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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The Chief Protector of Aborigines, Perth. BERIGARRA. - Owned by Messrs. Darlot Bros.; managed by Mr. A. E. Barnes. No natives on relief here. Thirty-five men (ages from 30 to 50) and 36 women (ages about the same) employed on this station, together with seven children (three of each sex), from three months to 12 years ; also four men and four women away from the bush. When at Moorarrie I visited an Campbell. The natives employed at this out camp were well clothed, and as well fed and treated as any natives I have yet seen ; they all signed agreements without the slightest hesitation. From information obtained at this camp and from Messrs. Davidson and Barnes, both being present at the inquiry held at Mt. Gould by Inspector Laurence, and also from natives, I feel confident the charges made by the late police constable (Ritchie) were greatly exaggerated. No doubt you will have seen the evidence taken at this inquiry, and therefore will be aware of the facts. I am satisfied there must have been truth in certain thing the blacks told me. I have been about this station a good deal, seeing the majority of the natives. They they are well fed you will see by the appended scale of rations. Those working at the homestead and camp are also well fed, and look well and contented. Scale of rations: - 12lbs. flour, 20lbs. meat, 2lbs. sugar, 3 sticks tobacco, and matches, every six days for man and woman. There were two deaths during last 12 months, both old men. One birth three months ago. I have, etc., G. S. OLIVEY, Travelling Inspector. Berigarra, 22nd November, 1899. |
The Chief Protector of Aborigines, Perth. MILEURA STATION (Upper Murchison). - Owned by Messrs. Walsh & Sons, and managed by Mr. H. B. Walsh, I. M. There are three natives on relief here; they get 12lbs. flour each per week. Up to the time of my visit Walsh Bros. had been drawing £2 per month for the keep of the three natives, which works out at the rate of 5⅓d. per day. Mr. Walsh informed me he could only supply a little over a pound of flour per day at this rate, so that for some considerable time past the station has been contributing largely to the keep of these old natives, and as they did not really belong to Mileura at all, and had done little or no work there, he said the firm could not contine to relieve them unless the rate was raised to a fair thing. Under these circumstances, the natives being worthy subjects for relief, I felt bound to raise the rate to the usual amount of 9d. per day, as they get a little more at Mileura for the money than they would at Mt. Gould at the same rate. Mr. Walsh also referred to the memo. received by him from the Department, with reference to sending in vouchers every month, and pointed out that by doing so he would have to send 70 miles each month to Mt. Gould to get them certified to by the officer in charge there, and this officer would not have seen the natives or that they were in receipt of relief, and would therefore be perfectly right if he refused to certify to what he only had another man's word for. This matter has also appealed to me strongly on more than one occasion, and I should like to see a more satisfactory arrangement. Relief natives are: - Cookermurra, female about 55, blind; Judy, female, about 55, blind; Wincooka, male, about 60 unfit to work. Ten men, from 17 to 40; nine women, from 18 to 30; and two girls, nine and 14, are employed on this station. Scale of rations: 14lbs. flour, 2lbs. sugar, 2 sticks tobacco, matches, guns or dogs, per week. One death occurred 12 months ago, that of a man aged about 30. No births during the last 12 months. The natives employed on this station look sleek and well and are apparently contented and happy, and are well clothed. The two girls who do the house work wait at table, etc., have been well trained, and are very useful in many ways. I have etc., G.S. OLIVEY, Travelling Inspector. Annean, 8th December. 1899. |
The Chief Protector of Aborigines, Perth. ANNEAN STATION - Owned by Messrs. Darlot Bros. & Co., managed by Mr. W. H. Hutton. There are now only four boys employed on this station, aged from 10 to 18. The place has lately changed hands, the present owners having bought it from the executors of the late Mr. Gascard. Mr. L. H. Darlot told me all the natives had cleared out and none of them had returned. From here I visited Munara Gully, a mining camp about eight miles from Annean. Here I tracked up a mob of natives, five men, ten women, and two girls, the latter aged about nine. These natives said they came from Meeka Station, and were out for a holiday. They were all well clothed and looked well, none of them complaining of sickness. Amongst them were three or four young women, the remainder being middle-aged. No doubt these women will make a living by prostitution for the most part, there being a population of 40 or 50 men at this camp. I would like to express here my appreciation of the kindness of Mr. L. H. Darlot, who put a horse and trap at my disposal while at the station. I only saw two of the boys employed at Annean, the other two being away with stock. They are well treated, clothed, and fed, and appeared to be very useful. I was here once more asked about indenturing boys under 14, but had to refer Mr. Darlot to a Resident Magistrate. I have, etc., G. S. OLIVEY, Travelling Inspector. Belele, 17th December, 1899. |
The Chief Protector of Aborigines, Perth. NANNINE. - I ascertained from Corporal Tyler, of the Police Department, that an old woman had died a few days previous to my visit, and nearly all the natives had scattered about in consequence. After a good deal of questioning, I managed to track up two old women, who had been on relief at Annean when the place belonged to the late Mr. Gascard. These two I have since put on relief again, this time under the care of Mr. G. M. Dickson, the Nannine butcher, at 9d. per day. As these natives are camped close to the slaughter yard, about two miles from the township, and as I have every reason to believe Mr. Dickson is a reliable man, I think it is the best arrangement that could be made under existing circumstances. One of these women is diseased, and apparently suffering from syphilis of long standing. I have supplied Mr. Dickson with medicine, which he has promised to administer; the other is a much older woman, very lame, and certainly unfit to work. They are: - (1.) Nunilla, alias Judy, female, about 35, unable to walk, and syphilitic; (2.) Thungundi, alias Biddy, female, about 45, infirm and lame. At this camp there were also six other women and one child, female, about three, and four men, all apparently able to work, and doing odd jobs in the township. Mr. Dickson has a man and woman in his employ, the former coming from over on the river; seems very intelligent, speaking good English and doing a white man's work. He is about 25 years old. At the Police Camp there is one native assistant and his woman, both about 30 evidently well looked after. The woman, Mrs Tyler tells me, does excellent work, washing and keeping the place tidy, ect. Undergoing a sentence of two months, for being drunk and assaulting a native woman, was a South Australian native named Cherry. He is a smart, intelligent boy (about 30), and is now doing odd jobs for Mr Oliver, the Registrar, who intends to employ him regularly at the expiration of his sentence. There are a few other other natives working in and around the township, making a total of about 20 all told; but Corporal Tyler tells me they are constantly on the move, visiting different camps. I should like to have visited Tuckanarra, Star of the East, and other outlying camps, where there are a few natives, but hope to do so on my way South later on. I would like to recommend Mr. F. S. Oliver, the Registrar of this district, as an honorary Protector, if such appointments are made. I consider he would be a good man as he takes a keen interest in the natives; and in a mining township such as this, far away from headquarters, I think it is advisable there should be someone, other than the police, to look after the welfare of the natives, more especially where relief is being distributed by the Department. Mr Oliver very kindly let me have the use of his trap and horse to go out and see the natives at their camps. I have, ect., G. S. OLIVEY, Travelling Inspector. Belele, 17th December, 1899. |
The Chief Protector of Aborigines, Perth. BELELE STATION. - Owned and managed by Mr. E. Lee Steere. There are no natives on relief here. Thirteen (13) men, aged from 27 to 50, and sixteen (16) women, from 18 to 50, are employed on this station; also one boy, 12 or 13. There is also one half-caste boy, aged four; the latter a very smart and intelligent little fellow. No deaths or births during the last 12 months. One old man died here a little over 12 months ago, but he did not belong to the station. Scale of rations: - 14lbs. flour, 14lbs. meat, 2½lbs. sugar, ¼lb. tea, 2½ sticks tobacco, per week. I only saw a few natives on this station, most of them being shepherding out on the run, and Mr. Steere being just about to leave for the South, I was unable to go round. The natives seen were in good condition, well treated and fed. I have, etc., G. S. OLIVEY, Travelling Inspector. Horseshoe, 28th December, 1899. |