Patrol Officers Reports Beetaloo Station 1948

Narional Archives of Australia
Darwin Office
CRS F315/0
Item 1949/393A Part 1
Patrol Officers Reports Beetaloo Station 1948

Beetaloo Station 23rd December 1948

Native Affairs Branch

Director

BEETALOO STATION

Accompanied by Cadet Patrol Officer J Connolly I visited
Beetaloo Station on 8th December 1948, and obtained a census
of the half-caste families on O.T. and Beetaloo Stations.

Mr Wattie Bathern and Mr Peter Bostock and their families
live at Beetaloo Station. Mr Hughie Bathern and Mr W Miller
and their families live at O.T. Station.

As instructed I discussed the future of the older school
children residing at St Mary's Hostel, Alice Springs, and
attending the public school with the bookkeeper, Mr R Tiernan,
and later with the fathers of the children.

The Beetaloo and O.T. children commenced school at the
end of 1946, the older children were in the 2nd grade (1948).

In discussion with Mr Tiernan he said that it was pro-
posed to keep the two eldest girls home next year and that four
new children would be commencing school then.

Mr Tiernan said the expense of educating the children
was increasing. Eight children attended school in 1948 and
there would be four new children to attend in 1949. The mothers
were asking for the help of the older girls with their young
families and he considered early marriage would prevent
illegitimate children.

I explained to Mr Tiernan our desire that the children
should receive sufficient education to enable them to take their
place in the community and that the girls should be at least
16 years of age before marriage and taking on family responsib-
ilities.

I later discussed the whole matter with Mr Tiernan and
the fathers of the children. Mr Tiernan and the fathers readily
agreed to all the children returning to school next year in
addition to the four new children.

I explained to them that the three eldest girls who were
born before their fathers were exempted were wards of the Director
of Native Affairs and permission must be obtained if they desired
to marry an exempted half-caste or a white man.

When the children from St Mary's Hostel did not arrive
at Newcastle Waters by Tuit's bus on 13th December, 1948, Mr
Miller of O.T. Station approached me re the desirability of
getting the children up as soon as possible as rain was threaten-
ing and once heavy rain fell the road to O.T. Station (100 miles
from Beetaloo), which is mainly black soil, would be impassable.

As there was no suitable transport before Tuit's bus in
a week's time, we travelled to Alice Springs, collected the
seven children from St Mary's Hostel and delivered them to
Beetaloo Station. The parents expressed their appreciation of
this co-operation.

The adult male half-castes, Wattie Bathern, Hughie Bathern,
Peter Bostock and William Miller are exempted. They are legally
married and their wives desire exemption. Mrs Wattie Bathern
and Mrs Peter Bostock were at Beetaloo Station: I brought
their applications with references to Darwin. Mrs Hughie Bathern
and Mrs William Miller will forward their applications later.

Another visit should be made to Beetaloo Station about
November, 1949, to discuss with the parents their plans for their
older children for 1950.

A list of the families on O.T. and Beetaloo Stations is
attached.

G Sweeney
Patrol Officer
23 December 1948

Part-Aborigines (Half-Castes) on O.T. and Beetaloo Stations

Name Born / Age Notes

Mr Wattie Bathern Beetaloo Station
Mrs Bessie Bathern (nee Bistock) 26 years
Mona Barbara Bathern 6.10.1939 Alice Springs School
Harry Bathern 30. 3.1942 Commencing school 1949
Walter Bathern 26. 5.1944
David Ernest Bathern 17.12.1947

Mr Peter Bostock Beetaloo Station
Mrs Bella Bostock (nee Kean) 43 years
Mrs Wattie Bathern
Cameron Bostock 26. 8.1930 Working on station
June Bostock 23. 6.1934 Alice Springs School
Hazel Bostock 26.12.1938 Alice Springs School
George Peter Bostock 23. 4.1942 Commencing school 1949
Charlie Bostock 22.11.1944
Brian Bostock 3. 3.1948

Mr Hughie Bathern O.T. Station
Mrs Lyleen Bathern (nee Smith) 32 years Born on Beetaloo Station
John Bathern 12. 4.1940 Alice Springs School
Murray Bathern 15. 9.1942 Commencing school 1949
Hughie Bathern 16.11.1944
Jean Bathern 6. 7.1946
Russel Bathern 16. 2.1948

Mr William Miller O.T. Station
Mrs Agnes Miller (nee Bathern(
Josie Miller 20.10.1934 Alice Springs School
Teresa Miller 10. 2.1937 Alice Springs School
William Miller 5. 6.1940 Alice Springs School
Alice Miller 6. 8.1942 Commencing school 1949
Margaret Miller 16.11.1944

Mrs Fanny Bathern O.T. Station, wife of Angus Bathern, deceased
Mrs Agnes Miller
Mrs N Stacy Married to white man in Newcastle Waters
Barbara Bathern 29 years Single, works at Elliot
(Barbara has two children : -
Ron 'Bathern', age 8 years, attends Convent School, Alice Springs
John 'Bathern', born 26.11.1946)
Duncan Bathern . 8.1925 Working on Station

Clancy Bostock 17 years Working on Station

(Wattie and Hughie Bathern were half brothers to Angus Bathern (deceased).
Peter Bostock was half brother to Angus Bathern (deceased).)

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