NORTH AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18152, 15 August 1924, Page 5

NORTH AUSTRALIA

MEWED BY MOTOR. NOT A TOURIST JAUNT. ofK, ov:x coasES?cxt£M*J

! SYDNEY, August >■ | After ;i journey of nearly two iltouJ sand miles through the heart of Aus- | tralir, hv motor-car from \delaidc to j Darwin,"Mr W. C. Duncan. M.L.C.. oi South Australia, lias come to the conI elusion that those wlio advocate the ■ trip as a tourist jaunt, tmdercstntia«.c i the vigour of the exercise invoheu m j the way of propelling, instead of being i propelled by, motor-cars and other such diversions. Ho has, however, icturned a convinced advocate or tno possibilities of the Northern 'lerritory, rind urges the early iulfUuicnt o- tnu long-delayed Federal agreement, arrived at when the Territory Mas , over by the CommornvcalUi, io o'tiia a. line from South Australia to D«-r i win. "Tho journey to D.Kivm I motor-car is not a pleasure trip tna ■ j can bo undertaken at any tinv? U *'T j out any hardships,'' he said. "\vo "j 1 " I to send our petrol and stores away by ! camels three- months boforo leaving, • and ire caught up with them the da\ I wo arrived at Te-nnant's Crock. ' i Mr Duncan added that iinvbody aL--1 tempting to carry their own ]wtrol and' stores, or expecting Lo pick them i:p when and where thev required them, had a heavy proposition in viw. it was also fair to tell tho public that anybody going through, with car or equipment, must l.c prepared tor a considerable amount of haro work ill the way of pushing the cars t-hrounh sandy crocks anil other diiiiciilt spots, because the track was very • dry and rough. At 0110 point on the journev, hearing of tho party's arrnal at a difficult place, a man was waiting with a large team of donkeys, and ho was very when he found his services were not requin-i. as the cars negotiated the spot on then

own power. Mr'Duncan said ho did not want people to think that he desired >o pose as an authority on the Northern Territory, after such a brief visit. He had taken a keen interest in the 1101 them province for many years, however, and discussed its many phases, and had naturally formed some impressions as to what should be done in the best interests of the Territory. The first and most indispensable requirement to stop the-drift that had bet in throughout the province, was to niako it reasonably possible for the married man to take his wifo and family to live with him in the north. That could: be done only by giving facilities for people to get in and out from civilisation. The raifvfay must bo built through, and tho roads leading to it made passable for vehicular traffic, and medical and educational facilities must be made available to the settlers. Ia his opinion, the North-South railway should be started from tlio southern end, and not from tho north. If his idea were carried out, every section as completed would bring "grist to the mill," whereas built 011 tho other principle, the line would earn practically Nothing until tho existing; portions w;ere connected. Given proper marketing, he continued, the pastoral industry would bring a large amount of revenue to tho line. The railway would be cheaper to build from tho south northwards. and settlement would gradually expand with it. Tho extension of the line to Alice Springs would lead to an immense amount of settlement, but lie would not advocate stopping there. At the present time fat cattle could bo delivered from almost any part of the Territory to the Alice Springs, and. if they could be trucked thence, would arrive at the southern markets in butchers' condition; but now, owing to the nature of tho country between Alice Springs and Oodnadatta, when the cattle finally reached tho railhead. they were only stores, and of no use for killing. The narty had seen 1000 Icatitle at Alice Springs' which had travolled between 500 and 600 miles in what was a recognised; dry season, and, if they could have boen delivered in the Adelaide market in that conditibn, they would have sold readily. The man in charqro said that he was negotiating to sell the whole mol> as stores at Oodnadatta, because lie knew they would he in store condition on reaching that place.