A BRILLIANT IDEA.'

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 254, 20 July 1908, Page 10

A BRILLIANT IDEA.'

. Mr. .E. E. Nesbit has a letter-in th'o.Adelaide "Register" suggesting a solution of the Australian, Northern Territory problem and the difficulty'concerning tho Murray River. His scheme briofly is that New South Wales should bo given the Northern Territory and its debt in exchange for a slico of country including Broken Hill, across to Wilcannia and tho Kiverina to, tho Murray. New South Wales-would, according to this scheme, build a;.railway direct from Sydney'to Port Darwin. The chief characteristic' of this solvation of such a long-standing problem , is its! ■exceeding simplicity. South Australia hasia, debt of three or four millions as a result-of. ifa of. thd Northern' Territory and this debt is yearly, accumulating. Tho cost of building a railway up to Port Darwin would be something approaching £4j006,000. and by the tirrio tho. official papors had passod through the Houses of Parliament, and New South Wales had fulfilled her portion of tho contract, she would have to moot an expenditure of £10,000,000. Nothing could bo 'simpler in tho world than,this solution, provided tho New, South Wales Government is to undertake the work, which South Australia found impossible.', Mr.. Nesbit does not say so, but lie probably expects that. New South Wales in undertaking tho Northern Territory -■ obligation would bo 'actuated by' broad Australian aspirations, and would. not' approach it in any sordid, commercial spirit. . ...