Domestic Service and Frontier Feminism: The Call for a Woman Visitor to "Half-Caste" Girls and Women in Domestic Service, Adelaide, 1925-1928

The AFA were seeking the reestablishment of missionary dormitories for children (abolished in 1913) under their control on the South Australian reserves,89 and opposed any efforts by the state government that would compete with their hopes. The move of elite women into what they saw as their terrain-represented by Stirling's assertion of state authority over the Point McLeay people-was viewed very sourly. They were not dissimilarly incensed by the WNPA's intervention several months later in calling for the removal of the Bungalow babies. Keen to ensure they had a leading role in the relocation of the Bungalow, and particularly concerned to see that the future management of the institution would be entrusted to the Anglican Church (their own itinerant missionary being based in Alice Springs),90 the AFA had made provocative public statements decrying the WNPA proposal91

McKay's position in the AFA's publicly stated unanimous disapproval at the time is unclear-as she had called in her talk for Bungalow children to be transferred to a nearby existing mission (the Lutheran mission at Hermannsburg), she may not have altogether approved of the direction the women's group had taken in pressing for child removal to Adelaide.92 However, she would not have been encouraged to know that the AFA had asked one John Dow for his advice to help the AFA suggest a suitable location for the Bungalow's relocation.93 An ex-Territorian himself, Dow had been infuriated by McKay's speech, complaining in the press it was "not fair to the hundreds of decent and clean-living men in the bush," and challenging her or her husband to a public debate. Casting her accusations of abuse of Aboriginal women as "absurd," he had gone so far as to claim that "half-caste girls" were in fact the "huntresses" of white men.94 The AFA's decision to approach Dow after such comments points to a basic misogyny within the AFA. In this regard the president of the AFA, writing to Minister Pearce, was quite direct. Though he carefully prefaced his comments with the statement that "That which I am now writing is personal" Walter Hutley was unequivocal: "Speaking generally we are opposed to women taking up positions of authority in regard to Aborigines.... Our Association " he assured the Minister, "is desirous of helping you-we are not out to criticise," and he expressed his sympathy for Pearce: "[You are left] open to a lot of sentimental criticism by irresponsible bodies." As he was writing on the subject of the WNPA deputation and the relocation of the Bungalow, his Insinuations were clear.95

It was unlikely indeed that the AFA would support the WNPA's push to play a role in overseeing the Bungalow girls in Adelaide. Presented with the idea, AFA members instead saw an opportunity to extend their influence with the federal government. So while Sexton indicated that he would write in support of the WNPA's proposal, in the letter he sent to the Home and Territories Department, he actually indicated his reservations about their idea, arguing instead for the responsibility for inspecting the girls in service to be placed "upon a standing body like the Association, which exists solely to assist the aborigines, [rather] than give the responsibility to one person.... A good deal of tact and common sense is needed in undertaking such work or the employers of these girls become alienated," he cautioned. "Experience has shown that the girls come under two influences-that of their mistress and the visitor, and discontent springs up where contentment existed before."96