The 1875 legislation is the Pacific Islanders Act*, which states in Article 7: "Saving the Rights of tribes - Nothing herein or in any such Order on Council contained shall extend or be construed to extend to Invest Her majesty with any claim or title whatsoever to dominion or sovereignty over any such islands or places as aforesaid, or to derogate from the rights of the tribes or people inhabitin. [...] In doing this, the British parliament included in the legislation the recognition of the authority of our chiefs (Law/Lore men and Law/Lore women) by legislating that their powers and authorities could not be diminished in any way whatsoever. [...] (We must remember the Northern Territory was part of South Australia at this time.) In this Act the British House of Lords, with the Royal Assent of Queen Victoria, officially recognised the sovereignty of Aboriginal nations and Peoples. [...] In doing this, the British parliament included In the legislation the recognition of the authority of our chiefs (Law/Lore men and Law/Lore women) by legislating that their powers and authorities could not be diminished in any way whatsoever. [...] In the final part of the 1875 Pacific Islanders Protection legislation, it was a requirement of the parliaments of each of the colonies identified that these Orders in Council were to be tabled in each House of Parliament.
- Pages
- 3
- Published in
- Australia
