| Narrative | After Sub-Inspector Aubin 'received information of the blackfellows robbing a shepherd's hut on the Messrs. Archer's station; that they were were creating distubances at Morinish, and in one instance had threatened to strike the wife of a miner with a tomahawk...' (Brisbane Courier, 18 Jul 1867 p 3), on 7 July 1867, a native police detachment of four troopers, led by sub-Inspector Myrtil Aubin killed 'several "quiet" Aboriginal people' at dawn, camped at Morinish gold diggings, west of Rockhampton. Local residents were horrified by the killings and the incident was reported in the Rockhampton press (Queensland Times, 20 July 1867). An inquiry led by Lieutenant Murray from the native police at Rockhampton, was conducted and his report, together the statements by the Morinish residents, Davis, Wilson, Cunningham and one other, and the statement by Aubin, were sent to the Police Commissioner in Brisbane (Brisbane Courier, 18 July 1867, p.3).
While the exact number of dead is not known, witnesses found two campsites with blood and saw the bodies of a man named 'Tommy', a girl and young boy pulled from a waterhole. (Rockhampton Bulletin and Central Queensland Advertiser, 16 July 1867 p 2) The Queensland Times added to this that, 'The body of the old man has since been found dead on one of the heights in the neighbourhood of the town' and 'Scattered over the bush were to be seen several black troopers belonging to the Native Police, in close pursuit of the fugitives...' (Queensland Times, 20 July 1867)
At the inquiry Mr. Aubin said that 'it was necessary to make the troopers feared by the natives, and he had only done his duty' (Rockhampton Bulletin and Central Queensland Advertiser, 16 July 1867 p 2).
According to Jonathan Richards, a historian of the native police, Aubin was dismissed by the Executive Council shortly afterwards (Richards, 2008, p 48). |
