Reports on Aboriginal People on Western Australian stations 1899-1902
| Please be aware that the reports include the names of deceased people and descriptions which may be culturally sensitive |
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MT. WITTENOOM POLICE STATION. - P.C. Binning in charge. There are ten (10) natives on relief here at present, and three (3) at Meka, seven miles distant; these latter are fed by Mr. Little, J. P., and charged to P. C. Binning, apparently a plan that works very well. I did not visit Meka, Mr. Little being away in Perth and feed being so very scarce, but from the constable's reports, am assured the natives are well treated there. As reported in my communication No. 4/99, I have arranged with P.C. Binning to take over five (5) natives now on relief at Wooleen, and removed the to Mt. Wittenoom to be relieved by him. There is one native, about 30, and his woman, and one half-caste girl about 15 (latter indentured to Mrs. Binning) employed at Mt. Wittenoom. |
The Chief Protector of Aborigines, Perth. MURGOO, owned and managed by Mr. H. M. Moloney, J. P. There were three natives on relief here; two have died recently, and one Mr. Moloney handed over to P. C. Binning to be fed by him at Mt. Wittenoom. On arrival at this station, Mr. Moloney reported the death of one old woman a few days before. Some ten days previous she got badly burnt; the shock probably proved too much at her advanced age, and she collapsed. I had a look at another old woman who was bad, and gave her some cough mixture, but two days after she died, probably from acute congestion of the lungs; it is a very difficult matter to determine what these old natives are suffering from. Ten (10) men and eleven (11) women are employed at Murgoo, one of the latter being a half-caste, about 22 years of age, and having three children. There are eleven (11) children from three months to 12 years, including one half-caste about two years old. These natives are well treated, clothed, and fed, and appear happy and contented. Two or three of the women at the homestead are very useful, doing the housework and looking after the white children. These women have evidently been well trained. I omitted to obtain the scale of rations given, but know well it is a liberal one, Mr. Moloney being a good master to whites and blacks.\ There have been three (3) births and three (3) deaths here during the last twelve months. BOOLARDY. - Owned by Messrs. E. and F. Wittenoom, and managed by Mr. G. Thomson (21/10/99). There are four (4) natives on relief here: One man about 65, Eruthingie, alias Blind Jack; three women, one about 50, Juninine, blind; one about 50, Yarlowamma, nearly blind; and one anout 60, Tharujingoo, nearly blind. These natives are generally fed with those working on the place, at the homestead. The manager considers this a better plan than giving them rations at the camp, and as the younger natives are very prone to prey on the aged and infirm, I also think this a good plan, thereby insuring their getting regular food and not being so much at the mercy of their more able friends. Mr Thomson tells me these natives have had two blankets given them of late years, therefore I would recommended that four blankets be sent to Boolardy for these old natives, and have advised the manager to apply for them. There are 18 men and 19 women employed on this station, two of the latter being half-castes. There are 10 children on this station, ranging from 12 months to 16 years, six of them being half-castes. Some of the women employed at the homestead are very useful at housework, and have evidently been well trained. Two of the half-caste boys, aged 16 and 14, are smart youngsters and make themselves useful in many ways. The natives here are well treated and happy, and the children are particularly well looked after. The natives out on the run get rations as usual : 14lbs. flour, 2lbs. sugar, ¼lb. tea, 2 sticks tobacco, 1 box matches per week, man and woman. They are also given guns and ammunition to shoot their own meat. The majority of these natives have been on the run for years, some are signed, but not all. There have been two deaths (both infants) and two births during the last twelve months. I found two cases of venereal disease here ; most of the natives had colds and one a touch of influenza. MANFRED. - Owned by Mr. Smythe and at present managed by Mr. Satherwaite There are three natives on relief here: - Njinghu, alias Billie, 60, M. (blind) ; Winneajo, 50, F. ; Bulyen, 55, F. The old man Najinghu, being very blind, is fed at the homestead with the working natives. The others are allowed 6lbs. flour, 6lbs. meat, and 2lbs. sugar per week each. There are four men and five women employed on this station, one of the latter being a half-caste about 25, having two children, both by white men apparently. These natives have been in the employ for many years and are well treated, clothed and fed. Rations : 14lbs. flour, 14lbs. meat, 3lbs. sugar, ¼lb tea, 3 sticks tobacco, and matches per week, per man and woman. Just at present, rations having nearly run out, the natives are on rather shorter allowance. Previous to last shearing, one woman, a confirmed invalid, died; there have been no births within the last 12 months. In replying to this report, please address P. Office, Nannine. I have, etc., G. S. OLIVEY, Travelling Inspector. Manfred, 21st October, 1899. |
The Chief Protector of Aborigines, Perth. BYRO. - Owned by Messrs. J. Nairn & Son. Managed by Mr. W. Nairn. There is one native on relief here, Tallajerra, M. 60, crippled and unable to walk. This native has his food taken to him from the homestead. There are 17 men from 15 to 50, and 19 women from 13 to 50, employed on this station; there are also two children - half-castes, one boy six years old, and one girl, also six. The natives working at the homestead are very handy and seem to have been well-taught, and the same may be said of the women. Three of the latter do kitchen work, wait at table, etc. All those I saw are well fed, clothed, and contented. Feed being so scarce and no chaff available, I was unable to visit the out camp. Mr. Walter Nairn informed me there were generally nine or ten loafers around the out camps, mostly natives out for a holiday. There was one birth here in November last, but the child died the following February. At Byro I had my buggy tired by a half-caste; this man, Charlie Mortimer, born at Gingin 36 years ago, was brought up and educated at New Norcia Mission. Hemarried an aboriginal woman six years ago; she has two children by him, both boys; the eldest, 11 years old, is a very smart, intelligent boy, and with good training should turn out well. His father talks of getting him educated and eventually making a smith of him; the other boy, six years old, is not as sharp as his brother. Mortimer left the Mission 17 years ago, was two years at Gingin, and is now well-known on the Murchison, where he travels about doing any work that comes in his way. He is a very good smith, rather slow, but does good work and is a great credit to the Mission and his instructors. Scale of rations: 14lbs, flour. 14lbs. meat 2lbs, sugar. 2 sticks tobacco, matches and soap, per week, for woman and man. I have, etc., G. S. OLIVEY, Travelling Inspector. Byro, 25th November, 1899. |
The Chief Protector of Aborigines, Perth. MILLY MILLY. - Owned by Mr. J. Aitken, and managed by Mr. A. Daly. The manager was away on my arrival here, but I was enabled to obtain some information from the oversee. Mr. Smith (the overseer) asked me to place two natives on relief. On seeing these, I felt bound to do so, they both being unable to obtain their own living. 1. Widjinarra, alias Charlie, male, about 60, blind, deaf and infirm. 2. Adgeladie, alias Judy, female, about 55, unable to walk, These two I authorised the manager to relieve at the rate of 9d. per day, from the 1st November 1899. There are 28 men and boys (from nine to 57). five boys (from nine to 13) and 27 women (from seven to 50), one half-caste girl (12) employed on this station. The natives I saw looked well, and are evidently well treated, fed, and clothed. Scale of rations: 12lbs. flour, 12lbs. meat, 2lbs. sugar, ¼lb. tea, 3 sticks tobacco, and matches every six days, ,man and woman. I did not visit the out camps on this station, but hope to be able to do so on my way back from the North, when I hope there may be some more feed about. Travelling under existing circumstances is terribly hard on horses, as at several places I have been unable to obtain any fodder. I have, etc., G. S. OLIVEY, Travelling Inspector. Milly Milly, 28th November, 1899. |
The Chief Protector of Aborigines, Perth. MT. GOULD POLICE STATION (Upper Murchison). - P.C. Gordon in charge. There are 13 natives (seven men and six women) on relief at this station; there were two other women who generally turned up on ration days, but I considered they were both able to get their own living. Four (4) of these natives are on partial relief at 6d. per day, the remainder are at 9d. The latter get 6lbs. flour, 2lbs. sugar, and 4ozs. tea per week; whereas the former only get 6lbs. flour. I think these natives would be just as well without the tea, as long as they could get sugar; they care very little for tea; the flour ration could then be increased. Two men (one 35 the other 20), together with their women, are employed at this station. All these natives are well looked after; those able to get about can get a certain amount of bush food around about, rain having fallen to the North of Mount Gould. I have, etc., G. S. OLIVEY, Travelling Inspector. Beringarra, 22nd November, 1899. |