To prevent a recurrence of murders, robberies and depredations, as well as to protect the lives and properties of His Majesty’s British subjects residing in the several settlements of this Territory, His Excellency the Governor deems it his indispensible duty to prescribe certain Rules, Orders and Regulations to be observed by the natives, and rigidly enforced and carried into effect by all Magistrates and Peace Officers in the Colony of New South Wales, and which are as follows:

First – That from and after the fourth day of June 1816, no black native of body of black natives shall ever appear at or within one mile of any town, village or farm, occupied by, or belonging to any British Subject, armed with any warlike or offensive weapon or weapons of any description, such as spears, clubs, or waddies, on pain of being deemed and considered in a state of aggression and hostility, and treated accordingly.

Second – That no natives, exceeding in the whole six persons, being entirely unarmed, shall ever come to lurk or loiter about any farm in the interior, on the pain of being considered enemies, and treated accordingly.

Third – That the practice, hitherto observed amongst the native tribes, of assembling in large bodies or parties armed, and of fighting and attacking each other on the plea of inflicting punishments on transgressors of their own customs and manners at or near Sydney, and other principal towns and settlements in the Colony, shall be henceforth wholly abolished, as a barbarous custom repugnant to the British laws, and strongly militating against the civilization of the natives, which is an object of the highest importance to effect, if possible. Any armed body of natives, therefore, who shall assemble for the foregoing purposes, either at Sydney or any of the other settlements of this Colony after the said fourth day of June 1816, shall be considered as disturbers of the public peace and shall be apprehended and punished in a summary manner accordingly. The black natives are therefore hereby enjoined and commanded to discontinue this barbarous custom, not only at and near the British settlements but also in their own wild and remote places of resort.

Fourth – That such of the natives as may wish to be considered under the protection of the British Government, and disposed to conduct themselves in a peaceful, inoffensive and honest manner, shall be furnished with Passports or Certificates to that effect, signed by the Governor, on their making application for the same at the Secretary’s Office at Sydney, on the first Monday of every succeeding month; which Certificates they will find will protect them from being injured or molested by any person, so long as they do not carry or use offensive weapons, contrary to the tenor of this Proclamation.

The Governor, however ....., considers it equally a part of his public duty as a counterbalance for the restriction of not allowing them to go about the country armed to afford the black natives such means as are within his power to enable them to obtain an honest and comfortable subsistence on their own labour and industry. His Excellency therefore hereby proclaims and makes known to them that he shall always be willing and ready to grant small portions of land, in suitable and convenient parts of the Colony, to such of them as are inclined to become regular settlers, and such occasional assistance from government as may enable them to cultivate their farms: namely:-

First – That they and their families shall be victualled from the King’s Stores for six months, from the time of their going to reside actually on their farms.

Secondly – That they shall be furnished with the necessary agricultural tools, and also with wheat, maize, and potatoes for seed, and

Thirdly – To each person of a family, one suit of slops and one colonial blanket from the king’s Stores shall be given. But these indulgencies will not be granted to any native, unless it shall appear that he is really inclined, and fully resolved to become a settler, and permanently to reside on such farm as may be assigned to him for the purpose of cultivating the same for the support of himself and his family.

And whereas His Excellency the Governor, from an anxious wish to civilise the aborigines of this country so as to make them useful to themselves and the Community, has established a Seminary or Institution at Parramatta for the purpose of educating the male and female children of those natives who might be willing to place them in that Seminary:- His Excellency therefore now earnestly calls upon such natives as have children to embrace so desirable an opportunity of providing for their helpless offspring and of having them brought up, clothed, fed and educated in a Seminary established for such humane and desirable purpose. And in furtherance of this measure, his Excellency deems it expedient to invite a general friendly meeting of all the natives residing in the Colony to take place at the town of Parramatta, on Saturday the 28 December 1816 at twelve o’clock at noon, at the public market place there, for the purpose of more fully explaining and pointing out to them the objectives of the Institution referred to, as well as for consulting with them on the best means of improving their present conditions.. On this occasion, and at this public general meeting of the natives, the Governor will feel happy to reward such of them as have given proofs of industry, and an inclination to be civilised.

And the Governor wishing that this general meeting, or congress of friendly natives should in future be held annually, directs that the twenty-eight day of December, in every succeeding year, shall be considered as fixed for this purpose, excepting when that day happens to fall on a Sunday, when the following day is to be considered as fixed for holding the said congress.

And finally, the Governor hereby orders and directs, that on occasions of any natives coming armed, or in a hostile manner without arms, or in unarmed parties exceeding six in number, to any farm belonging to or occupied by British subjects in the interior, such natives are first to de desired in a civil manner to depart from the said farm, and if they persist in remaining thereon, or attempt to plunder, rob or commit any kind of depredation, they are then to be driven away by force of arms by the settlers themselves; and in any case they are not able to do so, they are to apply to a Magistrate for aid from the nearest Military Station; and the troops stationed there are hereby commanded to render their assistance when so required.

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