Alfred Canning

Alfred Wernam Canning (21 February 1860 – 22 May 1936) was a Western Australian government surveyor. Born at Campbellfield north of Melbourne, he started work in New South Wales as a cadet surveyor and in 1893 joined the Western Australian Department of Lands and Survey.

In 1901 a royal commission resulted in Canning being commissioned to survey a route for a barrier fence across the State. Construction of the fence, known as the No. 1 Rabbit Proof Fence was completed in 1907. When completed it was the longest line of unbroken fence in the world.

Canning is best known for surveying a stockroute for bringing cattle 1500 km overland from the Kimberley district to the goldfields in 1906 and 1907. He returned the following year to commence construction of 51 wells which were set one days march (20 km) apart to feed travelling livestock. The route was completed in 1910 and runs from Halls Creek to Wiluna.

Canning received a hero's welcome on his return to Perth, however his cook Edward Blake alleged the party had ill-treated Aboriginals, coerced Aboriginal men to locate water by force feeding them salt, destroyed water holes and kidnapped Aboriginal women for sex. After Premier Newton Moore failed to act on his claims Blake took them to the newspapers which prompted Moore to call a Royal Commission.

"It was necessary at times to use chains on our guides but we padded them to make sure they did not chafe the men's necks...they were happy with the arrangement."
—Evidence given before the Royal Commission by surveyor Hubert Trotman

The Commissioner of police admitted that police were forced to chain the guides due to their unwillingness to join the expedition. The continued chaining was justified on the grounds that they would have run off jeopardising the expedition. After three weeks of questions and replies the Royal Commission exonerated the expedition members of all charges.

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