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ADELAIDE TO DARWIN.

MISSING LINK OF LINE.

CONSTRUCTION BEGUN. (won our owir coßnesroHDEirr.) SYDNEY, January 27. In tho heart of tho Australian continent last Friday a simplo ceremony marked tho honouring of n 20 year-old promise to tho South Australian Stato and pooplo by the Commonwealth Government. Tho ceremony was tho turning of the first sod of a lino of railway at Oodnadatta, tho terminus of tho South Australia railway northwards, to link up with Alico Springs, tho terminus of tho Northern Territory lino southWards from Darwin. The promiso wus one given by the Federal Ministry of 1906 to South Australia that in exchange for tho transfer of control of the Northern Territory, then portion of South Australia, from the State to the Commonwealth, tho north-south transcontinental lino would be completed. The distance between tho two present terminii is 201 miles. Oodnadatta is in the middle of the vast, dry, silent interior. Despite its dryness, tnis country is declared by those who know it to bo capable of profitable development and production. The special train bearing Federal and State politicians to the scene of the ceremony saw plenty of evidence that tho efforts of mnn could turn this apparently arid region to blossoming plains, and residents aver thnt the linking of Oodnadatta and Alice Springs by rail will mean much in the development not only of tho present settled districts, but also of others where cattle and sheep rearing has not yet been attempted. The actual ceremony of turning the sod was witnessed by a little group of local residents and railway gangers. The weather was mercurially cool, but a roaring wind scoured the bare brown plains and sent the dust swirling round the speakers and audience. In the background aborigines beamed at the proceedings. The bells of a camel team jangled, and a little group of Afghans, drivers of the camels, watched, witn who knows what feelings, the beginning of a work that will make their camels a back number. No fewer than eleven speeches were made at the ceremony, IcderaJ Minister for Works (Mr V. G. H II) said that the lino would cost excluding rolling stock £1,700,000, and would be completed not later than June 30th, 1929. The principal advantages claim ed for tho new railway link are that it will prove an addition, »an of ?»««?&*£ . mcut and development of the mtenor I of the continent. -

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19270216.2.135

Bibliographic details

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18927, 16 February 1927, Page 13

Word Count
399

ADELAIDE TO DARWIN. Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18927, 16 February 1927, Page 13

ADELAIDE TO DARWIN. Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18927, 16 February 1927, Page 13

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