A VANISHING RACE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2272, 5 October 1914, Page 9

A VANISHING RACE

THE AUSTRALIAN BLACKS,

"There is no hope in the world of saving the wild blacks from going the way of the Test unless "you put a barrier round their country, and that, I am' afraid, is impracticable." Mr. Gale, Chief Protector of Aborigines in Western Australia, who is visiting Sydney, and made the statement quoted, estimated the native population of Western Australia at between, 20,000 and 30,000. Betwoen .. tho Leopold Ranges in West Kimberley and Wyndham in East Kimberlej;, there were largo numbers of natives living undisturbed in their natural state, but there were few olsowhore in Western Australia who had not come into contact, with whites. The natives could not stand civilisation, and once he touched it that waa the beginning of the end. Tho Western Australian Government had established great reserves, and had started native sottlemonts in the Kimberley district in order to stop tho depredations on cattle. Ho considered that the burden of the care of the blacks should be distributed throughout the Commonwealth. Western Australia, was spending considerably more on its native population than any other State in tho Commonwealth. The blacks died off becauso th.ey were unable to stand tho changed environment and the changed diet. They were being exceedingly well cared for in Western Australia.