National Archives of Australia
Darwin Office
CRS F126 Item 44
Monthly Reports Jay Creek 1937 - 1942
Copyright P J Mackett 2007
NB I have only listed reports wher Aboriginal people are named.
May 1937 27. 5.1937 Mr R Buck of Middleton Ponds Station states that a native
called Hairyarse Tom has been murdered near Mt Conner and that
another native called Panna has been murdered near Bo...n's Hole,
southwest of Hermannsburg. These two men were accomplices in the murder
of Kaiumen at Mt Conner in 1934. Numberlin and Nangee are at present
serving terms of imprisionment in the Alice Springs jail on this charge.
It is alleged that Hairyarse Tom and Panna have been murdered by relatives
of Kaiumen.
June 1937 15. 6.1937 I appeared in the Alice Springs Local Court on behalf of
Witchety and Bobby (two young Pitjantjara men). Witchety and Bobby
had assaulted another native called Rolly and Broken one of his
fingers with a boomerang. Rolly had warned them to keep away from a
young native girl called Napitji who has been promised to him by her
parents years ago. Witchety had been employed previously by whites;
Bobby was still rather a 'myall'. Witchety was sentenced to 3 months
imprisionment and Bobby to one month.
12. 6.1937 Sergeant Koop intends to visit Mr W Liddle at Angas Downs
and to Mr W Pearce at Linda Vale.
July 1937 11. 7.1937 Discussed the case of Lukas and Elirda? at Hermannsburg
with the Minister of the Interior at Alice SPrings.
16. 7.1937 Visited Liddle and Pearce. Pearce associated with Fanny.
Not been able to get confirmation of murder of Hairyarse Tom and Panna.
Panna possibly died of illness between Tempe Downs and Haasts Bluff.
Hairyarse Tom came to Linda Vale a day or two before his death. He
was a very sich man.
Sept 1937 7. 9.1937 On September 7th Palierana, a native suffering from some
mental affliction arrived here. He has since then been taken into my
care and control. In view of the three occasions within the past
twelve months when he has created serious trouble among the natives
in the district west of Alice Springs I feel that he should not be
allowed to roam about at large again. He has been docile enough in
the camp here.
Oct 1937 30.10.1937 Most of report concerns the attack by Palierana on a
native at Jay Creek.
Nov 1937 15.11.1937 Palierana was tried at Alice Springs and sentenced to
six months gaol.
Dec 1937 10.12.1937 I was present at the Alice Springs Coroner's Court
at the inquest into the Ardell Soak murder. I had to appear on behalf
of the murderer, Jamatjitjana, who was committed for trial on a charge
of murder by the Coroner (Mr V G Carrington).
Jan 1939 11. 1.1939 I went down to Tempe Downs, returning on the following
day with a young full-blooded aboriginal woman called Jessie, ........
......................................................................
......................... Censored ...................................
......................................., and accordingly she is now
being held at Jay Creek at the request of the doctor.
Feb 1939 The Police authorities sent out two female disciplinary cases to Jay
Creek, viz Millie Smith and Alice. Millie Smith had been previously
gaoled in Alice Springs for her share in a low grog party with certain
whites; and Alice was the lubra with whom 'Nugget' Hunter had associated
on the Mt Stafford Tin Field.As Millie Smith originally came from
Oodnadatta, and as her relatives still live there, we have suggested
to the Chief Protector of South Australia the desirability of having
Millie repatriated. We are now awaiting his reply.
Also mentions Jessie from the previous report.
March 1939 28. 2.1939 Saltpetre (held here since December last year) caused
a disturbence. He had, without reason, assaulted his wife on the
previous day with a stone, and had then slept with Jessie, the mental
case from Tempe Downs. He then assaulted his wife again. Committed
to two months gaol.
Jessie kept running away but now seems to have settled down at Jay
Creek. Her mother has been here for several months.
Archie, the lad from Hatches Creek absconded. Now seems settled
down at Jay Creek.
Evelyn, a full-blooded aboriginal woman, who had served a sentence
in gaol for partaking in ...................censored .............
was brought out to Jay Creek.
27. 3.1939 two young aboriginal women were brought out to
Jay Creek. Both of them have young halfcaste infants, who are still too
young to be admitted to the Halfcaste Institution. They are Biddy and
Veeda (or Vida), and they have been removed from the camps of white men on
the Anningie Tin Field by the police. They are to remain here until their
infants are old enough to be admitted to the Halfcaste Institution.
9. 3.1939 I took a woman of about 40 years to the Alice Springs
Hospital. She was Krkimana, and she died on the following day. TB in
the kidneys.
13. 3.1939 I drove halfcaste Maggie from Kulgera to the Alice
Springs Hospital for an X-ray. She has been held here since May last
year.TB has improved.
April 1939 4. 4.1939 Mad Jessie was brought out to Jay Creek on April 4th,
after serving her term in Gaol.
23. 4.1939 Saltpetre, upon release from gaol, returned to Jay Creek.
His wife ran away to Alice Springs and I sent Saltpetre
and Rolf to look for her. I brought them back to Jay Creek.
13. 4.1939 One of the very old men here, Nunti, died.
May 1939 2. 5.1939 One of the oldest aboriginal women here died, old
Jessie Irkeaka. She died of old age.
June 1939 22. 6.1939 I brought out Mabel and her halfcaste infant Mary
from the Alice Springs Hospital. Mabel is a full-blooded lubra
from Hatches Creek. She had been taken to the A.S. Hospital
because she seemed to be developing T.B.. Here her baby had
been taken away from her and weaned. Mabel had then run away
from the Hospital. The Hospital authorities were very worried
about disposing of the healthy child, as it was too young to
be admitted to the Alice Springs Halfcaste Institution. In The
end it was decided to give the infant back to her mother, and
to bring out both mother and child so that the baby could be
bottle fed by the mother under supervision at Jay Creek. This
has been done since, and the baby appears to be thriving. Mabel,
too, seems to be quite well.
Took boy Tom Ljonga to Hermannsburg to help with camels on the
Petermann trip.
July 1939 Alice, one of the disciplinary cases, married 'Nugget' Hunter
and left Jay Creek.
Two men died at Jay Creek during a severe influenza epidemic
during my absence. One of them was Paddy Melba, an elderly man;
the other a young man of about 30 years, Jack Tnaueria. The
latter was thought to have succumbed to T.B.; perhaps his
condition had been aggraved by pneumonia.
Aug 1939 23. 8.1939 Tom Ljonga returned to Jay Creek from Hermannsburg
with the camel team.
Mad Jessie ran away during the last week, and will probably
receive a term of confinement in the Alice Springs Gaol.
Sept 1939 Biddy, one of our penal cases, was married to Patrick White
this month, and has left Jay Creek.
June 1940 Ex Tracker Paddy and his two wives Emily and Mary were
removed from Alice Springs, where they had caused much
trouble. (rest of this entry has been censored)
Nov 1940 Topsy Glynn agreed to go to Mr R Purvis of Woodgreen
Station.
Bert Branson came out with the lubra Peggy, whom he wants
to marry. He needs to be married by the Registrar in Alice
Springs.
Dec 1940 1.12.1940 Sgt Koop and Constable Mutch came here this morning
in quest for Nikutjilpi, the alleged ringleader of the western
natives who murdered the camel boy Billy near Simpson's Gap
last week. However he had not come to Jay Creek.
6.12.1940 Heard case of Nosepeg, Wilukutu and George Dale, who
had indulged in a spear fight here during my absence.
8.12.1940 Sgt Koop went through to Hermannsburg to arrest
Nikutjilpi.
10.12.1940 To Alice Springs. Trial of Nosepeg, Wilukutu and
George Dale. Two months each.
Jan 1941 3. 1.1941 A Pitjantjara man (Panginja) died this morning.
4. 1.1941 An old woman, Waniwaku died. I had to get some of her
countrymen to bury her this aftermoon, as noone would bother
about it.
7. 1.1941 Old Puntjuna (aged about 75 years) died.
9. 1.1941 Kekimana's baby died this morning, lung trouble.
13. 1.1941 To Alice Springs. Brought back Maudie (Supreme Court
witness), Norah and Lorna (penal cases from Mt Doreen) and
Jacob (Supreme Court Witness).
18. 1.1941 Two new arrivals from Alice Springs, Jimmy and Willy
caused a disturbance in the northern camp yesterday, trying to
seduce and assault the witness Maudie.
20. 1.1941 To Alice Springs. Brought out Ruby (another penal case)
prostitute.
March 1941 8. 3.1941 Intjibati died of T.B. last night (female).
16. 3.1941 Sgt Koop came out and took back two of the Kitto case
witnesses; he is going to Mt Cavanagh in order to exhume the body
of Lollylegs.
Feb 1941 12. 2.1941 Old Charlie Apma died.
21. 2.1941 Took in one of the penal cases, Mabel, to the Alice
Springs Hospital this evening. She was found to be suffering
from T.B. in her right lung.
April 1941 10. 4.1941 An old man, Charlie Udepatarinja died on the Reserve.
Sept 1941 17. 9.1941 Dr Kewish, from Alice Springs, came out this afternoon
to inspect some patients here, notably Archie Namatjira, who is
very ill with T.B., complicated by pneumonia.
21. 9.1941 Archie Namatjira died early this morning.
24. 9.1941 Altercation in the camp, in which Police Paddy hit a
youngman on the head with a stone, rendering him unconscious
for about half an hour. To avoid a general melee I took both
principals to Alice Springs for their trial.
Oct 1941 8.10.1941 Jack Long came out to arrange for his marriage to
penal case Vida.
22/23.10.1941 Removed two troublesome lads, Claude and Gordon,
to the Jay Reserve from Hermannsburg. On return from Hermannsburg
found Mr Downer and his halfcaste employee Alec Pepperal here,
who wanted to make arrangements for Alec's marriage to Lorna Hayes.
Dec 1941 3.12.1941 To Bond Springs to investigate alleged ill-treatment
of Ginger by Dowling. In the afternoon removed Mrs Fanny Pearce
(aboriginal)from Alice Springs, where she had been shamelessly
exploited by her landlord, to the Jay Reserve until her financial
future can be finalised.
March 1941 18. 3.1941 Left for Pine Hill to investigate alleged exposure of a
halfcaste child by Mr Jack Dowler.
19. 3.1941 Left Pine Hill in the morning, proceeded to one of the
Pine Hill wells in order to interrogate a further witness. Then
got back as far as Native Gap, where we interrogated Little Paddy.
As a result of his relevations, Minnie (the mother of the lost
infant) confessed the whole story.
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