[TRANSCRIPT]

THE ARGUS, THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1886

MR BERRY AND THE ABORIGINES

Mr Berry was yesterday the recipient of a somewhat rare compliment, a deputation of pure blacks from the aboriginal station at Coranderrk coming to Melbourne to bid good-bye to the late Chief Secretary. The ceremony took place in the Executive Council chamber at the Treasury Building the party being introduced by the present Chief Secretary (Mr. Deakin) and Mr Zox, M.L.A. With the deputation was Mrs Bon. At the head of the party was Baruk, a small statured, grey bearded native, once chief, and now the sole survivor of the Yarra Yarra tribe. Baruk went up the stone steps of the Treasury with the utmost self-confidence, but the bearing of his followers was generally diffident. Next to Baruk in rank was Bertdrak, chief of the Broken River tribe, but better known as "Punch." A few years ago Punch used occasionally to hold Coranderrk in subjugation with a gun, but when Government officials visited the station he was generally sober and unarmed, and had little chance of doing his race any substantial service. Of late years he has taken to diplomacy, and has given the Aborigines Board and the Government a good deal of trouble. The deputation formed in a crescent round the table, studded with the new portfolios of the Ministry. The natives were dignified and reserved in their demeanour. The gifts brought by the deputation as a present to Mr Berry were of a varied and characteristic type. In a bundle of native weapons were included boomerangs, newly carved, and the throwing of which was shown in pantomine, waddy, carved and all ready for use; a gnulla gnulla, or modern shield with the handle nicely lined with wallaby fur. Special presents from Baruk were two long cane spears, which the chief showed Mr Berry how to adjust in the spear-thrower and to poise for business. A couple of the fire-sticks by which the tribe were accustomed to light their camp fires were also presented. Baruk was evidently of opinion that all these gifts were intended for use rather than ornament, and on the carpet of the Executive chamber he showed Mr Berry how to light a fire by placing one stick on the floor, and spinning the other rod between his palms, with the hardened point inserted in a small groove in the stationary stick. The surroundings were not congenial, however, and the fire refused to respond to the friction. In addition to the implements of war, there was an album filled with portraits of the Coranderrk natives, from a spirited photo of the old chief to the presentment of the most recent "picaninny". A rushwork basket, made by the lubras, was filled with native flowers, with a dahlia and one or two other brilliant aliens added to heighten the effect. A walking stick cut from a tree round which a creeper had spirally and symmetrically twined, was another characteristic bush present. The creeper was carved and scaled to represent a snake, and "Punch" suggested that a coat of varnish would heighten the effect. Last of all, one of the party brought a lyre bird's tail. Preparatory to making the presentation, Mrs Bon stated that it was 23 years since a deputation had left Coranderrk to attend a levee at Government house, in the time of Sir Charles Darling, and for the purpose of sending a congratulatory address to the Queen on the occasion of the marriage of her son, the Prince of Wales. The aboriginal owners of the soil had never before turned out to do honour to any man leaving these shores. Incidentally she reminded Mr Deakin that, notwithstanding all that Mr Berry had done, there was yet plenty for him to do. The natives wished to be relieved of the board, and if the gentlemen composing it had not that sense ot honour which should induce them to resign, they ought at least to be relieved of their management of Coranderrk. A lot of money had been misspent in building a large house for the manager, which was locally known as the coffee palace.

The following address, which was said to have been dictated by the chief Baruk, and which was inscribed on illuminated card board by Messrs Fergusson and Mitchell, was read -

"To the Honourable Graham Berry

"We have come to see you because you have done a great deal of work for the aborigines.

"I feel very sorrowful, and first time I hear you was going home I was crying. You do all that thing for the station when we were in trouble, when the board would not give us much food and clothes, and wanted to drive us off the land. We came to you and told you our trouble, and you gave us land for our own as long as we live, and gave us more food and clothes and blankets and better houses, and the people are very thankful.

"And now you leave this country, Victoria, to go to England, where we may never see you no more. We give you small present with our love. When you go away keep remembering the natives, for the natives will remember you for your doing good to Coranderrk.

"We had trouble here in this country, but we can all meet up along 'Our Father.' We hope that God will lead you right through the water, and take you safe to England, and keep you in the straight way, and give you eternal life through Jesus Christ Our Saviour.

"BARUK

"Chief of the Yarra Yarra Tribe of Aborigines, Victoria, Australia."

The names and native signatures of Berdrak, Wyerderman, Katawarmin, Worteeilum, Ngiaqueon, Pundagoorn, Triabil, and Derranil were also appended.

Mr Berry in acknowledging the presentation and the special compliment paid to him, said that it had always been his opinion that the few natives remaining in the colony should be treated with the greatest kindness and consideration, not as paupers, but as a matter of common justice due to the original owners of the soil. He knew that the natives were thinking men and felt that that was shown in the address presented to him to-day, which was as feeling in its terms, as pertinent in its purpose, and as kindly as any he would receive. He was certain that the inclinations of the natives themselves would be largely studied by the present Chief Secretary. While in England he would be glad to hear of them or from them. Whatever he had been enabled to do for them was through the representations of Mrs Bon, than whom no people had ever a truer friend.

Mr Berry then shook hands with each of the natives present, and the ceremony concluded.

 

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