Papers Primarily Relating to Western Australia

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This item contains miscellaneous papers, reports, and circulars. These papers may have been prepared for Elkin's attention by the APNR Secretary Ruth H Swann, as her annotations and comments appear throughout. There is a focus on West Australia; much of this material is not dated, but probably ranges from circa 1938 to circa 1951.

The papers range across a variety of subjects and formats. These include 'A Suggestion for a "Gesture" of Goodwill to the Natives of N.S.W. as a Feature of the Celebrations of 1938' with handwritten comments on the first page; 'Annual Meeting, National Missionary Council of Australia Who is an "Aboriginal"?.

Other papers are on the following subjects West Australian half castes (from Gilbert Foxcroft); notes on Aborigines [?] stations, reserves and camps in NSW; Commonwealth Control of Aborigines; Points for Consideration in Connection with Possible Referendum; compilation of extracts from press cuttings, report on the Carrolup Native Settlement by Nurse M Spence, summaries of letters received from various individuals, and statements on Aboriginal welfare.

Other papers cover missionary comments on Aboriginal welfare, matters relating to the NT Aboriginal Protector (Bill Harney, 1946), and reports from the Aborigines Uplift Society; APNR proposals in relation to amended Regulations under the Native Administration Ordinance; report on an inquiry into conditions of Aboriginal people in WA; comments by a Mr Cahill [Paddy Cahill?] concerning proposed mission, Aboriginal labour conditions and employment on cattle stations in WA (Powell's Creek and Anthony's Lagoon); personal reminiscences concerning Aboriginal welfare and conditions in NSW; missionary concerns about an (quarter-caste) Aboriginal girl in Perth; report concerning women Aboriginal protectors, half caste children, Great Central Reserve, Jay Creek Reserve and other matters in Central Australia; notes on Lake Tyers Mission, Victoria; Society of Friends notes on half castes in WA; reminiscence by a Mr Ken Hungerford on a visit to various places in the Gulf country of Queensland; missionary report (from Mount Margaret Mission, WA) on working conditions for Aboriginal people in the Federal Territory [NT], Queensland, and WA, and provides some recommendations to address injustices; report on visit to Aboriginal camps in East Gippsland by members of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (Australian Section); report from representatives (AO Neville, President, and VA Leeper, Hon Secretary) of an organization called the ‘Victorian Aboriginal Group' on Aboriginal welfare, dated 1951; Recollections of Mr APA Burdeu, founder and first secretary of the Aborigines Uplift Society, by Helen Baillie.

There are four documents reporting on various conferences on Aboriginal welfare held in NSW in the 1940s. The reports are by representatives from the Aborigines Progressive Association, the Committee for Aboriginal Citizenship, and the APNR. One of the individuals representing these organisations was Michael Sawtell.

Other papers consist of a revised statement of policy by the Methodist Overseas Missions, North Australia District; a 1941 ‘Report of the Aborigine [?] Study Group'; a report titled ‘Ernabella, 1940'; and a report titled ‘Survey of the Problems of the Aborigines', with an appendix from a Clive Evatt to FJ Cahill, NSW Parliament, including a ‘Letter from the Chief Secretary to the Member of the District regarding proposals for the housing of some Aboriginal families in the town of Cowra'.