Summary

An extract from the Introduction:

To fully evaluate the significance of Aboriginal labour in the pastoral industry it is necessary to understand the conditions prevailing at the time. Consequently the economic aspects including land legislation, the nature of ownership, sources and uses of capital and markets have been covered in some detail in Chapter 1. The second chapter is devoted to an analysis of pastoral labour. Again this is necessary to understand the reasons for Aborigines being incorporated into the industry. The third and fourth chapters deal specifically with Aboriginal workers in the industry while the fifth chapter is an attempt to place this study in a wider perspective and to see it as part of a world wide phenomenon which was taking place on the frontier of capitalism.