ABORIGINAL WELFARE.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 269, 3 January 1929, Page 3

ABORIGINAL WELFARE.

SEGREGATION IMPOSSIBLE. Problems relating to the trweatment of aborigines in North Australia were discussed last month by Bishop Davies, of Carpentaria. Dr Davies’ diocese includes an area of 650,000 square miles (ab(out one-seventh of the total area of the Commonwealth), and embraces Central Australia, North Australia, the country surrounding the Gulf of Carpentaria, and the Torres Strait islands. Attacks made on the Administration and white people living in North Australia concerning the shooting of the stockman Brooks were deprecated by Dr Davies. “Condemnation of the Commonwealth Government is unjust, because the administrative problem is greater and more difficult than most poople imagine,” said Dr Davies. “At present I would not like to express any opinion concerning the recent happening in North Australia, but I think that certain general facto should be made clear,” hq added. “The number of white men who behave badly toward the aborigine is very small. Fully 90 per cent of the white population treat the; natives with consideration and respect their tribal customs. Aborigines are easier to deal with when their tribal life is intact, because then moral restraint is imposed in the communal group. Difficulties emerge when young people come in contact with white civilisation and become partly urbanised. It would seem that religious bodies have a better chance of guiding the natives in this time of transition from a stone age oommunity to our individualistic and agricultural civilisation.

“It is m,y considered opinion that total segregation of aborigines is impossible,” continued Dr Davies. “The time has passed when such a policy can be brought into the realm of practical politics. The problem of dealing with the aborigine is much more difficult in North Australia than in Queensland, where conditions are more settled. However, the time is coming when natives in North Australia will be paid wages as in Queensland, and for their own protection their dependents will be sent to reserves. Whatever Government acts are passed now hiajve to be enforced by the police, whose numbers are very few. Results will come gradually by the co-opera-tion of pastoraliste and Government, ders with the amount at his disposal