The Argus at KellyGang 19/3/1881 (4)
They have the full control of the reserves, the expenditure of the money voted by Parliament is entrusted to them, and they have the appointment of the secretary, superintendents, teachers, gardeners, &c, entirely in their own hands. In 1878-9 (the year ends on the 30th June), the number of men, women, and children on the six stations was 523 and in 1879-80, 521. A foot note to the tables of figures published by the board states that the attendance at Lake Tyers amounts to about 30 more than is shown in the returns, for that number of blacks is often away in the Maneroo district, The full total, therefore, of blacks, half castes, &c, connected with the stations may be taken to be 550. The numbers do not increase from year to year, but, on the contrary, steadily diminish, and in time the aborigines will wholly disappear from Victoria as they have disappeared from Tasmania. There were l8 births in 1878-9, and 20 deaths, in 1879-80, l8 births and I6 deaths. The most frequent causes of death are consumption or inflammation of the lungs-diseases which there is reason to believe the blacks were not subject to before the advent of the white man. As sick blacks are often moved from one station to another, the tables of mortality furnished from each station cannot be accepted as positive evidence by themselves of the healthiness or un- healthiness of any particular locality. For instance, men or women in whom symptoms of consumption appear are sometimes sent from Coranderrk (which is situated in a cold, moist district) to Lake Hindmarsh, in the dry mallee country, with a view to enable them to recover. If they die at Lake Hindmarsh, their death is recorded in the returns from that place.
The board, in its reports, has annually recommended the Government to abolish Coranderrk, and allow the blacks to be distributed amongst the other stations. To this recommendation no heed has been paid. The situation of Coranderrk, in a humid locality, is not good for the aborigines. Everyone who has been to Healesville and Fernshaw knows how moist the air is in summer, and can imagine how cold and damp the place must be in winter. The station is nearly 5000 acres in extent. It is situated on Coranderrk Creek, a short distance above the point at which that stream enters the Yarra. The boundary fence runs along the right hand side of the road, between the Yarra and Healesville. Mount Riddell, a comparatively lofty peak, and the source of many perennial streams, forms the background. Except on the alluvial flats by the creek the soil is poor. The ridges and hollows are covered with a superficial layer of the barren clay earth which characterises all silurian country. On the mountain spurs and in the scrubby ravines, where the cattle wander the soil is rich, and so it is also on the flats periodically flooded by Coranderrk Creek. In consequence of the nearness of the station to the settled districts, it is impossible to maintain close supervision over the movements of the blacks when they choose to wander. Healesville is little more than a mile and a half distant from the native village. The run (one of the reports says) has become a sort of common for free selectors. Strange cattle cannot be kept off the fenced portion of the run, which is 1 300 acres in extent. Fences are regularly pulled down, no matter how often the boundary rider may do his rounds, strange cattle come in, and the station cows and bullocks wander off to the ranges and scrubby hill slopes. The annual muster took place recently, and on the day of our visit the stockyard was crowded with strange cattle. If the station herd, which numbers from 230 to 300, does not pay, it must be because a large portion of the grass is eaten by stray cattle from private farms. For a variety of reasons, the board has urged the abandonment of the station, and as obstinately have the powers that be disregarded its advice. Attempts are made by persons op- posed to the board to show that it is not the climate which is at fault, but the mode of management. Parties visit the station, and come back to report that the cottages are uncleanly and out of repair, the sanitary arrangements imperfect and even "immoral". Unprejudiced persons-that is, persons who disagree with the Board-wish us to believe that the heaviness of the autumn and winter rainfall is due to the shape of the cottages, and not to the influence of the lofty range close by.
The management has only to be changed, and the atmosphere will at once become dry, and consumption disappear from the tables of mortality. Coranderrk was hurriedly inspected by two members of the Ministry in the beginning of January last. They went up to discover faults, and fell into some ludicrous blunders. The Chief Secretary has lately promised to visit the station as soon as he can find leisure, to determine for himself whether the disinterested advice of the board (which can be concerned only for the good of the blacks) should be complied with, or the representations of outside parties, anxious to have the blacks kept at Coranderrk, for purposes of their own, should be believed and acted upon.
The village stands a mile and a half back from the main road. There are small paddocks, stockyards, a hayfield, a hop plantation, and patches of garden at the homestead. The group of cottages and the superintendent's quarters are situated on a slope that overlooks Coranderrk Creek. If it be granted that the station site is suitable as a home for the aborigines, then it is safe to say that the locality chosen for the village is about the best that could have been selected in the midst of the 5,000 acres. There are 21 families of blacks, half castes, quarter bloods, and almost pure whites. The cottages stand in a double row in two streets at right angles to one another. The huts originally built had slabbed walls and bark roofs, the next series was constructed of palings, and the third (which is of recent date) consists of weatherboard cottages, with corrugated iron roofs. There are seven weatherboard cottages, 12ft by 24ft, containing two rooms each. Mr Vale and Mr Richardson were shocked on the occasion of their visit to find that one hut wanted four or five palings, and that its interior was open to the weather. They did not stop to inquire whether the hut was occupied. It was only used as a play house by the children, and within the last few weeks it has been pulled down. The huts and cottages are whitewashed on the outside, and inside most of them, if not all, lined to a height of 5ft or 6ft from the floor. Some have been left open at the eaves for ventilation. It is said to be difficult to persuade the blacks of the need for fresh air. Like sailors on board ship, they close up every crevice, and sleep, in cold weather, in close, sickly atmosphere. In one or two cases we found that the slit along the eaves had been closed with plaster or clay. As a rule the cottages are two roomed, the husband, wife, and young children sleep in one room, and take their meals in the other.
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