The Aborigines Protection Board in the Crown Colony of Western Australia was established in 1887, as a result of the Aborigines Protection Act 1886. The Board was responsible for the welfare of all Aboriginal people. This included the care, custody and education of all Aboriginal children, and the power to apprentice any Aboriginal child. In 1890, the Aborigines Protection Board continued in the Colony of Western Australia.
The functions of the Aborigines Protection Board included submitting proposals to the Governor relating to the care, custody or education of the children of ‘Aboriginals’ and exercising a general supervision and care over all matters affecting the interests and welfare of the ‘Aboriginals’. Under the Protection Act, the Board could appoint ‘honorary local protectors’ to oversee rationing and medical care of Aboriginal people and report on the condition of Aboriginal children.
The Act gave Resident Magistrates, acting under instructions of the Board, the power to apprentice any ‘Aboriginal’ or ‘half-caste’ child of a ‘suitable age’ until the age of 21 years, provided that ‘due and reasonable provision is made for [the child’s] maintenance, clothing and proper and humane treatment’.
On 6 January of 1887, the Government Gazette announced that the Colonial Secretary (Sir Malcolm Fraser) and Attorney General (C.N. Warton) and Members of the Legislative Council, G. Shenton and C. Harper were appointed to the new body. The Board was chaired by the Colonial Surgeon, Dr Alfred Waylen, who was responsible directly to the imperial government in England.