Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 414 pages of information about Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 2.

Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 414 pages of information about Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 2.

34.  In order that the work on which the natives are employed in the vicinity of towns should be of the most advantageous nature it is necessary that it should be productive of benefit both to themselves and the Government which employs them, so that it cannot be complained of as a useless expense, whilst at the same time it should be of such a kind as to accord with that love of excitement and change which is so peculiar to this people.

35.  Both of these ends would be attained by employing the aborigines either in opening new roads or in repairing old lines of communication; indeed this mode of employment is singularly suited to the habits of this people; they might be kept constantly moving from post to post, thus varying the scene of their operations; one portion of the party might be employed in hunting with kangaroo-dogs, or fishing, in order to supply the others with fresh meat; and the species of labour in which the main body were engaged might, if they wished it, be changed once or twice in the course of the day to prevent their being wearied by the monotonous character of their employment.

CONCLUSION.

36.  Among other enactments which I believe would have a tendency to promote the civilization of the aborigines, and which are applicable to those districts in which for some time a great intercourse has existed between the natives and Europeans, are the following: 

37.  That any native who could produce a certificate (from the protector of aborigines) of having been constantly employed at the house of any settler or settlers, for a period of not less than three years, should be entitled to a grant of land, the extent of which should be fixed by the local government of the colony to which such native should belong, and that, if possible, this grant should be given in that district to which this native by birth belonged.

That, in addition to this grant, he should receive a sum of money, the amount of which should also be fixed by the local government, and which should be drawn from the fund raised by the sale of Government lands, and which sum should be expended in goats, poultry, etc., so as to enable the native in some manner to stock his land.

That any native, having only one wife, who produced a certificate of the civil marriage contract having been performed between himself and her, by the resident of the district to which he belonged, should be entitled to a small reward.

That any natives who registered duly the birth of any of their children should be entitled to a small reward.

That some competent person should be paid to instruct two native boys in such a manner as to qualify them to act as interpreters in courts of law, and that as soon as they are found competent they should be employed for this purpose.

I believe that many other regulations, similar to these, would be found to produce a very beneficial effect.

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Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.