His Honour the Administrator
Further to my memorandum of the 7th October, 1935, I submit herewith details of the procedure recommended to be adopted in respect of the Darwin district.
To recapitulate, the ultimate objective of the policy recommended is the conversion of the detribalised aboriginal in town districts from a social incubus to a civil unit of economic value, and in country districts from an unproductive nomad to self-supporting peasant. To this end it is proposed that the aboriginal should be so reared and educated that he may be competent to engage in profitable occupations which do not bring him into conflict with the white population, but which enable him to provide for himself and his dependants, and increase the wealth of the Territory.
In respect of the Darwin district it is required to provide a reserve where:-
(a) Aboriginals employed in Darwin may reside under sanitary conditions consistent with the maintenance of a high standard of hygiene.
(b) Aged and inform aboriginals may be cared for.
(c) Aboriginal children may be schooled and reared under the conditions demanded by the ultimate objective of the policy.
(d) Profitable employment may be available to those aboriginals who must live in the Darwin district, but who are temporarily or permanently unemployed, and where an effort may be made to settle such aboriginals on small agricultural or horticultural areas from the exploitation of which they may become self-supporting.
(e) Opportunity offers for the disciplining of minor offenders and the control of rogues whom it is not considered desirable to commit to prison.
(f) A Medical Aid Post for minor maladies and injuries, and an isolation hospital for Venereal Diseases may be maintained.
Aboriginal Employees in Darwin
It is the ultimate intention that:-
- No aboriginal women shall be employed or permitted within the prohibited area of Darwin and Parap. It is proposed that this prohibition shall take full effect within three years, the general policy meantime being to reduce the number employed year by year.
- No male aboriginal shall be permitted to reside within the prohibited area of Darwin and Parap except under the following conditions :-
- He must be unmarried
- Unless provided with accommodation by the Administration, he must reside upon his employer’s premises.
- The employer must provide for him sleeping accommodation approved by the Chief Medical Officer under the Building Regulations, adequate bathing and laundry facilities and separate latrine accommodation.
- The employer must undertake to feed and clothe the aboriginal to the satisfaction of the Chief Protector, and maintain him constantly at a high standard of cleanliness.
To facilitate the execution of this policy it may be necessary to recommend the erection by the Administration of barracks for unmarried male aboriginals only. These barracks would be erected in central localities namely, one in the Parap district, one in the vicinity of the Darwin Hospital, and one on Railway Hill. Each would provide accommodation for fifteen aboriginals in the first instance, providing not less than 700 cubic feet of air space per head, with locker room, concrete floor, beds, two showers, lavatory and E.C., recreation space, garden, and accommodation for two native police. The employer of an aboriginal housed within barracks would be required to pay a weekly rental to the Administration, this to cover interest and redemption on the building, sanitary, water and lighting charges. Any employer of aboriginals who is not prepared to do this would be under the necessity of having his employee camp on the reservation outside the town with the consequent disadvantages.
At present some twenty five aboriginal women are legally employed in the Darwin and Parap prohibited area. These would be gradually displaced from employment and quartered at the reservation where their services would be utilized in caring for aboriginal children and the premises generally. The ultimate objective would be the provision of separate cottages for individual families, each woman being responsible for her own household. Aboriginals with lubras and dependants will reside on the reservation and be conveyed to work and from work in the morning and evening respectively by motor truck.
In respect of such aboriginal employees it is intended that a course of training should be undertaken, probably in the form of a Night-school. The scope of the training would embrace:-
(a) The use of English and the abandonment of “Pidgin”.
(b) Numeration, the value of money and significance of time.
(c) Cleanliness of the person.
(d) Care of clothing.
(e) Advanced training in the occupations of their employment with a view to their obtaining the maximum of efficiency, for instance, laundering, cooking, baking, etc.
Aboriginals not in employment.
There are always in the vicinity of Darwin a number of aboriginals permanently or temporarily resident in the district who are unable to obtain legal employment. It is proposed to continue the existing policy of utilizing the labour of these persons in the development of Institution industries in exchange for accommodation, food and clothing. Existing activities include the collection and distribution of firewood, wedding, sale of fish, and transport of Administration stores. These activities will be continued but will be supplemented by horticulture, goat-herding, poultry-raising, and experimental agriculture under the direction of the Superintendent of Agriculture, the production of vegetables for the use of the Institution and for sale, and the production of an adequate supply of milk for the Institution and Halfcaste Home, essential activities which at present it is not possible to undertake.
In addition, it is intended to use portion of the area for the cultivation of copra and to train aboriginals in its production. For this purpose the purchase or lease of the area known as “Armstrong’s Farm” is recommended, subject to favourable report by the Superintendent of Agriculture as to the possibilities of copra production here. Seven years must elapse before coconuts planted come into bearing. Meantime, some revenue and considerable opportunity for training would be available in the areas already planted.
Children
Provision will be made for the schooling of aboriginal children in the curriculum of other Territory Public Schools. This aspect of the Institution’s activities would be under the control of the Supervisor of Education. After the completion of schooling, youths will be given vocational training in the avenues of nature. There appears to be no reason why the aboriginal should not be trained to be efficient, clean and intelligent an attendant as Chinese or Malay.
It is recommended that the Ludmilla Reserve be set aside for the use of the Aboriginal Branch, and that Section 839 adjoining it be acquired from the present holder, Mr. L. Wilson. Temporary accommodation could readily be made available by transfer of the existing Compound huts to the site, these being gradually replaced by dwellings of approved design, as opportunity offers. Other buildings necessary are-
- Office, store and canteen. For this building the sum of £800 has been listed on the current estimates.
- Kitchen and dining-room for which a similar sum was sought.
- Workshop and garage (£400)
- Saw-bench and Power Unit (£250)
- Superintendent’s residence (£1500)
- School (£600)
- Barracks for twenty families.
- Barracks for single men.
- Aid-post and Isolation Wards.
- Cell.
These may be provided over a period of years, temporary provision being made meantime on the lines of the existing Compound. It should be recognized, however, that it is a matter of urgency that temporary provision shall be recognised to be temporary, and every care should be taken to avoid the development of an attitude of tolerance to its continuance.
Halfcastes.
It is recommended that the position of Superintendent, Compound, and Matron, Halfcaste Home, be no longer a dual one. Halfcaste girls should continue in the existing Home under the care of a Matron and an assistant who should also be a teacher. The necessity for providing the Matron of this Institution with assistance will be obvious upon reflection. Some individual must be in charge throughout the twenty four hours, and unless the Matron has an assistant she will always be tied down and her hours of recreation very restricted. On the other it is necessary to provide a teacher at the Home, and if appointment is made Teacher-Assistant the difficulty should be overcome.
Cecil Cook
(C.E. COOK)
Chief Protector of Aboriginals