ENPages
1
CORRESPONDENCE.
A BLACK PROTECTION. To the Editor of the Port Denison Times.
SIR—The past deplorable misgovernment of the blacks of Northern Queensland, and their wretched state of existence from the first settlement of this part of the colony to the present day, with the very evident probability of future robbery and murder likely to arise from such a state of things, is causing serious attention and anxiety to the inhabitants of the North, especially those of the Kennedy.
It is the duty of every person interested in the matter, residing at such a distance from the seat of Government, to place all the information possible before the proper authorities, particularly those who have acquired their information through many years residence here.
I believe when the Kennedy District was opened for pastoral occupation in the year 1861 the blacks in it were variously estimated by the explorers and pioneer squatters at from five to seven thousand in number. The majority of these were inclined to be friendly with the Europeans. Some, however, were not so, and upon several occasions showed their hostility and treachery, thus compelling the pioneers in their own defence to keep them out—that is, never to allow them near a camp, out-station, head-station, or township; consequently they were hunted if seen by anyone in open country, and driven away or shot down when caught out of the scrub and broken ground. This course adopted by the early settlers and pioneers was unavoidable, and quite necessary under the then existing circumstances. The enormous extent of hitherto almost unknown country that was explored and settled upon in 1861 and 1862 in Northern Queensland, from the settled districts to the north boundary of South Australia, the immense size of most of the runs taken up nearly all at the same time, and the very great distance between the headstations, and still greater distance between the few police camps and townships, compelled every squatter to keep a larger staff of men to protect each other than could otherwise have been required to work the stations; and although in nearly every case each squatter had extra hands, still they would have been entirely at the mercy of the blacks if the blacks had been allowed in to see the settler's weak points. For instance, what could a half dozen or twenty men do if surprised and surrounded by a host of savages, as in the case of Willis's [sic] massacre in 1861?
This system of keeping them out, however, has led to the most dreadful results. Instead of the Government sending police enough to protect the pioneers in the first instance, and assist them afterwards to civilize the blacks and allow them in some years ago, the Government did not send anything like the required number of police for a new district, and shortly after the district was settled, and at a most critical period, withdrew or disbanded some of the few that had been sent here; consequently every bushman had to take the law into his own hands in selfdefence, and for a time every man's hand was against the blacks, and their hands against
2
every man—as those who had been peacefully inclined towards the settlers at first became revengeful, and committed several most horrible murders, cutting and hacking their victims in a dreadful manner, and killing sheep, cattle and horses—cattle especially— in every direction. This state of affairs lasted from the early part of 1864 to 1868, and does to a certain extent to the present day in some parts of the Kennedy and outlying districts. Lately in the more settled parts of the Kennedy there is a change for the better, to all appearances. It may be for the better and it may not—that depends entirely upon the future treatment of the blacks. If they do commence again killing men and stock, they will have double the power of doing so they had before, as they now know all about the working of a station, and have all the knowledge they require to let them slaughter with impunity unprotected travellers and bushmen; footmen, travelling at all seasons of the year from one gold-field to another, and prospecting in the mountains on their way, would be easy victims for them if they are not kept in check by some sort of control for the future. And if they commence killing stock again upon the stations, after having been allowed in, they will be able to do so with little risk of punishment, through several stations being abandoned, leaving a greater distance between those occupied, which, generally speaking, are now being worked with only half the number of men required; and if the blacks ever do turn out murderers and cattle-killers again all over the Kennedy, the deeds of bloodshed will be dreadful. At present the blacks are in a very unsettled state, as they are allowed into some of the stations and not into others, where it would perhaps still be unsafe to allow them too near with any sort of freedom, and they are often driven back from even the town reserves. They will soon get tired of trying to please by leaving the stock alone, while they are to a certain extent driven about from post to pillar, as of course the squatters do not like them to hang about the stocked portions of their runs, and the blacks do not know where to go to be out of the way, and without risk of being driven off as soon as they are seen; they have no one to guide and direct them as a body, and this state of things cannot last long without a serious row between them and the Europeans. There are no steps being taken to control, educate, or civilise them in any shape or form; and under the present method of managing them, or rather mismanaging them, they will be in the same state of savage ignorance and darkness as to civilization and Christianity, and be the same cause of terror and annoyance to the inhabitants of the district five years hence as they [were some years ago?].
On the other hand, if a competent person were appointed as black protector, inspector and teacher of the blacks in this district, with the necessary assistants, and a proper system arranged and carried out to civilize them, they would in a few years be quiet and obedient, and would make themselves very useful in this cotton and sugar-growing country, and be educated well enough to know right from wrong and good from evil.
Yours, &c., X.