ABORIGINALS
These notes from NAA file (A452 A1 1938/31785) are suggestions Professor Elkin made to the Department of the Interior’s Secretary, J. A. Carrodus, who made corrections and inserted suggestions to create the version sent to the N.T. Administrator, C.L.A. Abbott.
The following scheme to implement the Commonwealth Government’s policy in connection with the welfare of aboriginals is submitted on the assumption that the State Governments will not agree to the Commonwealth assuming control of the whole of the Aboriginals in Australia:
- Create a separate Aboriginals Department in the Northern Territory, thus divorcing the aboriginals work from that of the Medical Service.
- Plate the Department under the control of an officer with administrative ability and training in practical anthropology. (Names suggested, Chinnery of New Guinea, Austin or Lyons of Papua).
- Give the Head of the Department free scope to appoint his own officers, and to implement the general policy.
- An officer with ability to administer to perform all the routine administration work should be appointed to take up the responsibility of such work off the Head of the Department.
- Patrol officers and officers capable of imparting education to the natives should be provided, their selection to be left in the hands of the Head of the Department
- All officers should be given opportunities for training in anthropology at the Sydney University.
- Efforts should be made to train half-castes as teachers. They have been found very useful in other countries as a medium between the native and the white teacher.
- The broad outline of policy should be laid down by the Government in the first place. It will however be amended or augmented from time to time by the Head of the Department, as experience requires.
- The broad outline of policy might be as follows:
(a) Myalls or aboriginals living their normal lives:
Endeavour to keep these natives in their own country, and to prevent whites or others from interfering with them. Adhere to the present policy of not permitting the economic development of reserves.
When missions are already established amongst these people, allow them to remain, but control their work.
In an area where there is no mission, arrange for a mission to be established and for it to educate the natives in such a way that when they ultimately come in close contact with civilisation, as they must, they will be prepared to meet the clash.
(The policy to be adopted in regard to missions generally is set out later).
(b) Semi-detribalised aboriginals
These will be most difficult to deal with. Efforts should be made to educate the children and improve the adults.
It may be found that the only way to educate them should be by means of travelling teachers. This is a problem which may be faced by the Head of the Department, who will be called upon to suggest a scheme for their control and welfare.
(c) Fully detribalised
Natives in this category should be educated by the teachers specially trained in the education of natives.
The ultimate objective is to bring the aboriginal to such a stage as will justify his being granted the full rights and privileges of citizenship.
It is realised that progress will be very slow and that much patience will be required on the part of the teachers.
The education imparted should be of such a nature as will make the aboriginal a useful citizen in his own country. The aim should not be to make him an ‘indifferent white’.
(d) Half-castes
These should be educated to full white standard, so that ultimately they will be merged into the general civilised population.
- Missions
Full use should be made of missions for the purpose of implementing the Government’s policy.
They should be adequately subsidized by the Government to enable them to satisfactorily do that work.
The Government, however, should have control over such matters as education, sanitation, health, etc. The staff should be given sufficient training in anthropology to enable them to understand the natives and appreciate the most appropriate methods of imparting education to them.
The missionary in charge and those engaged upon education should be approved by the Government or the Head of the Aboriginals Department.
11. Health
The present Chief Protector, Dr Cook, should remain in charge of the Northern Territory Medical Service, and should be provided with a special staff, in addition to the Medical Officers, to specialise in medical work amongst the aboriginals. Men with some years study in medicine, who have not completed the full course, would be useful as medical assistants. They would do patrol work.
The relieving of the Chief Medical Officer of all responsibility for the general administration of native affairs will leave him free to specialise on the medical work of the Territory and especially that connected with aboriginals.
Dr Cook has high qualifications, which fit him admirably to specialise in tropical diseases and those from which aborigines usually suffer.
12. General
Other matters connected with aboriginals, such as employment and protection from abuses, are adequately covered by legislation and can be attended to in the course of the general administration of the Department.