CAPTAINGREY'SSUGGESTIONSAS

TOTHENATIVES.
ThefollowinghasalreadybeenputonrecordperfavourofhisExcellencyTHEGOVERNORbut
withoutpledgingourselvesfortheaccuracyofCaptainGrey'sviewsandsentimentsuponthesubject,a
subjectuponwhichheseemstobepartiallyinformedwetransfer
ittoourcolumns.
Suggestionswithreferencetothepracticabilityof
improvingthemoralandsocialconditionoftheAboriginalInhabitantsofAustralia.ByCaptainGeorge
Grey,83rdRegiment.
ThewholeofthisreporthasbeendrawnupuponthesuppositionthattheAboriginalinhabitantsof
Australiaarenaturallyperfectlycapableofbeingcivilisedyetifitistruethatsuchisthecase,thatthe
nativesofAustraliaarecapableofbeingcivilised,whenitisnotoriousthatsomanyefforts,foundedupon
varioussystems,havebeenmade,inthehopeofattainingthisdesirableobject,allofwhichhavehitherto
failed,itcanofcoursebeshewneitherthatallthesesystemsinvolvedsomecommonerror,orthateach,
consideredseparately,wasfoundedonsomeerroneousprinciple.Theformersuppositionappearstobe
thetrueone,fortheyallcontainedoneelement,theyallstartedwithonerecognisedprinciple,thepresence
ofwhichintheschememustnecessarily
haveentaileditsfailure.
Thisprinciplewas,thatalthoughthenativesshould,asfarasthepersonsandpropertyofEuropeanswere
concerned,bemadeamenabletoBritishlaws,yetsolongastheyonlyexercisedtheirowncustomsamong
themselves,andnottooimmediatelyinthepresenceofEuropeans,theyshouldbeallowedtodosowith
impunity.
Thisprincipleoriginatedinphilantrophicmotives,intotalignoranceofthepeculiartraditionallawsof
thispeople,whichlaws,differingfrom,thoseofanyotherraceontheglobe,haveimpartedtothepeople
subjecttothemacharacterdifferentfromallotherraces;andhencearisestheanomalousstateinwhich
theaboriginesofAustraliahavebeenfoundtobe.TheyareasaptandintelligentasanyotherraceofmenI
amacquaintedwith;theyaresubjecttothelikeaffections,passions,andappetitesasothermen,yet,in
manypointsofcharactertheyare,appa
rentlytotallydissimilartothem;andfromthe
peculiarcodeoflawsofthispeopleitwouldappearnotonlyimpossiblethatanynationsubjecttothem
couldeveremergefromasavagestate,butthatevennorace,howeverhighlyendowed,howevercivilised,
couldremainlonginastateofcivilization,ifsubmittedtotheoperationofsuch
barbarouscustoms.
Thepleagenerallysetupindefenceofthisprincipleis,thatthenativesofthiscountryareaconquered
people,andthatitisanactofgenero
sitytoallowthemthefullpowerofexercisingtheirownlawsuponthemselves;butthispleawould
appeartobeinadmissible,for,inthefirstplace,savageandtraditionalcustomsshouldnotbeconfounded
witharegularcodeoflaws,andsecondly,whenGreatBritainensurestoaconqueredcountrythe
privilegeofpreservingitsownlaws,allpersonsresidentinthisterritorybecomeamecabletothoselaws,
andproperpersonsareselectedbytheGovernmentto"watchovertheirdueandequitableadministration.

Nothingofthiskindeitherexistsorcanexistwithregardtothecustomsofthenatives.Betweenthesetwo
cases,then,noanalogyisapparent.
Iwouldsubmit,therefore,thatitisnecessary,fromthemomenttheaboriginesofthiscountryaredeclared
Britishsubjects,thattheyshould,asfaraspossible,betaughtthattheBritishlawsaretosupersedetheir
own,sothatanynativewhoissufferingundertheirowncustomsmayhavethepowerofanappealtothe
lawsofGreatBritain:or,toputthisinitstruelight,thatallauthorisedpersonsshould,inallinstances,be
requiredtoprotectanativefromtheviolenceofhisfellows,eventhoughtheybeintheexecutionoftheir
own
laws.
Solongasthisisnotthecase,theoldernativeshaveattheirdisposalthemeansofeffectuallypreventing
thecivilizationofanyindividualoftheirowntribe,andthoseamongstthemwhomaybeinclinedtoadapt
themselvestothehabitsandmodeoflifeofEuropeanswillbedeterredfromsodoingbytheirfearofthe
consequencesthatthedispleasureofothersmaydrawdownuponthem.(SeenoteA.intheAppendix.)
SomuchimportanceamIdisposedtoattachtothispoint,thatIdonothesitatetoassertmyfullconviction
that,whilstthosetribesthatareincommunicationwithEuropeansareallowedtoexecutetheirbarbarous
lawsandcustomsupononeanother,solongwilltheyremainhopelesslyimmersedintheirpresentstate,
and,howeverunjustsuchaproceedingmightatfirstsightappear,Ibelievethatthecoursepointedoutby
truehumanitywouldbe,tomakethem,fromthecommencement,amenabletotheBritishlaws,
bothasregardsthemselvesandEuropeans;forIholdittoinvolveacontradictiontosupposethat
individualssubjecttosavage'andbarbarouslawscanrisetoastateofcivilization,whichthoselaws
haveamanifesttendencytodestroyandoverturn.
Itisdifficulttoascertaintheexacteffectthattheinstitutionsofacountryproduceuponthecharacterofits
inhabitants,butitmaybereadilyadmittedthat,iftwosavageracesofequalmentalendowments,andwith
thesamecapacityforcivilisation,weresubjecttotwodistinctsetsoflawstheonemild,andfavourable
tothedevel
opemeotofcivilizationtheotherbloodthirstyandopposedtoittheformerracemightgraduallybe
broughttoaknowledgeofChristianityandcivilisation,whilstpreciselysimilareffortsmadewiththelatter
mightbeattendedwithno
beneficialresults.
Again,itwouldbeunfairtoconsidertbelawsofthenativesofAustralasiaanyindicationofthereal
characterofthispeople,formanyraceswhoatonetimeweresubjecttothemostbarbarouslawshave,
sincenewinstitutionshavebeenintroducedamongstthem,takentheirrankamongstthemostcivilised
nationsoftheearth.
Topunishtheaboriginesseverelyfortheviolationoflawsoftheexistenceofwhichtheyareignorant,
wouldbemanifestlycruelandunjust,buttopunishtheminthefirstinstanceslightlyfortheviolationof
theselawswouldinflictnogreaterinjuryonthem,whilstalwayspunishingthemwhenguiltyofacrime,
withoutreferencetothelengthoftimethathadelapsedbetweenitsperpetrationandtheirapprehension,at
thesametimefullyexplainingtothemthemeasureofpunishmentthatwouldawaitthemintheeventofa
secondcommissionofthesamefault,wouldgraduallyteachthemthelawstowhichtheywerehenceforth
tobeamenable,andwouldshowthemthatcrimewasalwayseventually(althoughitmightberemotely)
followedbypunishment;andIimaginethatthiscoursewouldbemoremerci

fulthanthatatpresentadopted,namelytopunishthemfortheviolationofalawtheyareignorantof
whenthisviolationaffectsanEuropean,andyettoallowthemtocommitthiscrimeasoftenastheylike
whenitaffectspersonsoftheirownrace;forthislattercourseteachesthemnotthatcertainactions,such
forinstanceasmurder,&caregenerallycriminal,butonlythatthey
arecriminalwhenexercisedtowardsthewhitepeople;andtbeimpressionconsequentlyexcitedintheir
mindsis,thattheseactsonlyexciteour
detestationwhenexercisedtowardsourselves,andthattheircriminalityconsistsnotinhavingcommitteda
certainodiousaction,butinhavingviolatedourlawsandprejudices.
Inthevicinityoftowns,wherethereisacertainjudicialforce,andwhere,onaccountofthefacilityof
obtainingfood,thenativesalwayscongregate,itwould,byasteadyanddeterminedlineofconduct,be
comparativelyeasytoenforceanobservanceoftheBritishlaws,buttoobtain
thisobjectintheremoteandthinlysettleddistrictsitisnecessarythateachcolonyshouldpossessan
efficientmountedpolice,aportionofwhichshouldbeconstantlyinmovementfromdistricttodistrict,
whilstanotherportion,residentinacentralsituation,shouldbereadytoactinstantlyinanydirectionwhere
theirpresencewasrequired.Idonotapprehendthatthisbodyneedbenumerous,fortheirutilitywould
dependmoreon
theiractivityandefficiencythanontheirnumbers.
Noobjectiontothisforceonaccountoftheexpencecanholdgood,itbeingabsolutelynecessaryforthe
causeofhumanityandgoodorder
thatsuchaforceshouldexist;for,solongasdistantsettlersareleftunprotected,andarecompelledtotake
careofandavengethemselves,solongmustgreatbarbaritieshenecessarilycommitted,andtheonlyway
topreventgreatcrimeonthepartofthenatives,andmassacresofthese
poorcreaturesasthepunishmentofsuchcrimesistocheckandpunishtheirexcessesintheirinfancy;itis
onlybybecomingemboldenedbyfrequentpettysuccessesthattheyhavehitherto
committedthosecrimeswhichhavedrawndownsofearfulavengeanceuponthem.
ThegreatestobstaclethatpresentsitselfinconsideringtheapplicationofBritishlawstotheaboriginesis
thefactthatthenatives,fromtheir
ignoranceofthenatureofanoathortheobligationitimposes,arenotcompetenttogiveevidencebefore
acourtofjustice,andhence,inmanycases,itwouldbeextremelydifficultifnotimpossibletoobtain
evidenceonwhichaprisonercould
beconvicted.
Onemodeofevadingthisdifficultywouldbe,toempowertbecourttoreceiveevidencefromthenativesin
allcasesrelatingsolelytothemselves,withoutthewitnessbeingsworn,onlyallowingtestimonyofthis
kindtoholdgoodwhenitis
borneoutbyverystrongcircumstantialevidence.
Thefactofthenativesbeingunabletogivetestimonyinacourtofjusticeisagreathardshiponthem,and
theyconsideritassuch.Thereasonthatoccasionstheirdisabilityfortheperformanceofthisfunctionis
atpresentquitebeyondtheircomprehension,anditisimpossible

toexplainittothem.Ihavebeenapersonal
witnesstoacaseinwhichanativewasmostundeservedlypunished,fromthecircumstanceofthenatives,
whoweretheonlypersonswhocouldspeakastocertainexculpatoryfacts,notbeingpermittedtogive
theirevidence.
IfeelconvincedthatthegrantingtheprivilegeIhaveabovenamedtotheaborigineswouldhaveatendency
tomakethemsatisfiedwithourlaws,toconvincethemoftheirjustice,andtogivethemarespectfor
them;whilstatthesametime,itwouldgraduallygivethemaknowledgeoftheleadingpointsofour
criminalcode,acquaintthemwithourjudicialforms,awakentheirmoralfaculties,andformanotherlink
inthatchainbywhichtheymayeventuallybeledontoChristianityandcivilisation.(SeenoteBinthe
Appendix.)
Someotherprincipalobstaclestothecivilisationoftheaborigines,inadditiontothoseIhavealready
stated,areasfollows:
1.Theexistenceofanuncertainandirregulardemandfortheirlabour.Thus,theymayhaveoneday
sufficientopportunityaffordedthemfortheexertionoftheirindustry,whilstthenextday,theirservicesare
notrequired,sothattheyarecompelledtohaverecourseoncemoretotheirformerirregularwandering
habits.
2.Theirgenerallyreceivingaveryinadequaterewardfortheservicestheyrender.This,combinedwith
theirnaturalfondnessforthebush,inducesthemtopreferthatmodeofsubsistencewhich,whilstitis
infinitelymoreagreeableandlesslaborious,procurestbemnearlyasgreatarewardaslivingwiththewhite
people.
3.Theirnotbeingtaughtthatdifferentvaluesareattachedtovariousdegreesoflabour,aswellastothe
skillandneatnesswithwhichitisper
formed.
Theseimpedimenismightallbeeitherremovedormodifiedinsomedistrictsbytheestablishmentofnative
insttutionsandschools;butinformingageneralplanfortheirremoval,whichwouldbeequallyapplicable
toallpartsofacolony,averynoveldifficultypresentsitself.
Imaginethatanativechildisperfectlycapableofbeingcivilisedletitalsobegrantedthatfromproper
preventivemeasureshavingbeenadopted,thischildhasnothingtofearfromthevengeanceoftheother
natives,sothatitstandsintheserespectsnearlyoraltogetherinthepositionofanEuropean.Ifthischildis
aboy,whoistopaytheindividualwhoundertakestoteachhimsomecallingthefeeusuallygivenwithan
apprentice?Whowillindemnifythispersonforthetimehemustspendininstructingthisboybeforehe
canderiveanyprofitfromhislabour,orfortheriskheincursoftheboy'sservicesbeingbestowed
elsewhereassoonastheyareworthhaving?
Untilthisdifficultyisgotoveritappearsevidentthenativeswillonlybeemployedinherding
cattle,orintbelowestorderofmanuallabour,whichrequiresnoskill,andforwhichtherewardthey
receivewillbesosmallasscarcelytoofferaninducementtothemtoquittheirpresentmode
oflife.
TheremedyIwouldsuggestforthisevilwouldhaveanotheradvantagebesidesatendencytoameliorateit,
foritwouldgivetbesettlersagreatanddirectinteresttntheaborigines,without
entailinganyexpenseupontheGovernment.ltisfoundedonthefollowingfact:

TheGoverment,inordertocreateasupplyoflaborintheColonies,havebeeninthehabitofgivingcertain
rewardstothoseindividualswhointroducelabourersintothem.Nowitwould
appear,thathewhoreclaimsoneoftheabori
gines,notonlyaddsanotherlaborertothosewho
arealreadyinthecolony,butfurtherconfersagreatbenefitonhisfellowsettlers,byrendering
onewhowasbeforeauselessandtobedreadedbeing,aserviceablememberofthecommunitysothat
thiscircumstance,alone,entileshimtoa
reward.
Iwouldthereforeproposethat,ontheproductionofthehereafternameddocuments,asettlershould
receiveacertificateentitlinghimtoacertainsum,whichshouldeitherbeallowedtoreckontowardsthe
completionoflocationduties,orelsearemissioncertificateinthepurchaseoflandor,inlieuofthis,a
grantofland;andthatthissumorgrantshouldberegulatedaccordingtoatablespecifyingthevarious
circumstancesthatarelikelytooccur,anddrawnupbythelocalgovernmentofeachplacewheresuch
regu
lationshouldbeintroduced.
ThedocumentstowhichIalludetoarethese;1stAdepositionbeforesuchnearestmagistratetosuch
settlershouse,thatanativesornativeshavebeenresidentwithhimconstantlyforthelastsixmonths,and
havebeenemployedinstatedspeciesoflabor.
2ndly.AcertificatefromtheGovernmentResidentofthedistrict,thattothebestofhisbeliefsuch
statementistrue,forthat,onhisvisitingthissettler'shouse,thestatednumberofnativeswerethere,and
wereoccupiedinthelabor
described.
*3rdly.AcertificatefromtheProtectorofAborigines,thathehasvisitedthissettler'shouse,thatthestated
numberofnativeswere
residentthere,andthattheyappearedtobeprogressingintheknowledgeofthatbranchofindustryin
whichtheywereemployed.
ltwouldbefurthernecessary,thatanysettlerwhointendedtoendeavourtoreclaimnativesshouldgivea
shortnoticetotheProtectoroftheAboriginespreviouslytothecommencementof
thefirstsixmonths.
Couldthisplanbebroughtintooperation,theworkofthecivilizationoftheaborigineswouldatoncebe
commenceduponagreatscale;itwouldnotbeconfinedtoasingleinstitution,butvarietyofindividuals,
andwedwithdifferenttalentsandcapabilitiesforthiswork,wouldatoncebeemployedinit.Itisindeed
rathersuitedfortheoutskirtsofcivilization,thinlypopulatedbysettlers,thanfortown;yetitisapplicable
forbothsituations,whilstitsdirectoperationwouldbetoinducethesettleradequatelytoremuneratethe
nativefor,aswellastoprovidehimwithaconstantsupplyoflabour,andtouseeveryexertionbykindand
propertreatmenttoattachhimforaslongaperiodaspossibletohisestablishment.

SOURCE: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/71619174 (Trove)