[Western Australia] Department of General Studies, Welfare Law and Procedures. Native Welfare, Lectures 1, 2 & 3

Western Australia. Dept. of Native Welfare, 1966. Very good overall. Text of three lectures given in 1966 by McLarty, Field Supervisor Department of Native Welfare, Western Australia, dated 19.7.66, 5.8.66 and 12.8.66. Mimeographed copies, 13 x 8"; 9pp, 9pp, 16pp, staple bound. Lecture 1 includes an "Historical review of official native welfare policies in Western Australia from 1829 to 1948"; Lecture 2, "Native Welfare Act 1963 and associated legislation"; and "Organisation of Department of Native Welfare". Lecture 3, "Duties and Functions of Department of Native Welfare". The third lecture includes a section 5.2 titled "Child Welfare" which states: "From that time forward (1951) the provisions of the Child Welfare Act have been applied and a properly constituted Children's Court must be satisfied on evidence produced that a native child is neglected in the terms of the Child Welfare Act before its separation from its family can be compulsorily undertaken." (p14). McLarty, the author of these lectures, was present during the 1957 highly controversial filming by William Grayden of the living conditions of aboriginal people at Warburton which later became known as the ‘Warburton Range controversy'. Grayden went on to make the film titled 'Their Darkest Hour', shocking in its portrayal of living conditions, but also controversial as to its accuracy.