Complex sentence: Absconding was a common problem as many tried to re-unite themselves with family members living outside the settlement, and to counter this practice a small number of Aboriginal men were employed as trackers to apprehend absconders.
Split into simpler sentences: Absconding was a common problem as many tried to re-unite themselves with family members living outside the settlement. To counter this practice, a small number of Aboriginal men were employed as trackers to apprehend absconders.