NORTHERN TERRITORY.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 103, 30 April 1920, Page 5

NORTHERN TERRITORY.

ADMINISTRATION CRITICISED. TOO MUCH OFFICIALISM. (Received lO.no a.m.) MELBOURNE, this day. Mr. Justice living's report ou the Northern Territory severely criticises the. administration in Melbourne, and finds that too little attention has been given to many well-founded uoniplainU on the part of residents, and that too many representations were made through official channels. With regard to the deportations of the leading ollicials he considered there was a good deal of provocation, which went far to extenuate, if not to actually justify, the unusual form the protest adopted. He states that one of the deported officials was not responsible for the outbreak, and'tin; other two were largely victinjs of circumstances. Severe strictures, however, an; passed on certain incidents of the Gilriith administration. Mc comments on tho Komula case of locking up the native witnesses in Fanny Bay gaol with murderers and lunatics, on the stranger mediaeval system under which persoua were imprisoned for debt, and the appointment of officials to positions and duties of which they were utterly ignorant. lie considers the lack of system and generally the happy-go-lucky methods adopted were far more to 'blame than any pvil or malicious intention on the part of individuals.—-(A. and N.Z. <able.)