THE EMPTY NORTH

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 36, 11 August 1923, Page 13

THE EMPTY NORTH

AUSTRLIA'S PROBLEM PROPOSED-NEW PORT FOR TERRITORY. (FROH OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) SYDNEY, Ist August. The Northern Territory is much in the public eye just now by reason of quite a number of projects v for its development being under consideration. Proposals for the expenditure of a largo sum of money in providing better wharfage facilities at Darwin and the construction of huge tanks for holding oil fuel from Borneo have been referred: to the Federal Public 'Works Committee: Parliament is now considering the extension of the railway which now runs south from Darwin,.and much publicity is being given to a scheme recently propounded by a syndicate and placed before the Government aiming at the development of'large areas by private enterprise. Besides these projects a survey in the Gulf of Carpentaria hW just been completed by H.M.A.S. Geranium, which returned to Sydney at the weekend, with the object of finding the most suitable spot for an additional port for the Territory on the gulf side. Admiral Clarksdn, who was in charge of the work, favours the establishment of a port on Vanderlin Island, and the construction of a connection with the mainland. He says he found that the water on the western side of the gulf, in the vicinity of the Pellew Group of Islands, was slightly deeper than when surveyed by Flinders in 1802. After a full examination of the proposal made by Captain Barclay for a railway from Rocky Island, by means of. a causeway to the ! mainland, Sir W. Clarkson came to the conclusion that such a railway connection would cost many times the amount estimated, and was much too risky to recommend. Any proposal to dredge the entrance of the Macarthur River to admit shipping to a positior where the necessary harbour facilities could be obtained was out of the question. The river was subject to heavy flooding, the flat land in the rainy season was watersoaked, arid was a most undesirable place for a railway terminus. Mosquitoes and sandflies were very numerable, and it was almost certain to prove a very unhealthy location for a port. Establishment of meat works in such a locality would clearly be impossible. Outside Vanderlin Island, the largest of the Pellew, there was no prospect of finding a suitable location for a port. The first requirement after a detailed land survey would be a temporary landing place for stores and material, and erection of a temporary' timber jetty on Vanderlin Island is recommended. The construction of a reservoir to impound rain water for a large township, meat works, etc., all the year would be comparatively inexpensive. It is. estimated. that the cost of .a temporary jetty, a railway on Vanderlin Island, and connection between the island and the mainland would not exceed £762,000. In view of the quantity of excellent stone and sand available a reinforced concrete bridge to connect the island with-the mainland would,be more economical than steel. The 'distance from the mainland to the nearest point ,of the island v about 7000 j-arde.