Queensland Native Police: The Final Years

The Queensland Native Police were renowned as keepers of the peace and good order on the Queensland colonial frontier. Trackers of the highest order graced the saddles of the Native Police. In the annals of Queensland policing, few units have displayed a devotion to duty and loyalty to the cause of justice to rival the Native Police.

The Australian Aboriginal lived in splendid isolation. On the entry of Australia into the world of commerce and trade, a great disparity arose between Aboriginals and settlers. Technology deprivation soon became apparent.

From a semi-arid, unforgiving country - always was, always will be - appeared an abundance of beef and flour, and gibbers harder than rock. Bush tucker and stone implements soon gave way to cultivated food and metals. It was there for the taking and they helped themselves handsomely from the settlers’ flocks, gardens and huts.

Down came the squatter a-riding his thoroughbred;
Down came policemen — one, two, and three.
“Whose is the jumbuck you’ve got in the tucker-bag?
You’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with we.”

Now Wokes would require dispersing rather than waltzing. Be that as it may, the world
had long moved away from collectives to private ownership for profit. Taking instead of
buying in the settler world meant only one thing: the troopers. The government employed Aboriginals to police Aboriginals. With the eventual recognition that the Aboriginals were seeking a better standard of living but lacking the skills to achieve those ends, the government of the day resorted to welfare economics and instituted a food dole for Aboriginals on the northern frontier. It then attempted social engineering by introducing The Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act.

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Product details

Format: Paperback
Dimensions: A4
Pages: 201 pgs