1064 ADMINISTRATION AND LEGISLATION [PART V 
changing, and that there was now a different regard for the 
interest of natives, which would justify the Secretary of State 
in leaving to the people of the Colony the fullest rights in the 
matter. This accordingly was done by a Colonial Act. 
It cannot be said that the treatment of the aborigines, as 
described in the reports of the Protector of Aborigines in the 
Colony, has been very satisfactory since the Colonial Govern- 
ment took over their management ; but it would be equally 
impossible to say that it has been less satisfactory than it; 
was originally. The difficulties, indeed, are not such as any 
Government can pretend to be able to dispose of in a day. 
They rest in the habits of the aborigines and the nature of 
the white population. Exploring expeditions have often 
ill-treated natives, and the legal procedure of handcuffing 
natives and conveying them miles to prison has resulted in 
many abuses. Fortunately a new departure was made 
in 1910 by the Government in the direction of providing 
large reserves with cattle for the aborigines who are thus, 
if they so desire, able to live on the land allotted to them 
with their herds of cattle, instead of making depredations 
on the herds belonging to the white population. Unhappily 
here, as in the West of Australia, the aborigines appear un- 
likely to make any progress towards modern civilization. 
In Western Australia, the northern territory of Australia, 
and in Queensland, the aborigine is debarred entirely from 
the franchise, but he shares his disability along with 
Asiatics,! Africans, and natives of the Western Pacific. and 
sven the Maoris. 
In 1905.a valuable Act was passed which made provision 
for the protection, in many respects, of the aborigines, and 
there can be no doubt that the prospects of that population 
are much better now than they were formerly. Food and 
clothes are provided for indigent and infirm natives ; they are 
protected against ill-treatment and fraud by their employers. 
In 1911 the Act was amended to extend the powers of the 
Protector over half-caste children, to enable them to be 
' See above, Part III, chap. vi. He has still a freehold qualification for 
bhe Legislative Council of Western Australia.