A RACIAL CONFLICT SETTLED
[To the Editor of TIIE SPECTATOR.]
Sm,—It is now possible to draw public attention to one of the most remarkable incidents in the history of racial con- flicts—remarkable alike for its romance, courage and results. The scene of the conflict was the native reserve of Arnhem Land, Northern Australia, the persons involved a party of Japanese fishermen and the aboriginal tribes of the Caledon Bay district. The causes of the conflict are irrelevant to this letter, but they led to the death of certain Japanese subjects and a British policeman named McColl. Immediately there were loud and insistent demimds for a punitive expedition to "teach the blacks a lesson," but the Federal Government of Australia refused to be stampeded. Then a proposal was made, variously dubbed "foolish," "fantastic," "quixotic," and so forth—namely, that a small party of Christian Mis- sionaries should go to these primitive and hostile natives and invite them to act more circumspectly towards whites and others in future, and to hand over the " murderers " to justice and punishment ! And the "foolish project" was adopted In due course, two Missionaries and a layman set out on the expedition, involving a land and sea journey of some months. They resolutely refused to carry either firearms or other weapons of defence, because they said that they "relied on Divine aid." The party, after surmounting countless diffi- culties and dangers, reached the " hostile " tribes in this distant region, and at first were met with suspicion and stony silence. But the Missionaries won! They not only secured a promise of friendly relations for the future as between Whites and Blacks, but the Chief of the tribes was deputed to invite the Missionaries to settle amongst them, undertaking if they would agree to do so to erect at their own cost (labour) any buildings they might need for missionary purposes.
But surely the most amazing feature of this mission was that the tribes concerned trusted the Missionaries so im- plicitly that they handed over to them for trial members of their tribe who it is alleged were concerned in the death of the policeman and the Japanese fishermen I The Archbishop of Melbourne, in a published letter, says that the expedition has cost the Church Missionary Society of Australia £1,000. The Government of Northern Australia has contributed towards the cost the sum of £150. If there are those who would care to contribute to the deficit of £850, this Society, or the Church Missionary Society, Salisbury Square, E.C. 4, will be happy to receive and transmit any gifts to the Archbishop of Melbourne.—I am, Sir, &c.,
JOHN HARRIS.
The Anti-Slavery and Aborigines Protection Society.
Denison House, 296 Vauxhall Bridge Road, S.W .1.
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