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. MT. CLERE (Upper Gascoyne). - Owned by Mr. R. E. Bush, and managed by Mr. T. P. Wilson. I visited some of the out camps belonging to this station, and saw several of the natives employed drawing water, shepherding, etc. Most of these natives look well, an are apparently contented. They get a very fair ration, but as some of them were rather scantily clothed, I decided to see Mr. Bush before sending in my report on this place; and from what he told me, I feel confident the natives are given a fair of clothing, et. There are 17 men and boys, from 12 to 45, employed; also about 14 women and girls, from 18 to 45, and one child (F) about four years. There are a few elderly natives of both sexes with the shepherds and on the camps, not fed by the station; but as dogs are allowed, also guns, etc., they appear to get a fair living. A native woman does the cooking at the homestead. Rations: 10lbs. flour, 16lbs. meat, 2 sticks tobacco, per week per man and woman. The camp boys get sugar and tea. One woman I saw at the homestead will probably become a mother shortly. I have, etc., G. S. OLIVEY, Travelling Inspector. Dalgety Well, 19th February, 1900. |
The Chief Protector of Aborigines, Perth. DAIRY CREEK. - Owned and managed by Mr. J. Fitzpatrick. There are no natives on relief here; there are a few old natives, but as a good ration is given to those employed, and dogs kept, these old people do very well living with the working natives. There are 10 men and boys, 16 to 50, employed; also seven, women, 16 to 50; one girl, 12; two half-caste - boy, 10; girl, eight. The two half-castes are brother and sister, Freddie and Lizzie Worth, the children of a white man formerly employed here and elsewhere in the district. This man kept these children's mother for six years, and eventually left mother and children to shift for themselves. I am glad to find these children have a good home with Mr. Fitzpatrick, the mother also being employed by him. The girl Lizzie is a very smart, intelligent little thing, and makes herself very useful about the homestead, under the able tuition of Mrs. and Miss Fitzpatrick, and I am told the boy is a very smart youngster also; I did not see him, he having gone to Carnarvon. I consider these children have fallen into very good hands, and will be well taken care of on this station. I saw a very useful women working at the homestead; she can do many things and has been with the Fitzpatricks for several years. The mother of the half-caste children was cooking at the shearing shed, and seems to be well up in her work also. The natives are well treated and cared for on this station, and seem contented and happy. By last mail I forwarded Mr. Fitzpatrick's opinion on the signing question, for your information. Two old men died 18 months ago, probably from senile decay. No births during last 12 months. One young woman will probably become a mother in a few months. Rations: 14lbs. flour, 14lbs. meat, 1½lbs. sugar, ¼lb. tea, 2 sticks tobacco, man and woman, per week. I would like to express my appreciation of the kindness shown me by the Fitzpatricks. I was lent a horse, saddle, and bridle to ride down the river to Mr. Bush's and the Junction, so that I could give my horses a much-needed rest, before tackling a sever stage. I have, etc., G. S. OLIVEY, Travelling Inspector. Dalgety Well, 19th February, 1900. |
The Chief Protector of Aborigines, Perth. CLIFTON DOWNS (Gascoyne). - Owned and managed by R. E. Bush, Esq. Mr. Bush has lately bought Mingenew, a station formerly owned by the Mortgage & Agency Corporation and managed by Mr. Dunlop, and most of the natives have entered Mr. Bush's employ. There are nine natives on Government relief. I only saw three of these pensioners, the others being at some of the other camps; and as I only took a flying trip as far as the Junction Station, was unable to visit these camps. The three old women seen were certainly deserving of support, and Mr Bush assured me none of those on the list had ever worked for him. I hope to see one or two more in the course of my travels; one in particular, a man, Mr Bush tells me, is unable to be shifted from a camp farther up the river. I will endeavour to get the police at the Thomas Station to get him to that station; I believe he is very bad and will probably not live very long. These natives were put on the list by a former protector and the late Inspector Lodge. The natives employed seem to be well treated, and I think well fed and clothed in winter. Mr. Bush has a very good system of giving the men good condemned army coats at ehe commencement of the winter, and makes them hand them over to the storekeeper during the summer months. As the native is never happy unless exchanging gear with his friends, I think this a very good idea, and apparently works well. Two or three women working at the homestead are wonderfully useful, doing the housework, etc., and looking clean and tidy. They have evidently been well trained. There are 60 males (from 11 to 60), 50 females (from 15 to 50) employed; 43 men and 36 women here, and the balance at Mt. Clere; there are also about 20 children, mostly girls. Mr. Bush seems to take a keen interest in the welfare of his natives. I had a long talk with him re signing, etc., and append his opinion on the question, written at his own dictation. There are no half-castes on the station, probably because no women are allowed to be kept by whites. Rations: 10lbs. flour, 14lbs. meat, 2 sticks tobacco, for man and woman, per week. Guns and dogs are given to the natives, so they can kill their own meat. Kangaroos and other game being very numerous, and easily obtained such a season as this, the natives should do well enough. The camp boys get sugar and tea also. One woman, about 35, died in childbirth about six weeks ago; one man also died within last 12 months. Three births within last 12 months, but only one child now alive. I have, etc., G. S. OLIVEY, Travelling Inspector. Dalgety Well, 19th February, 1900. |
The Chief Protector of Aborigines, Perth. JUNCTION POLICE STATION (Gascoyne). - P.C. Sunter in charge. There are 13 natives on the relief list here, of which number I saw nine, the other four being away at the time of my visit. These natives are certainly all deserving of support, are well looked after. P.C. Sunter gives them a good ration, and I feel sure can make little or nothing out of the 9d. allowed. He gives them 8lbs. flour, 1½lbs. sugar. ¼lb. tea, 2 sticks tobacco. Two kangaroo dogs are also kept, so that the old people get as much meat as they require. One youngish woman is stone blind, and has been so apparently since birth. She has a half-calf child, about three years old. There is one girl about six on the list. There appared to be no sickness amongst these natives. I have, etc., G. S. OLIVEY, Travelling Inspector. Dalgety Well, 20th February, 1900. |
The Chief Protector of Aborigines, Perth. BANGHEMALL GOLDFIELD. - There are six (6) natives on relief here at 9d. per day, as follows: - (1.) Keilabidga, alias Jimmie, male, 60, nearly blind and very feeble; (2.) Arabiddy, alias Johnnie, 60, male, very decrepit; (3.) Balyogoura, alias Fanny, famale, 55, nearly blind and feeble; (4.) Jabulbiddy, alias Mary, 65, female, nearly blind and feeble; (5.) Dungarrin, alias Judy, 50, female, blind; (6.) Windowwidga, alias Polly, 40, female, blind. These natives are certainly most deserving of relief, and none of them are able to obtain their own living. They are rationed by the storekeeper her, Mr. E. A. P. Burt, who gives them 8lbs. flour, 2lbs. sugar, 3ozs. tea, 2 sticks tobacco per week. Mr Burt complains that he has to ration these natives at 9d. per day whereas the police at the Thomas Station, which is nearer Perth than this place gets 1s. The carriage here is also more expensive than to the police station, so that I think at the latter place the police might be able to give a fair allowance at the same rate as here, viz., 9d. It seems to me hardly fair to make fish of one and fowl of another. I am writing to the constable in charge of the Thomas, asking him to forward six blankets to Mr. Burt (as I hear there is a supply there) for distribution amongst these old natives as winter will shortly be coming on. There are a good many natives camped about this field as a rule. Just at present the majority are away hunting. Four men, three white and one half-caste (West Indian), left here two or three days ago, each taking a native woman with him. One of these men has lived with his woman for several years, and she has a half-caste girl by him; but, I am pleased to say, this man has acted in an honourable manner, and about 12 months ago took this girl, aged seven, to the Swan Mission, where she now is. He told me he paid 12s. 6.d per week for this child. I consider this amount rather large for an ordinary working man, and certainly is hardly likely to induce others to act in a similar manner. It seems to me, an institution formed at Geraldton, sat, on economic lines, should be able to bring up children at a lower figure than this. I obtained promises from some of these men to find good homes for the women when they were leaving them, as they were bound to sooner or later, and insisted upon their being taken back to their own districts. They seemed quite ready to do so. It appears to be looked upon as quite the correct thing to keep a woman on this field. I suppose the absence of the influence of white women accounts for this to a certain extent. They seemed contented with their lot, and were well dressed and fed. As the law stands, I suppose nothing can be done to prevent this sort of thing. There are a few natives and their women working for different people on this field, and appear well treated, clothed, and fed, and certainly do more work than the run of goldfields natives. Since communicating this report, P.C. Duffy, constable in charge of the Thomas Station, has arrived here. I interviewed him this morning re a reduction in his allowance for feeding relief natives, but he tells me he cannot give them a fair thing under 1s. per day. Carting costs him £25 per ton, and goods very hard to get at that. He allows 6lbs. flour, ¼lb. tea, 2lbs. sugar, 2 sticks tabacco per week. They also get meat when sheep are killed, and often kangaroo. I suggested knocking off the tea and tabacco, and giving a little more flour instead, as I consider natives on relief are not supposed to luxuriate at Government expense. I have asked P.C. Duffy to remove a poor wretch from Chalby Chalby camp, on the Gascoyne, on Mr. Bush's run. This native is quite helpless, syphilitic, and miserable. The constable will do so, if possible. No white man being camped at the above camp, but only visiting there once a week or so, this native cannot be supplied regularly with medicine, which is my reason for endevouring to have him removed to the police station. I am sending one of Mr. Bush's men some pills for the old chap, but I am afraid he is too far gone to hope for much benefit from them. He on the relief list of Clifton Downs. I saw an old woman there, blind, also on the list. A few more natives came back here yesterday. They had a good deal of bush food amongst them, and are apparently doing all right. I have been obliged to place another native on the relief list here, a crippled man. The other natives say he has been a cripple for years. He is about 40, and is certainly deserving of relief. He goes on the list from 11th March, 1900. I have, etc., G. S. OLIVEY, Travelling Inspector. Bangemall, 11th March, 1990. |