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THE MBM^MENTJ
LEGISLATIVE COTJHQIL.^
Tttesdat. Dkckhbeb 12.: ?
,. The President took the Chair at 2 o'clock. '-'
'?*.._,... PRINTING COMMITTEE.
The Hon. H. AYEliS brought up the seventh
report of the Printing Committee, which was
recervedVread, and adopted.
PAPERS.
The COMMBSIONfiB of PUBLIC WORKS
(Hon. T. English) hud on the table the By-laws of
the Marine Board. Also the return respecting ad
valorem duties moved for by the Hon. Mr.
Barrow.
SURVEY DEPARTMENT.
The Hon. J. BAKER asked the Hon. the Com
missioner of Public Works 'if a Commission has
been appointed to investigate some cause of diffi
culty between the Surveyor-General and an officer
in the Survey Department; and, if so, if he will
lay a copy of such Commission on tbe table of the
Council. He was not aware of the facts which
had given rise to the investigation referred to in
his question. He had been requested to make
this enquiry, and he held it to be his duty to do so
in his representative character. He had been in*
formed that a Commission had been appointed
consisting of Captain O'Halloran, Mr. Beddome.
and Major Warburton; and he had since beerUold
that the question they were asked to investigate
was one of ordinary routine, and not of public
importance. He asked the question, however, in
order that the Hon. Commissioner of Public
Works might have an opportunity of giving infor
mation on the subject.
The COMMISSIONER of PUBLIC WORKS
replied as follows:— 'A Commission has been
appointed to investigate a trifling dispute in the
Surveyor-General's Office. The report of the Com
missioners is herewith laid on the table.'
The report of the Commissioners was read as
follows:— .
'Report of a Board, appointed 16th November,
1865, to enquire into the case of Thomas Lyons,
draftsman in the Survey Department, with a
view to advise the Government as to the best mode
of dealing with the matter :—
'The Board met on the 8th December, being
the earliest convenient day after t^e return to
Adelaide of the Surveyor-General, and perused
the documents furnished by the Under-Secretary,
and heard the statements of the officers and others
named in the margin-Messrs. Draper, Doswell
Gardiner, Laurence, Gardiner, jun., iPartridge,
Hams, and Wildman. . It appears that Mr. Lyons
had applied to be removed to the Lands Titles
Office at a lower salary; and this exciting the Sur
veyor-General's surprise he asked for an explana
tion, which, after some delay, was forthcoming in
the shape of an account of a conversation said to
have been overheard by Mr. Lyons between
Messrs. Draper and DoBtrell-two subordi
nate officers connected with the depart
ment—nearly four years ago, from which
Mr. Lyons concluded that the Surveyor-General
disliked him personally, and that he could not
expect promotion. Tbe Surveyor-General con
siders this alleged conversation an invention. That
some remarks of a nature to annoy Mr. Lyons were
made by Mr. Draper appears from the evidence,
as, although they are not remembered by Mr.
Draper or the officer to whom they were addressed,
yet four witnesses have a distinct recollection of
Mr. Lyons mentioning the Bubiect in the moment
of excitement caused by overhearing the remarks:
in fact, it seems that Mr. Lyons's slow manner of
conducting sales had been the frequent subject
of remark. There is no reason to suppose that
Mi. Goyder, the Surveyor-General, had at any
time previous to this occurrence entertained the
slightest dislike to Mr. Lyons or acted otherwise
than with a desire properly to carry out his public
duty. The Board do not see from what has taken
place in this matter anything to disqualify Mr.
Lyons from remaining in the public service. In
all departments officers are sure occasionally to
make remarks upon the capabilities of each other,
and if unaccompanied by ill-nature such remarks
should not cause annoyance. It is therefore to be
regretted that Mr. Lyons should have so foolishly
treasured up in his memory a fragment of a trifling
conversation not meant for his ears, and act upon
it after so great a lapse of time, the more especially
as the Surveyor-General had done nothing to con
firm the erroneous impression he entertained; and
his removal to another department will, perhaps,
be the most expedient course.
?f J. W. Lkwis,
' Pnatmnot»r.(!j»nnrnl
' Samoel Beddome,
' Police Magistrate.
' P. K Wasbbbton,
' Commissioner of Police.'
Considerable amusement was caused by the
reading of this document, on account of the
trivial character of the charges investigated.
The Hon. J. H. BARROW, with permission of
the Council, would ask a question arising out of
the report. It was known that a telegram had
been sent to Melbourne, stating that a Commission
had been appointed to enquire into some grave
charges made against Mr. iroyder, and this tele
gram, which had been passed on to the other
Australian Colonies, would be interpreted as in
some way connected with Mr. Goyder's duties as
Surveyor-General or Valuator of Runs. He there
fore asked the Hon. Commissioner of Public
Works if there was anything else alleged against
Mr. Goyder except that which had appeared in the
ridiculous report which had been read.
The COMMISSIONER of PUBLIC WORKS
No: he knew of nothing of the kind.
The Hon. J. BAKER also would ask a question
of the Hon. Commissioner of Public Works.
When he was first informed of the appointment of
the Commission it was represented to him that it
was in some way cennected with the destruction of
some maps in the Survey Office. And after the
Commission was appointed he was given U» under
stand that some important collateral facts would
be elicited.
The Hon. J. M. SOLOMON objected to these
statements as irregular, and maintained that the
Hon. Mr. Baker could not proceed without the
permission of the Council.
A discussion on the question of order thus raised
ensued. The Puesidknt ruled that the Hon. Mr.
Baker could proceed with the permission of the
Council; and the Hon. J. M. Solohos said he
would willingly give permission.
The Hon. J. BAKKU continued-He thought
he had the indulgence of the Council for Btadnu
his reasons for asking another question of the
Hon. Commissioner of Public Works. No one
objected to his doing so but the Hon. Mr.
Solomon, and that hon gentleman did so no
longer. He was about to say that the matter
referred to the Commission, as shown by their
report, was of such a silly and nonsensical
character that it might have beer, settled without
the appointment of a Board of Enquiry, unless
the Government attached more importance to it
{han it apparently deserved; and he was therefore
induced to ask if any question referring to the
destruction of maps Or other documents had led
to the appointment of the Commission.
The COMMISSIONER of PUBLIC WORKS
replied that so far as he was aware it had not done
bo. (Hear, hear.)
COLONIAL DEFENCES.
A message, No. 7, was received from the
GovernoMn-Chief, transmitting copies of corre
spondence on colonial defences, as requested by
the address of the Council.
MAIN ROADS BILL.
This Bill was received by message from the
House of Assembly.
The Hon. H. AYERS moved that it be received
a first time; and, in answer to the Hon. J. M.
Solomon, stated that it was not introduced into
tbe House of Assembly by the Government.
The motion was campil. nnrl fhn oprnnrl roniiinn
was made an Order of the Day for the lollowing
Tuesday.
RELIEF OF THE ABOBIUINES.
Mr. ELDER moved -
'That an address be presented to His
Excellency the Govemor-in-Chief, requesting him
to take such steps as he may deem necessary to
give effect to a petition, presented on the 6th
instant, to make provision for the aboriginal in
habitants.'
In moviag the adoption of this address, it would
not be necessary, he imagined, to say a great deal
in its support, inasmuch as hon. members were
already aware of the state of destitution to which
the natives in the North had been reduced by the
prevailing drought, and the urgent necessity which
existed for something being done to alleviate their
distress. Theie coutd be no doubt that the
natives in the Far North were now, and had been
for many months past, in a state bordering on
starvation, arising from the fact that the wild
animals and the roots' and herbs on which they
chiefly subsisted had been destroyed by the drought,
and he verily believed that, had it not been for the
sympathy manifested and the assistance rendered
by the settlers, many of them must ere now have
perished from actual want of food. When he
visited the North in June last there were several
hundreds of these unfortunate blacks wandering
about from place to place, and dragging out a
miserable existence, dependent on charity for food
supplied at some of the stations. Since then, how
ever, many of the stations in the region referred to
hod been abandoned by the settlers, most of the
stock having been swept off by the destroying-angel
famine, and the remnant removed to prevent them
from dying. This withdrawal must of necessity have
aggravated the sufferings of the natives unless the
Government had anticipated their wanta by
sending up provisions which he was not aware of.
But something more than mere temporary
relief of this Itind was required to amelio
rate the condition of the starving black).
He considered the aborigines of this province
had a strong claim for tenderness and con
sideration at the hands of the whites. They
?had taken from them their country, de
prived them of their hunting-grounds, and,
to a great extent, of their means of sub
sistence. And what had they given them
in exchange! Absolutely nothing. He was
speaking now of the natives in the Far North.
Id a season of unparalleled dearth and severity,
with an overflowing Treasury, they left these poor
creatures, the original proprietors of the soil of
which they had been forcibly dispossessed, to die
of starvation. Was this, he might ask, to be
taken as a practical illustration of Christian phi
lantrophy in a colony of British subjects in the
nineteenth century ? If bo, for the first time in his
life, he blushed for his adopted country. But he
maintained that it was neither just nor humane
to allow these natives to starve. There was
sm$y anecesHty-a .serious and urgent respon
8ibihty-lai4 upon th,e Qovernmen--ay, there
wa8a responsibility laid on every member of the
community lo do his utmost to prevent such a
reproach being cast upon the colony. He did not
blame the Government more than he did the
apathy of the people for thii neglect. He blamed
himself— he blamed the ministers ol religion-he
blamed fcverybody; but the fact was the improve
ment of the blacks was a subject which
had hitherto excited very little interest or
sympathy in the public mind in South Australia.
In affording assistance to the blacks during their
present privations it muBt be borne in mind that
it was equally necessary for the Government to
protect the lives and property of the settlers in the
distant interior from the savage attacks and
encroachments to which they were sometimes sub
jected. Plundering huts, destroying sheep and
cattle, and even tbe murder of vhite men had
not been of unfresuent occurrence of late years
and yet the guilty patties went unpunished, and
no redress was afforded to the sufferers The
settlers were told by a paternal Government to
defend themselves from aggression; but if in
doing so a native should be shot the engines of
justice were immediately put in force against him ?
and if the unfortunate settler escaped from a
verdict of murder or manslaughter he was saddled
with expenses in defending himself which were
wellnigh ruinous. That was the way in which the
law was administered in the northern parts of the
province at present; but if the majesty of the law
was to be upheld they must prevent people from
starving, as even the fear of punishment would
fail to subdue the pangs of starvation: and heheld
in h» hand a letter he received from Lake Hope a
few days ago bearing upon this question, from
tthich, with the permission of the House, he would
lead a short extract. The letter was dated November
18. The extract was as follows :— ' The blacks have
given us a great deal of trouble since
I have been away; I believe killing cattle
by wholesale. A few days ago a lot of blacks
stuck up one of our men; he saw them killing a
cow, and as soon as they discovered bun they faced
and tried to drive him back. They then all got
round and sent their boomerangs at him until he
was obliged to fire upon them to save himself from
being murdered, and one of the natives was killed,
of which* we have sent notice to the police. We
have got some of the down country blacks up here,
and they are spoiling aur lake blacks, and putting
them up to all kinds of mischief. How it will end
I do not know, but such outrages must be put a
stop to by fair means if possible, but for the protec
tion of our lives and property stopped thismust be.'
The address to His Excellency the Governor re
quested ' that he will be pleased to take such steps
as are necessary for the welfare and protection of
the aborigiues.' Now, he had no wish to speak
dictatorially as to the best means for remedying
existing evils, but he hoped a Resident Protector
to look after their temporal wants would not be
overlooked. He would be slid also, when the sea
son admitted of it, to see Christian missionaries
undertaking the duty of attending to their spiritual
interests; for he held that blackj had souls to be
saved as well as whites, and were quite capable of
mental and moral improvement if they would only
take the trouble to teach them. Skins may
differ, but affection dwells in black and white the
same.' The establishment of the Police Station
at Hamilton Creek, where a depot might be formed
for the relief of the blacks in a season like the
present, would be of essential service, and the ap
pointment of a Special Magistrate to hold Courts -
in the Far North would be highly useful, as well
for the protection of the white as of the black
population. But he thought tbe greatest advan
tage ot ail wouia ue xor me liovernnient to set
apart certain portions of land for the exclusive use
of the blacks— native reserves they migiit be called
—and he believed the example of a neighbouring
colony .might easily be followed by them in that
respect, as there were ranges of country in the Far
North, particularly in the neighbourhood of the
Yudanamutana Mines, well supplied with water
and wild animals in ordinary seasons, andeminently
adapted for the purpose. He merely threw out
these hints for the consideration of hon. members.
He trusted there would be no opposition to the
motion; but should exception be taken to any of
his statements, he would have an opportunity of
modifying or explaining them in his reply.
The Hon. W. PEACOCK seconded the motion.
As a Christian public, and belonging to a Christian
country, they could hardly expect to prosper if they
allowed their fellow-creatures to perish from a want
of food, without doing everything which could be
done to relieve their sufferings. He was sorry that
ever the admirable institution established by a
former Governor (Captain Grey) was done away
with. There was a Bcboolhouse for the natives, at
which more than 100 of the native children attended.
He had during seven years plenty of opportunities
of wituessing the progress made by the children ; -
and he had no hesitation in Baying, that they were
equal in their capabiHty of receiving instruction,
bothreligious and secular, to the children of English I
parents. They wrote beautifully, read well, and in /
other respects were excellent scholars. . For several v
years he used to take three of the girls home with
him to tea, and he became really attached to
them. Many had told him that the natives had
not the ability to improve themselves like the
Europeans; but this was not true. If the plan of
Captain Grey had been followed up of setting aside
reserves for the use of the natives they might by
this time have become self-sustaining. His plan
was to direct the survey in such a manner aathat
in various parts of the country sections of 70 or 80
acres ahould be retained as aboriginal reserves.
He had been asked of what use this was when the
land was let to the settlers; but the Intention of
Captain Grey was to give them to such of the
natives as were educated after they had married
and had become good settlers. They were sup
posed to be subject to the laws of England, of
which laws they knew nothing; and as they had
been -accustomed to subsist upon the animals they
caught in hunting, was it surprising that they
should consider they had a right to take the sheep
they found running upon the country they held by
the best title known in English law-the title of
inheritance? They knew to a great nicety the
extent of land belonging to their own tribe, and
would not even ventuie to conduct a stranger
ueyonu iu nny, men, was me esiaousnmeni ne
had referred to broken, up? Why were not
similar ones formed in other parts of the colony i
There were not 20 of the children left, though
there might have been GO or 70 trained to be uBeful
members of the community. There were lots
of land in various directions originally appro
priated as aboriginal reserves, and now bringing in
£1,500; and though he would be told that the
Government supplied the natives with flour and
other necessaries, he wished to know why the
training establishments for the natives were not
continued which were so successfully commenced
by Captain Grey. As to the diabolical principle
held by some persons that tee Divine Providence
had ordained that the blacks should die out before
the whites, it was an insult to common seme,
He hoped the Government would do all that was
possible to be done to alleviate their sufferings.
They were bound to do this by the principles of
that common Christianity which they all pro
fessed.
The COMMISSIONER of PUBLIC WORKB
said that the Government would support the
object contemplated by the motion. Provisions
had already been forwarded to Port Augusta; but,
as hon. gentlemen were aware, great difficulty
existed in carting them to the North, even though
very high sums were ollered for the caitage.
Something, however, would have to be done iu
addition to this, and the Government expected
very shortly to appoint a Protector of Aborigines
and a stipendiary Magistrate for the Far North.
This would be a step in the right direction, but it
would be impossible to afford relief to the whole
of the aborigines scattered over so wide an extent
of country. He hoped the .settlers themselves
would do all they could ip that respect.
It was known that the Moravian missiona
ries were deterred from proceeding to the
North on account of the drought and tbe present
distress could not have been foreseen by the
Government iu time to moke such arrangeineata
as were required to meet it. No doubt the Hon,
Mr. Peacock was sincere in his advocacy of (ho
blacks, but even that hop. gentleman had.
probably let many opportunities slip of aflbrq\ng
them aid. Then, again, the Government con*
sidered that the establishment of native locations
in the country wereof greater use than the Bohool in
the city which formerly existed. Ue thought the
number of establishments' of that kind In the
country might be beneficially increased.
The Hon. J. BAKER spoke to the motion, but
his introductory remarks were inaudible in tho
reporters' gallery. He was understood to say
that he had always felt great interest in the
aborigines, but believed the system adopted at the
training institutions to be wrong in principle from
beginning to end. The Hon. Mr. Peacock, who
had pleaded for the natives in the spirit of a
Christian, a friend, and a brother, should not have
forgotten the circumstances which occurred on, a
former occasion when tbe same subject was under
discussion. The hon. gentleman had failed in his
duty, and —
The Hon. W, PEACOCK had no knowledges
to what tbe hon. gentlemen referred. Could he
point out any instance of his having neglected his
duty in respect to the subject under consideration?
The Hon. J, BAKER was not alluding to the
motion, but to an accusation brought against
him by the Hon. Mr. Peacock on a former
occasion, which he knew was without founda
tion, but which he— the Christian, the man,
and the brother, and the President of the
Bible Socitty-never took any opportunity to
retract. The hon. gentleman had referred to the
native establishment instituted some years ago
as a great success. His own remembrance of the
Location left a very different impression on his
mind. He very well remembered that the
buildings put up for the use of the natives led to
anything but morality, especially as it regarded
the females. It would be recollected that one of
the girls who was considered to be a most
exemplary Christian was taken into the Govern
ment House to live. But what happened? One
night she left Government House, taking with her,
the clothing she had received, and made from the
native wurleys, thus showing either that she did
not very highly appreciate Christian principles,
or that she had lamentably fallen away from the
faith. The fact was that every attempt made to
Christianize the blacks by bringing them together in
considerable numbers had failed. They all knew
what had been the result of the attempt made at
Poonindee. The establishment was conducted by
a very conscientious and worthy man, but it was a
mistake. He gave All honour to those who made
the attempt; out it was an absurdity to try
to Christianize the blacks before they had
civilized them. It was the first duty of of the
Government to provide for their physical wants,
and it was discreditable to them as a Christian
community that tbe poor creatures should bo
allowed to perish with hunger (Hear.) To
attempt to Christianize them while they were
starving was entirely beside the mark. He did
not believe that even the Hon. Mr. Peacock
would be able to Christianize them if he were to
personally devote himself to that work, unless he
first of all attended to their physical wants. That
hon. gentleman had said that the natives ought
not to be subject to laws of which they were
ignorant. He would apply that remark to their
future state. It was a principle recognised in the
Divine law that they would not be ultimately
punished for what they could not understand.
There were good blacks as well as good Christians,
and he verily believed that some of those good
natives would stand a better chance than some of
the civilized and Christianized aborigines, such as
he had seen hanging about some of the religious
institutions. These were his views, and he would
fearlessly express them. It was very difficult to
say where the blame lay, or who were responsible
for the present state of things. He believed: the
whole system of dealing with the natives
was bad. Every owner and overseer on a
station ought to be a protector of the
blacks. They ought to be authorized by the
Government to distribute rations amongst them in
acknowledgment of work done. The objection to
that would be that there might be some dishonest
persons who would abuse their position, and keep
to themselves what proply belonged to the
blacks. He was sure, however, there were
but few who would be guilty of such
rascality; but even if such practices did exist
in a few instances, he held that it would still
be more economical for the Government to dis-
pense rations in this way. On every station some
person might be found to do this work, and that
person would be the real friend of the aborigines.
The moral influence he would obtain' from his
position amongst the blacks would be of great use
to them. In the Nortli the best blacks to bo found
on the stations were those who had been accus
tomed to work. It would have been a great
blessing if filr. Elder himself and other gentlemen
had had food placed under their charge to give to
tnc starving blacks during the lost lew months.
This would have prevented much mischief arising
from their overcrowding together, from their
corroborces, women-stealing, and dangerous fights,
He would apply this principle not only to the
blacks in the North, but to those in all parts of
the country. If they had thus 200 or 300 pro
tectors in the settlure, and their overseers scattered
over the country, it would be of immense service.
The only way to touch thehearts of the blacks was
by feeding them. Their passions were like those
of the lower animals in this respeit, and when
they were hungry no good could be done to them
till they were fed He thought few persons would
say that the existing methods of civilizing and
Christianizing the blacks were adequate. He had
been consulted on the propriety of Moravian
missionaries being sent up to the North. He had
expressed his willingness to help them in any way
he could, but he freely gave his views on the
prospects of their mission. He had stated that he
believed they would do no good unless they
carried food and raiment with them. To

preach* to them the Gospel without 'pro
viding them with creature comforts would fail
The drought gave additional force to his remarks.
-At the present season it was not possible to send
Protectors to all parts of the colony where the
blacks were suffering. They must therefore use
the agency which the stations afforded if their
relief was not .to come too late. The overseer of
the Hon. Mr. Elder at Lake Hope could do
far more for them than any man who might
be sent from Adelaide. Let them have flour,
?tea.- . sugar, and blankets, and he believed
they would leave off killing cattle. They
could not reason on the matter; but they knew
that when they had good rations they were in
comfortable circumstances. Near to one of the
institutions for specially watching over the natives
he had seen many of them ill-provided for and
badly clothed, though they were making respect
able wages in fishing. They had no medical
assistance, In a short journey he believed)
he had counted five dead and two dying blacks,
while there was.no medical relief attainable.
-This happened under the eyes of an esta
blishment expressly intended to Christianize tile
natives. To Christianize them was of no im
portance if they died under the process. If .the
soul was to be saved only by destroying the body,
what did they accomplish? Their bodies should
be attended to first of all. He would assure the
Hon. Mr. Peacock that he sympathized with him,
and believed that he was sincere in his wishes for
the blacks as far as his lights went, though he
thought that in some points he was mistaken.
TheHon. J. H. B ARROW did not ask if the
question before them was whether they should
first feed or Christianize the aborigines. That was
mlly not the question before the CounciL The
subject referred to in the resolution was the bodily
sufferings of the aborigines. He wished to keep to
that one point. They miaht take different views
as.to what was best to be done for their religious,
mental, and physical improvement; but there
could be no difference on the question now before
ihem. They all agreed that the poor .creatures
ought to be fed. That was really, the point of the
motion, which referred to a petition which had
already been presented to the House; and for the
information of hen. members he would read the
petition:— - . , .
' 'To the Honourable the House of Assembly of
the Province of South Australia,
'The humble petition of the uudersigned inhabi
'( tants of the Province :
'Showeth— ., , .,. ,
'That your petitioners have heard with deep
regret that the disastrous results of the drought in
the country north of the latitude of Mount Brown
havecorapelled the pastoral tenants of the Ciown
to abandon large areas of that country, in conse
quence of their inability to procure pasturage for
their flocks and herds. , ,
'That absence of pasturage has also caused
Bevere privation to the aboriginal inhabitants of
that district by depriving them of those, animals
on Which they so entirely depend for their supply
of food. . . ,
'That this less to the aborigines has been
f greatly aggravated by the occupation of their
country by the flocks and herds of the pastoral
tenants.
' That your petitioners have learned that it is the
intention of the Legislature to alleviate the losses
sustained by the pastoral tenants from the eflects
of this drought. ., ,
'Your petitioners therefore, humbly pray that
your Honourable House will be pleased to take
into its consideration the losses and privations
endured in consequence of the drought by the
aboriginal inhabitants of the abovenamed district;
and that your Honourable House will be pleased
to take steps to alleviate their sufferings by afford
ing them reasonable supplies of food, and by
appointing a Resident Protector to see to its
proper distribution amongst them, and to afford
them such other aid and protection as may be
found desirable and just.
'And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will
«ver pray.'
[Here follow 1,133 signatures.]
Now that petition was the real question before
them. It was creditable to those who drafted it
and to those who signed it; and. the Hon. Mr.
Elder was taking a wise and proper course in
moving the resolution now before the Council. If
they only kept to the question there would be no
need for any difference in opinion. The matter
was one of relief to the suffering blacks, and he
believed they would all go for that iHear.) He
did not deprecate efforts to civilize or Christianize
the natives; but the Legislature had nothing to do
with such efforts. Their business was not to
Christianize either blacks or whites. Their function
was to pass wise laws and to put down immorality
which was dangerous to society; but they had
nothing to do with religion. The hon. mover had
not introduced the religious element into the
motion. The Hon. Mr. Peacock had touched on
that point. He believed that hon. gentleman
would be as anxious to promote the temporal
Welfare of the black as the Hon. Mr. Baker was.
He thought the temporal relief and spiritual in
struction should go hand in hand, or rather the
former ought to precede the latter. The duty
should be divided. The Government should attend
to their physical wants, and their (Jhristiaui
zation ought to be left to voluntary ettorts.
(Hear.) He did not remember the location of the
blacks in Adelaide to which reference had been
made; but he was afraid that any attempts to
civilize them which abridged their liberty would
faiL ' Wild in the woods the noble savage roams.
To shut them up in one place was like caging a
bird. They must have liberty. However com
fortable they might be niaile, they would feel,
when confined to one locality, as a rustic would
feel in the palace of the Queen. He miaht be
pleased for a time, but he would have more real
enjoyment in a game at bowls on his village green.
Liberty was the sweetest thing a man could enjoy.
He might be offered a large sum of money to live in
the mansion of a nobleman, but he would rather
have liberty than the money, do it was with the
aborigines, He, too, was afraid they were doomed
to extinction. He embraced this theory not
because he liked it, but because he was driven to
it by necessity. -They were dwindling everyday,
add this) was in part because the white man en
croached on their grounds. So long as they did
continue they should be kept from starving, and
allowed their liberty. It was better for them in
all respects to be free. Except in special cases of
conversion it was infinitely better that they should
live in the freedom of the forest than in drink
ing, gambling, and fighting on the outskirts of
civilization. They acquired there all the vices and
none of the virtues of the white people. It was
said that they killed cattle when tlfey had no
rations, and it was natural enough that they should
do so. They would rather steal than suffer the
pang* of hunger; and if he mistook riot the whites
would do the same. He did not think, however,
that then: want of rations was the only- reason for
their killing cattle. Like all savage tribes they
loved hunting for its own sake ; and now that their
own native animals had disappeared, the sheep and
cattle of the Bettler presented a strong temptation
to them, which appealed to their natural propen
sities. The hunting stage was one step in the de
velopment of humanity. First hunting, then
agriculture, then manufacture, and then commerce.
These were the successive steps through which
nations passed. The blacks were now in the first
stage, and it could not be expected that they would
give up their love of hunting all at once. They
who settle on the waste lands of the Crown
must make up their minds then to lose some of
their cattle by the natives. He did not think
their obligation to provide for the wants of the
natives was affected by the tbeery that they must
necessarily die out some day. For himself, he
held Mr. Roebuck's notion— that all inferior races
must disappear before the superior nations. The
race was progressing; and he did not think it was
undesirable that the lowest types should be sup
planted by the highest. It was so with animals,
and no one regretted it; and so it would be with
men. Progress was the law of the world, and in
obedience to that law the inferior must give place
to the superior. That was no reason, however,
why the poor creatures should not be well treated
while they continued amongst thsm. They ought
to do all they could to smooth their downward
course. (Hear.) It was utterly Utopian to think
that the blacks could live alongside the higher
race. It was both unphilosophical and undesirable
to expect it. They had not done all that they
ought to have done. He was sorry no attempt
had been made to take a census of the blacks.
They ought to have been counted as well as the
white people. The information which would
result from such a census would be highly valuable.
They were our fellow-creatures and iellowsub
jects, arid they ought to know to what extent and
at what rate they were disappearing. They ought
to know their present number, at least approxi
mately, and where they were located. He had
hoped the Hon. Mr. Elder would have given
fuller information in his opening speech of the
number and special wants of the natives. He was
not satisfied simply to know they were suffering;
he also wiBhed to know how many were suffering,
and where they were to be found. The statements

were too vague. He wanted to Know tne localities
where Immediate help was needed. They could not
scatter their rations as the manna fell from heaven.
He thought something should now be done for
them as a whole. As to what had been said by the
Hon. Mr. Peacock that they ought not to be held
responsible to laws of which they were ignorant, he
would remind the House that this pnnciplewas
not acted on with reference to white people. They
had an instance of that the other day, when a
member of that Council was fined £100 for breaking
a law of which he was ignorant. (A laugh.)
Ignorance of the law was no legal defence. Ihere
?were Borne offences, however, of which the natives
?knew the consequences. If a black had an
irresistible propensity to murder he would have an
irresistible propensity to nann him. They rauBt
even by stern measures teach the blacks that
human life was sacred. But on other matters than
murder he would be inclined to interpret the laws
leniently. He hoped the Government would afford
some relief at once. No question of economy
ought to prevent this. Their humanity as well as
their Christianity called for it. They were fellow
subjects, and he did not see why they should not
TOte if they were properly on the register. . (A
laugh.) They were men, brethren, fellow-colonists.
He- hoped jyhateyer relief wa3 granted would not
Semopped up iij salaries. This had too often been
the case in Parliamentary yptes. The money
should be spent' in providing for the material wants
of the natives, and not to find places for tnp
harigers-on of the Government or their friend*.
(Hear hear.) He would support the motion, which
ne hoped would tiot be regarded by the Govern
ment as a mere formal matter, but a resolution to
be Immediately acted on. The Commissioner
ought to impress upon his colleagues the fact thai
ihS waa the deliberate vote of the Council, and
?That it meant what it said. (Hear.)
f The Hon. J. M. SOLOMON did not expect such
J.' a discussion as had taken place. The subject was
one of importance, and it would have been better
if previous speakers had kept strictly to the
motion on the Paper. It waa not a religious
ouestion at all. He bad bad a long acquaintance
with blackfellows in various parts of Australia,
:and he knew that it was no use trying to teach
them any religion unless their physical wants
were cared for. It was no good appealing to the
moral feelings of hungry men. When without
food they were really savages. He did not under
stand what the Commissioner of Public Works
meant when he said that the Government had not
been able to send on provisions from Port
Augusta. It was not a question of money wheH
these poor creatures were starving. They ought
to lie relieved at auy expense. Conveyances ought
to te found, even if hoises were to be sent from
Adelaide to Port Augusta. Apart from all
religious considerations they had a claim on the
Government. The white people had taken their
find- from them, and they ought at least to Bee
that they did not starve. He believed the natives
had in many instances deserted from the institu
tion to which the Hon. Mr. Peacock had referred,
and which he presumed was that once under the
care of Mr. Mooihouse. This was only to be ex
pected. Some would turn out well and some ill.
He was surprised to see in ene of the papers a
few dap ago that the officers of the Destitute
\ Board In the South-East had refused to bury a black
person at the public expense because that person

had sot been baptized. This was an outrage,
and he hoped the Government would put it out of
the power of these officers to do the same thing
igain. (Hear.) He thought there was great
wisdom in the Hon. Mr. Baker's suggestion to
issue provisions to the blacks from the stations.
There was sound sense in the suggestion. It
Bras carrying out a principle recognised by all civi
lized nations of paying for the keep of shipwrecked
sailors, or other persons who might be in want
in strange lands. Here the blacks were scattered
Dver the whole colony, and it would be wise to
pay the settlers who supported them. The enter
prise of the squatters had robbed them of the
Same, and some compensation should be made to
them. It was their duty without reference to
cost to take immediate steps to send them food.
He had no doubt they were dying out. He had
had more than SO years' experience amongst them.
From Cape York to Western Australia, and he
knew they were diminishing in numbers. But
while they did remain they ought to be kept from
starvation. They did not do their duty by giving
them a blanket and agood tuckouton the Queen's
birthday; but they should be permanently cared
for. Plenty of food was better than plenty of
preaching. With reference to what the Hon. Mr.
Barsow had said about their hunting propensities,
he would say from his own experience that they
never hunted except when they wanted food, and
could not get it in any other way. They did not
hunt for the love of hunting. Liberty was
the native's civilization. (Hear.) He had
i native bid in Queensland who followed
him all the way to South Australia. He had
rought him for four years, and though he
treated him with kindness he forsook him after a
while and again took to the bush. They could not
live a confined life. Liberty, tucker: and smoke
instituted their highest felicity. Naturally he
lid not think they were more cruel than white
nen. He hoped the motion would be carried,
lot as a mere matter matter of form, and that the
luggestion of the Hon. Mr. Baker would be acted
-n. That would be the cheapest kind of protec
ion which could be given to them. (Hear.)
The Hon. C- BONNEY would support the
notion. He h oped no time would be lost in re
feving the na tives. for there never was an instance
h which the maxim that ' he giyesjtwice who
fives quickly' ' more forcibly applied. There could
» no doubt but that the hardships endured by
he blackl if not caused, had been greatly aggra
rated l-y the stocking of the country. The wild
inimals had in many places quite disappeared, of
rhich fact he was a witness during his late journey
a the North. The consequence was that. the
latives were dying of starvation. The provisions
rtiich arrived when he was there must long ago
mve been expended, and the Government should
herefore, at any cost, send out further relief.. He
relieved the natives were incapable of cmli
ation; but they were bound to »'p all in
heir power to relieve their sufferings. All
listory proved that they were doomed to dis
ippear before the whites, but no effort
ihould be spared to alleviate then* distress. With
tjjrard to the suggestion of the Hon. Mr. Baker
hat the settlers should be authorized to distribute
itoies to the natives/this might be carried out by
ippointing a few individuals in that capacity; but
t would never do to allow every one to moke a
:laim upon the Government for what they choBe
o allege had been supplied to the natives. The
wline might be appointed for this purpose in the
listiicts in which they were located; and where
hoy were not, some of the settlers might be
ipecially appointed for the purpose. But, as he
md said, whatever was done should be done
luickly, for a few months' delay might cause the
lative race in many parts entirely to disappear.
The Hon. H. AY ERA would support the motion,
le waB sorry to hear the Hon. Mr. EWer mix up
nth the question complaints respecting the
Jleged exercise of justice as between the blacks
md the whites. He had complained that the
whites were brought to Adelaide for trial before
he Judges for aggressions upon the blacks; but
cere not the blacks also brought down for trial
whenever they could be apprehended! Was not
his the case in regard to those who murdered Mr.
Tacob's shepherd? The suggestion of the Hon.
Hr. Baker was a good one, but it had already been
arried out by the Government It was repre
sented to him some time ago, by a gentleman living
n the North, that the settlers should be allowed
(ccasionally to supply the natives with a bullock,
lour, or whatever they might be in want of, and to
harge the cost to the Government. He gave him
luthority to do so, and the Commissioner of Crewn
jands extended the same authority to others.
Then, again, the Government had long been in
the habit of supplying the aborigines with flour
ind blankets through the polite; and, until the
Irought set in, this eras found sufficient to meet
heir wants. He was sorry the Hon. Mr. Solomon
ras not in his place, as he could adduce the
evidence of a gentleman whose acquaintance
nth the habits of the natives was at
cast equal to that hon. member's. He re
erred to Mr. Jacob himself. It appeared from
lis representations that hunting was not an occu
pation pursued by the natives except when driven
to it by their necessities, and that the settlers
complained mostly of their habit of wantonly
destroying the stock. This they would do by
mrling down the rocks upon them, and killing
9 or 30 head of cattle in a day. With respect to
he remarks of the Hon. Mr. Peacock, the Govern
aent had in some instances conferred small tracts
of 60 or 80 acres of land upon the native women
who married Europeans. No one doubted the
iropriety or even the necessity of keeping the
tatives from starvation, but the present state of
things created a difficulty from which the Govern
aent could not be prepared.
The Hon. Captain BAGOT said it would almost
?ppcar from the statements of the Hon. Mr. Ayers
hat the motion was not necessary. But that hon.
;entleman made similar statements before the
tetition to the Council on behalf of the suffering
latives was piesented, and that petition showed
hat the natives had been utterly neglected by the
Joverninent. They were told months ago that a
irotector of the natives would be appointed. Had
his been done? He understood that there was no
me in the North who represented the natives,
this was one complaint they had against the
ormer and the present Government. They heard
1 good deal of the willingness of the Government,
jut in cases of so much emergency it was the duty
}f the Executive not only to will but to act,
Dispatch, too, in such cases was all important.
Mr. Jacob himself had taken supplies to the Far
North. Though two wagons and 10 horses were
employed in conveying one ton of stores, besides
Food for the horses, yet what could be done by an
individual ceuld be much more effectually accom
plished by the Government, having plenty of
money at its disposal. All that was wanted was
energy. It was this want of energy on the part of
the Government during the last six months of
which he principally complained.
The Hon. T. KLDER, in reply, said he would be
satisfied if the discussion should result in affording
assistance to the blacks in the Far North. The
Hon. Commissiener of Public Works had stated
that the Government had sent provisions to the
Far North. He was glad to hear of it. Still, there
was no doubt a great deal of truth in what had
just been said as to the want of energy in the late
and present Government. In his own case he got
payment of some £6 from the Government for
rations supplied to the blacks only after waiting a
year for it. He had to wait 12 months until his
stationmaster returned from China, whose signa
ture was necessary before he could get the amount.
A laugh.) With reference to what the Hon. Mr.
Jarrow had said, he had already informed the
House that he had seen home hundreds of natives
during his journey, and there were persons of a
superior type in the neighbourhood of Lake Hope.
le believed they were capahle of being civilized.
He saw many children with* bright intelligent
aces. It had been suggested that at Lake
Hope he had the best opportunity of looking
after the blacks and feeding them; but he need
only mention the fact that he had to pay £70 a ton
for the carriage of rations from Port Augusta to
how that he could not afford to do much for them.
(Hear.) He agreed with previous speakers that it
was not the duty of the Government or the Legis
lature to Christjanize the natives. He hod made
no such proposition. (Hear.) The matter bad
been introduced by others. The Hon. Mr. Peacock
probably attached a different meaning to his words
than they were intended to convey. He must take
pointed exception to the Hon. Mr. Baker's remark
hat a good block man who had never heard of the
Saviour had as good a chance of heaven as the
converted blacks at Poonindee. He knew the
working of that establishment, as it came under,
his observation. He admitted that the race were
doomed to extinction; but he thought thei dete
rioration and weakness were physical and not
mental. The Hon. Mr. Bonney had said the
natives were not capable of civilization ; but ne
believed they were capable of being converted. He
was as strong an advocate as any of feeding them
before any great moral results were to be expected.
le had told the Moravian missionaries this, and
had advised them not to go on their mission
without taking food and clothing with them.
'heir temporal wants ought to have precedence.
But admitting this, their higher concerns ought
not to be neglected. Voluntary efforts ought
to look after that. He could tell the Hon. Mr.

jijcio buau hue ^ciouiia lie iciciicu w ncic iu
prison', not for murder, but for sheep-stealing; but
the persons to whom he (Mr. Elder) referred were
still at large. One of them was supposed to be
concerned in a murder, and the other on her own
admission was guilty of sheep-stealing; and yet
they were at liberty. Both had been seen recently
in the North.
The motion was carried.
JURY ACT AMENDMENT BILL.
This Bill was brought up by message from the
House of Assembly, read a first time, and its
second reading made an Order of the Day for
Tuesday next. ?
FENCING BILL.
The Fencing Bill was brought up by message
from the Assembly, read a first time, and the
secondtfeading made an Order of the Day%for
Tuesday next.
SUPREME COURT AMENDMENT BILL.
The COMMISSIONER of PUBLIC WORKS
moved—
'Thatlhe have leave to introduce 'A Bill in
tituled an Act for the more speedy administration
of Justice by means of the Supreme Court.' '
The reason why the Bill he nad previously intro
duced was not proceeded with was on account of
the Attorney-General having unintentionally sup
plied him with a wrong copy. The object of the
present Bill waa the same as that of the former,
namely, to prevent frivolous defences being set up
in the Supreme Court, in order to stave off the
undisputed demands of creditors.
The Hon. Captain BAGOT seconded the motion.
Carried.
The Bill was accordingly introduced and read a
first time. The second reading was made an Order
for the following Tuesday.
The Council adjourned at 25 minutes to 5 till the
following Tuesday.

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