National Archives of Australia
Darwin Office
Series F1 Item 1940/763
Welfare of Female Half-castes 1940


Copyright P J Mackett 2009


                                                           Native Affairs Branch
                                                           Darwin

                                                           14th May, 1940

The Director of Native Affairs

                In reference to the recent 'press' statement
that there were 69. prospective mothers amongst the half-caste
population of Darwin, I desire to advise that the following
half-castes, who are nominally under instruction control but
are not  residing in the institution, are, to the best of my
knowledge, free of suspicion at the present moment :-

              Ada Morck
              Ethel Page
              Phyllis Alexander
              Madge Cooper
              Mulwa
              Alice Miller
              Marjory Morris
              Elsie Kilmartin

                Lucy White, who can be included in the above
category, has recently given birth to a child.

                Scholistica Daby, living with her mother, and
nominally a ward of the Department, has also given birth to a
child.

                Linda Roman, also a charge of this Department,
recently gave birth to a child, the father of whom is a half-
caste, and Dolly Brown, a half-caste girl who has been an
inmate of the Darwin Hospital for some considerable time also
recently gave birth to a child.

                Lily Cusack, who was formerly employed by the
Administrator, was reported by Mrs Abbott to be pregnant.
Permission for her marriage to one, Joe Sevallos, a half-caste,
has been granted, and thus she can be precluded from this
submission.

                Of the three half-caste girls formerly at the
Convent, and who are now in employment, namely, Lorna Curtis,
Eileen Ambrose and Cecilia Briston, nothing is known of their
condition.

                It remains, therefore, for this Department to
answer the allegation inasmuch as it refers to those girls
who are under institution control.

                Following is a list of girls who are known
to be pregnant :-

              Daisy Carroll
              Dolly McKee
              Gladys Kruger
              Elsie Woodruffe
              Evelyn Jones

                This information was supplied by the Matron
of the Half-caste Institution.

                It must be remembered when answering this
allegation that comparatively few half-castes outside the
institution are not under the parental control of their
half-caste or European fathers, or half-caste mothers
who are legitimately married.

                 The rising generation of half-castes born
in wedlock, by European and half-caste fathers with half-
caste mothers, does not include more than a dozen female
children who are fit subjects for exploitation in the
direction indicated by the article.

                 These facts are submitted to you to enable
an adequate reply to be furnished to His Honour, The
Administrator.

                                      V J White
                             Secretary, Native Affairs Branch




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