Aboriginal girls protection (1844) (WA)

8 VICTORIA. No. 6

Aborigines

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

ANNO OCTAVO

VICTORL]3 REGINA;

No. 6

An Act to prevent the enticing away the Girls of the Aboriginal Race from School, or from any Service in

which they are employed.

[Assented to 1st August, 1844.

Preamble

HEREAS laudable efforts have been made to introduce

Christianity and civilisation amongst the aboriginal race of

this Colony by instructing their youths of both sexes in schools, and

admitting them as domestic servants into families of the colonists,

and whereas it is expedient to provide a remedy against mischievous

and evil-disposed persons enticing away the girls of that race either

from the schools in which they are kept or from the houses in which

they are employed : Be it therefore enacted by His Excellency the

Governor of Western Australia and its Dependencies, by and with

the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, that from and

Any person con- after the passing of this Act, any person who shall be convicted before

victed of havin g

enticed any gir/ any two or more Justices of the Peace of this colony of having enticed

of the aborigine or persuaded any girl of the aboriginal race to leave any school without

race from school

or from service the previous consent of a Protector of aborigines, or of the master or

to forfeit a sutn

netexceeding £2 msress o such school or the service in which she has been engaged, mistress of

for the first	offence, and f,5without the previous consent of her master or mistress, shall forfeit and
for the second or pay any sum not exceeding Two Pounds for the first offence, and Five
any subsequent Pounds for the second or any subsequent offence, to be recoveredoffence

according to the provisions of an Act of the Legislative Council of this Colony, passed in the seventh year of the reign of Her present Majesty Queen Victoria, intituled An Act to regulate summary proceedings before Justices of the Peace.'

Limitation of

prosecutions	2. And be it enacted, that all informations and proceedings in respect of offences against this Act shall be commenced within three calendar months after the offences thereby respectively charged shall have been committed.
Appeal	3. And be it enacted, that any person who shall think himself aggrieved by any judgment or conviction under this Act may appeal to the next Court of Quarter Sessions.
Act may be
amended	4. And be it enacted, that this Act may be altered, amended, or repealed by any Act to be passed during this present session.

JOHN HUTT,

GOVERNO