Narional Archives of Australia
Canberra Office
A6456  R145/030
Personnel Aborigines - Safety Surveys
Report by T Murray, 15 April 1960

                                                       15 April 1960

Sub Inspector
Peace Officer Guard Headquarters
Maralinga

Subject                 Natives - Ooldea

      As briefed I travelled via Watson to Ooldea
in Landrover No C84259 arriving 7.30pm.

2.    Near the railway siding I located a native
and his lubra. I conveyed them to Pidinga Tank where
there is a plentiful supply of water and bush food (animals).

3.    The native (Jacky) and lubra (Lilly) informed
me they had travelled from Andamooka Mission via Pimba,
paying railway fare from Pimba to Ooldea arriving pm Saturday
9th of April, and were going to Talowan Mission.
Both natives were well dressed and appeared to be in good
health. They were well equipped with bedding and spare
clothing and had a good supply of food which they claimed
had been issued by the Mission.

4.    It is possible that some encouragement to
stay at the railway may have been extended by a woman
(half-caste) who is the wife of a railway employee. The
native came from the woman's house carrying a bundle and
was followed by the woman (half-caste) who conversed with
the lubra whilst the camp was packed. Any encouragement
extended to natives could be a contravention of a Railway
By-Law that forbids railway employees from encouraging
or permitting natives to remain at or near a railway camp.
(This By-Law existed some years ago and could still be in
force.)

Any such encouragement could also contravene Native Affairs
Legislation, or principles, and could lead to cohabitation
offences.

T Murray
POI No 2692

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