their white masters oui back. ! coiiift

write a lot more of what 1 Uav: , seen happen to their womenfolk, but .-.s 1 r.m afraid that my letter i- already too lonir 1 will now draw to a close. —"Sours etc.. J. 1". SHAW. THE ONErir.VUA HUM SERVICE. (To thn Krtitor.> Sir.—Will yon kindly give space for a few remarks re the Oiultung-i t!;».m service. Yesterday two friends of mine hud booked passages by the liarawa for New Plymouth, timed lo leave Onehunga at 4 p.m. We reached the corner of Queen and Welleslt-y streets at 3 5 p.m., and ;it 3.10 an Onehungu car passed without stopping. Thi- looked very serious, as the next cnv ■was timed to leiise at .■).2(-'i. FVarin™ wi> iv> i it*! t !><■ crowded out of that we dcciili , ;! in ■_■:> to the too! of Queen-stive!. ,lust then two other gentlemen iMmi , up and a-ke 1 if \vf also b:id luiss.vl the <ar for the -teamcr. (hi arriving at tin , foot of Queen-street tliere was no sign uf the car timed to leuxe u[ :i.-0. Wu were about to givr- ii up ;:- hopciess v hen the car turned up. We did not pjcpe.-t to catch the steamer, as it wa.s

:'..02 before the car got away. At Ivhyber Pass corner three other passengers f<ii the Rarawa, who were crowded out ••i" the other rar. got in. The car was then crowded, bin the conductor still stopped to pick up passengers, who had to stand. The molorman was a re.tl nrood sort, and let the car go when he could. Fortunately the steamer was delayed, and. thanks to the motorman. we werr just in time. Nrvw, this i-; surely a serioii - matter. Here were seven passengers who wotild have missed their passage by the steamer. had she gone to time, owing to bad tra.m arrangements. I daresay the finjl ear wa.- half empty after passing Epsom, and yet pa.ssf#\ger* for the steamer are in danger of losing their boat owing to Newmarket and Epsom people crowding Onehunjin cars. Xow.

sir. I feel sure this -natter only requires to be brought under Mr Ilinsen's iiotice to be remedied. Could not a ear marked Wharf. Special or Express, start from Queen -street, say. 50 mhmles before the time of The steamer sailing, and ?o straight through to Onchunpn. and another car follow immediately to pick uy> steamer and Oneliunga passengers along ih? line? Mr Hansen is always anxious for the comfort of tram passengers, and I trust he will rio something in this matter to provide against the danger of passenger.-- missing the steamer through overcrowded cars.—l am. ptc. FRIEND OF PASSENGERS. 17,2/1905.