TREATMENT OF AUSTRALIAN BLACKS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2077, 11 May 1907, Page 4

TREATMENT OF AUSTRALIAN BLACKS.

Press Association. —Copyright. PERTH, May 10. Bishop Gibnoy,- in a letter to tin press, severely criticises tho treatment of the aboriginals in AVostralia. lie says his object is to draw attention to the lethargy of tho authorities in preventing the abuses exposed two years ago. He point out that owing to their land being ; -on irom them, and tho small nine, U allowed for their mnintonifneo, the aboriginals have been drivon to acts of dogrodation. Arrest follows, and then commence tho barbarous practices exposed often, but in spite of ovoryr thing, permitted to form part of a system that has everything to condemn it), nothing is being dono to remove tho tarnish on the namo of the State. Tho natural supplies of food having disappeared, if they kill n sheep to save thomselvos Irom starvation, they must go to prison; if thoy go into the territory of other blacks thoy are spoarod. They are arrosted indiscriminately and often chained one to another and to tho nooks of police horses. Thoy seldom escape conviction. Many do not know for what olfonco they are imprisoned for years, and kopt in chains day and night. Most of thorn do not live long after arrest. Troatmont of this description to dumb animals would bo counted gross cruelty; yot for the natives it is claimed to bo what the law demands.