EXTINCTION OF THE ABORIGINAL.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVI, Issue 43100, 4 June 1907, Page 4

EXTINCTION OF THE ABORIGINAL.

The gradual extinction of the aboriginal (races of Australia has been attributed to various causes. The spread of civilisation) and the consequent development of disease among the blacks may be regarded as the chief reasons .four the decay of the races. Civilisar l ion bias resulted -in pa'any diseases being communicated to the aboriginals, end the humble dog has been one of the principal media through which a: ‘errible amount of fatal illness has een brought about in the various tribes of the continent, the Sydney Pally Telegraph remarks. Before the p omestic dog was -brought to A.usi -alia) the aborigines were without - nine companions, but in modern ■ riys every black man has his mongrel, rnd these half-starved wretches rill ■f at almost everything that is thrown to them. Professor Watson 1 , of Adelaide, says! the dogs of the natives will •'••entually be responsible for the wiping out of the races. In an interview oh the subject of hydatids the pro"c'sor remarked: ‘Amongst our Australian) aboriginals whose mongrels act scavengers to the killing yards of K o pasioralist, hydatid disease reaches its high-water mark 1 of prevalence, a.:;d is a prime factor in the impend:'o g extinction of that -primitive race.

A. plea for vegetarianism. Professor Trim Fisher, of Tale University, has Completed a series of tests extending over a period of two years with 49 /persons, indicating that non-flesh eaters or vegetarians have far more endumnoe than those accustomed to the o binary diet. The test consisted in Veering thie arms extended as long as •*rr*«ible, of deep knee-bending, and V-ri of, lesr-raising, the subject lying ori lv* fcftcEr.'