Remuneration 1909-1969
The law determined how much money Aboriginal apprentices should be paid for their work. Before 1941, these payment rates applied if there was no specific agreement between the apprentice and master. After 1941, all apprentices received the rates determined by the law. For Aboriginal people who were not apprentices, laws facilitated labour for unfair wages, for rations or for no payment.
In 1883, the Government established the Aborigines Protection Board, later called the Aborigines Welfare Board, to work alongside other institutions involved in ‘efforts… being made for the elevation of the race’. From the outset, there was a focus on ‘carefully guard[ing] the funds’ and not allowing Aboriginal people to ‘become either too dependent on charity or lapse into habits of idleness’ ().
In 1909, the NSW Parliament gave the Board significant powers to control the lives of Aboriginal people when it passed the Aborigines Protection Act 1909 (NSW) (). This included the ability to place certain Aboriginal children in apprenticeships (see SUB0087 and SUB0093 for more about apprenticeships) and to collect the wages of apprentices (see SUB0464 for more about the stolen wages system). It also had significant control over the labour of some adults (see SUB0513 for more about adult labour).
Rates of pay
The regulations made under the Aborigines Protection Act set the rates of pay for apprentices, including the portion to be paid as pocket money (the part of the apprentice’s wages that were not collected by the Board) (). Until 1941, these rates applied if there was no other agreement between the employer and the apprentice ().
In 1910, a first-year apprentice was to be paid 1 shilling and sixpence per week, of which threepence was paid as pocket money (). The regulations increased these amounts incrementally over time. For example,
In 1913 a first-year apprentice was paid 3 shillings and sixpence per week, with sixpence paid as pocket money ().
In 1929, a first-year apprentice was paid 3 shillings and sixpence per week, with 1 shilling paid as pocket money ().
See the Law and Policy documents for detailed information about how these rates changed over time.
Wages of Aboriginal children apprenticed by the Board were significantly lower than wages paid to other apprentices and young, unskilled workers. For example, in 1907, the minimum wage set by the Harvester case for a first year apprentice was nearly 8 times the wage paid to Aboriginal apprentices () (). Similarly, in 1910, a second-year female Aboriginal apprentice was paid 2 shillings and sixpence per week, whereas the the standard wages for non-Aboriginal servants in 1910 was between 10-20 shillings (). From 1966, ‘rates for child apprentices were set under awards under the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1904 (Cth) rather than by the Board’ ().
During a 1924 debate, one Parliamentarian pointed out the difference between the wages of Aboriginal apprentices and the ‘living wage’ set down by the Arbitration Court and suggested ‘if the employers could not get aborigines for such a small consideration, they would employ white people. It is purely and simply a question of cheap labour’ ().
For Aboriginal adults that lived on reserves, the law required every ‘able bodied Aborigine, half-caste or other person … to do a reasonable amount of work’, and permitted the withdrawal of rations and forced removal of anyone ‘persistently refusing’ to do so (). The proceeds of any labour (for example, the sale of crops) were apportioned by the Board for ‘collective’ work. Aboriginal people working on their own (‘engaged singly in working any reserve’) were entitled to retain the proceeds of the sale of their crop ().
In 1936 there was a proposal to amend the law to require award wages be paid to Aboriginal people (ie the legal minimum wage based on their industry and role), however this was not successful and instead the law required the payment of ‘reasonable’ wages ().
Payment in rations and clothing
There are many sources that show that Aboriginal people were often paid only in rations or work clothing, in place of monetary wages, both on and off reserves (, , , ).
The Board’s Annual Reports frequently refer to providing rations for labour (, , , , ). As late as 1947 the Board’s Report states:
During the year it was found expedient to alter the system of payment of wages to aboriginal employees by discontinuing, at the employees' election, the issue of rations and clothing as part of the employment, and increasing the cash remuneration ().
Parliamentary debates recognised the exploitation and underpayment of Aboriginal apprentices and adults (, , ). In 1936 one Parliamentarian said:
I know, and every hon. member who represents a country district knows, that these people are exploited to the full. As a matter of fact, they are worked as much as they will work, merely for their upkeep, and a very poor upkeep at that-just their bed and food. They can sleep where they like, but not when they like ().
In 1969 the Aborigines Protection Act was repealed and the Board was disbanded (). It could no longer control the wages of Aboriginal people. For more about the repayment of stolen wages see SUB0465.