Cecil Cook (Australia)

Cecil Evelyn Aufrere (Mick) Cook (1897–1985) was an Australian doctor appointed as Chief Protector of Aborigines for the Northern Territory in 1927. He was born and in England, and studied there, but primarily lived in Australia from 1898 onward. He founded the Nurses' Board of North Australia and several hospitals. He irritated Alice Springs residents by urging them to allow Aboriginal patients in a proposed hospital and by allowing a Catholic mission. He also sought to protect "full-bloods" from unauthorized visitors.[1]

However, he generally opposed church missions and favored assimilation. He also favored white supremacy.[2] Hence, when it came to Aboriginals he argued for "breeding them out" and stated:

generally by the fifth and invariably by the sixth generation, all native characteristics of the Australian Aborigine are eradicated. The problem of our half-castes will quickly be eliminated by the complete disappearance of the black race, and the swift submergence of their progeny in the white.[3]

He also instituted the "dog tag" system of fingerprinting and medical examination of Aboriginals.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Australian Dictionary of Biography
  2. ↑ Commonwealth Government Records about the Northern Territory
  3. ↑ "Bringing them home 8. The History - Northern Territory". Australian Human Rights Commission.
  4. ↑ Bodies in Contact: Rethinking Colonial Encounters in World History, pg 236


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