[The Aborigines Question, The Western Mail (Perth, WA), Saturday 18 February 1905, page 12-17, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37384000]
THE ABORIGINES QUESTION.
EVIDENCE TAKEN BY DR. ROTH.
TESTIMONY OF IMPORTANT WITNESSES.
TREATMENT OF THE NATIVES.
IMMORALITY ALONG THE COAST.
DEFECTS OF THE PRESENT LAW.
THE USE OF NECK CHAINS.
The evidence taken by Dr. Roth during his investigations into the condition and treatment of the aborigines of this State is an interesting supplement to that officers report on the same Question. A copy of the evidence, which was handed to us some days ago by the Colonial Secretary, shows that Dr. Roth examined 42 witnesses, including government officials, clergymen, aborigines, and stockmen. We give part of the testimony
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NICHOLAS MARIA EMO (FATHER NICHOLAS).
Parish Priest, Broome.
(Conversation held in French; the Rev. Father is a Spaniard, and does not speak English fluently.)
How long have you been working as a missionary amongst the aborigines? Since the beginning of 1895, when I came out with a party of other Trappist fathers on their way to found the Aboriginal Mission at Beagle Bay. My General Superior gave me a formal promise to let me live and die in Australia on behalf of the natives. From the date of landing I commenced work all alone at Broome without a penny in my pocket; a tent was my church; a bough-shed my room.
What was the nature of your work at this period? Being dependent upon public charity, I was able after a little time to open an orphan school (Orfelin Ecole) in order to gather in the native children of full-blooded children of both sexes, as well as some half-caste girls, whom, to my sorrow, I found amongst the Asiatics. The Abbot of my congregation at Beagle Bay then commenced to give assistance in the way of provisions; with this help I succeeded in supporting during these three years 37 children and adults, and in paying a small salary for a school mistress.
Who was the school mistress? She was a half-caste woman married to a Manillaman. She had apparently spent some of her earlier years at Broome, and had considerable influence and sympathy with the natives, especialy amongst the children. I gave her and her husband, who was my sacristan, the title of half of one of my allotments, and paid her £3 per month. I saw a great deal of her, and was able to judge for myself that she was a good, pure, and trustworthy woman.
Why did not the school continue longer? A certain Government official, who came to inspect my school gave it an excellent report. He, however, added a postscript implying certain alleged aspersions on thc schoolmistresss character, which he certainly admitted in the same postscript he did not personally believe. The very act, however, of his having made such a slanderous statement did a great deal of harm, with the final result that, disgusted and disheartened, I gave up this particular school and distributed the elder girls into service amongst the European ladies in Broome. Some of the elder boyssix of themI lately sent to tho Beagle Bay Mission. These boys had been with me continually for a long time previously. All the younger children (boys and girls) who at the time of the closing of the school were too young to go into service I have supported until the present time.
Why did you not send the girls as well to Beagle Bay? There were no Sisters there, and I do not believe that any mission for natives can be successful unless there are women to look after the aboriginal girls.
Did you take any further steps yourself to look after the education of the children? With the help of subscriptions from the inhabitants of Broome, I built a church here, and a residence for myself; the latter served as a school for the remaining children of my blacks.
Did you do anything for the welfare of the adult black population? Yes. About the same time I bought seven or eight town allotments in close proximity to the church. Each allotment cost over £20. I also erected certain huts on these allotments for the Christian married couples.
Were these allotments and improvements paid for out of your own pocket? Yes.
Are they still your property? No. I made them over to various of these native couples, and impressed upon the wives the necessity for always retaining them so they might always have a permanent home here. They have now and again paid me back a little towards the cost of purchase. I am quite satisfied with what they have given me.
But when the time comes for you to be called to rest, and these blacks are no longer under your influence, is it not likely that some speculator or unprincipled person will contrive to get these allotments out of the hands of their present owners, especially as these lands are increasing in value? I have thought of this matter since, and propose trying to make some arrangement by which these allotments may be held in trust from them.
Were you not at one time Superior of the Beagle Bay Mission? Yes. I was nominated to that position in 1898, and remained there until 1901. I was thus removed to other spheres of duty, and though being obliged to absent myself from Broome, although I frequently visited it from time to time, I occupied myself in the interests of other aborigines. For instance, while at Beagle Bay I made a point of visiting, travelling with, and living amongst, the tribes of natives at King Sound and Disaster Bay, and got into touch with practically all the tribes occupying the tract of country bounded by the peninsula terminating at Swan Point.
About how many camp blacks were there at the mission when you were in charge? In general, never less than 150; sometimes more than 200.
About how many children attended school when you were there? About 50 boys and girls.
Why did you leave the Beagle Bay Mission? I received instructions from the head of my Order that the Mission would in future be carried on by the Pallottines, and when all the brothers of my order (the Trappists) left Western Australia, I alone received permission and orders to remain, and ever since I have continued carrying on mission work in Broome.
Were you empowered to carry on the negotiations for the transfer of the Beagle Bay Mission from the Trappists to the Pallottines? Yes.
Was there any money consideration? Yes; we were to receive £2,640 for the cattle.
Has your order received the whole of this purchase money? Not yet.
You only sold the cattle, then? Yes. There were over 800 head. The Trappists had brought a little money out with them when they first arrived in the State, and with this money they purchased about 150 head of cattle originally. As to the buildings, fences, improvements, etc., I did not feel justified in selling them.
Why not? Because I considered them to be part and parcel of the trust, that they had been built with the labour and assistance of the blacks, and that they had been erected for the use and benefit of the natives.
Since the time you finally severed your connection with the Beagle Bay Mission you have devoted all your time and energies to working amongst the Broome natives? Yes.
At the present time, how many have you under your especial care? Nine old and infirm women, two old men (one of whom is beginning to be mentally incapable), five little girls (one of whom is blind), two small boys, two sick women, one man whose leg the doctor has lately amputated, two others very sick with incurable disease, one young man sick with consumption, one with pleurisy, one with disease of the leg. This total of 26 people I feed three times daily, and supply with medicine. The food consists of rice, meat, bread, and tea, with vegetables such as pumpkins, tomatoes, and watermelons very frequently. Often some goats milk is given to those who require it.
Who pays for all this? I do. I have given all I have. And now for the first time in 10 years work amongst these people, I am in debt to the amount of £100.
Do you mean to tell me that the Government has given you no pecuniary assistance? Not a penny, so far. But the time has now arrived at last when, unless the Government come soon to my assistance, I can no longer continue this expenditure which, though I have to admit it with a wounded heart (le coeur navre), will mean that I have to abandon all such sick natives to their fate. When Mr. Olivey travelled round her on behalf of the Aborigines Department, the Resident Magistrate spoke to him very forcibly on the necessity of giving some assistance to these blacks. Mr. Olivey promised to make the necessary recommendation to the proper quarters; I received only one box of medicines.
Does any religious body give you pecuniary assistance in this good and noble work? No.
You are then dependent only upon the charity of the Broome public? Yes.
Where do you keep all these sick people you have just mentioned? With the exception of three of the worst cases (the amputated leg, the pleurisy and the syphilitic) whch I have here at the back of my premises in a tent and a hut, they are all at the Point.
Where is this Point? A headland, within the town boundary, where I have ten acres, a very healthy locality and exposed to the sea breeze.
Is there anything paid for this? Yes. It is rented at £3 per year.
Who pays this £3? I do. It is my blacks camp.
Are there many old and infirm blacks in the neighbourhood of Broome? Yes; I have often found them dying of hunger, in the absence of a little care and kindness. Considering the many instances I have come across in Broome, how many must there be in other centres occupied by aborigines! I would suggest that all such cases, instead of being abandoned to their fate like dogs, should be collected into certain areas and looked after by someone friendly to the natives. But, for this, the assistance of the Government is essential.
Have you any suggestion to make with regard to the young and healthy adults? Let them work for their food, or hunt for it; there is plenty of game and fish about. If they were not lazy, the Government could grant them a piece of land which they might cultivate.
And what about the children? These ought to be sent to mission schools (where there are Sisters or Matrons), while the half-castes should be sent to reformatories. The half-caste girls, in my opinion, are in general of a very vicious temperament.
How many half-caste children are there at present in Broome? About 30, of both sexes.
How many blacks are there at present in the neighbourhood of Broome? More than 300, of whom about 120 are in employment, but there are probably not more than 70 under contract.
What influence has your work had on these natives? They have become, comparatively speaking, law-abiding and good Christians. One of my great difficulties is the temptation offered to them in the way of drink, both by Europeans and Asiatics; drink is offered them with a view of inducing them to prostitute their women. I have baptised altogether 131 natives (45 men, 16 boys, 45 women, and 25 girls). Of the 33 Christians who have died, all the expenses in connection with the sickness, death, and interment have been borne by me. My work has borne good fruit in that the non-Christian natives in the bush invariably come to me for help and assistance in the way of medical and other comforts, and I frequently visit their camps for this purpose. I regret to state that I know of 44 non-Christian infants who have been killed by their mothers at birth, and one child even of four years was killed and eaten by its mother; now the latter is a Christian. I always let the blacks know when I visit their camps that I am fond of their children, and offer them so much rice and flour for any infant they do not want.
Do the police give you any help? Yes; the police have always placed themselves at my disposal and give me every assistance.
AB notes:
This testimony is perhaps the most moving of all that Roth received. Very little that Roth heard was positive, and Emo shines. Roth was clearly influenced by it; see the specific mention of Emo in his final report.
One section that shows an unusual level of respect for the Aborigines is this, relating to the departure of the Trappists from Beagle Bay:
You only sold the cattle, then? Yes. There were over 800 head. The Trappists had brought a little money out with them when they first arrived in the State, and with this money they purchased about 150 head of cattle originally. As to the buildings, fences, improvements, etc., I did not feel justified in selling them.
Why not? Because I considered them to be part and parcel of the trust, that they had been built with the labour and assistance of the blacks, and that they had been erected for the use and benefit of the natives.
