Page "Albert Namatjira" Paragraph 17

When an Aboriginal woman, Fay Iowa, was killed at Morris Soak, Namatjira was held responsible by Jim Lemaire, the Stipendiary Magistrate, for bringing alcohol into the camp.

He was reprimanded at the coronial inquest.

It was then against the law to supply alcohol to an Aboriginal person.

Namatjira was charged with leaving a bottle of rum in a place, i. e. on a car seat, where a clan brother and fellow Hermannsburg artist Henoch Raberaba, could get access to it.

He was sentenced to six months in prison for supplying an Aboriginal with liquor.

After a public uproar, Hasluck intervened and the sentence was served at Papunya Native Reserve.

He was released after only serving two months due to medical and humanitarian reasons.