THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 8, 10 July 1934, Page 6

THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—lv tiiefercnco to the criticism by tho Coinmo'nwoalth Government of Dr. Gilruth and" his report iipou\the agricultural prospects of the , Northern Territory,-appearing in the news.items inyonr issue O.f July 5j Dr., Gilruth's unhappy • cxperionco in the Northern Territory might easily have: coloured his report1 and have been excusable. But speaking from,my own knowledge, gloanod.'during.some years of residence there, what the doctor' is credited with saying is substantially correct. The Northern Territory has been a source of anxiety to Canberra, as it was to South Australia before the Commonwealth took it over, and it is easy to see that the doctor's report did not help. It is quite true that there is a "volume of information iv the hands of the Government," and it is not easy to see why Dr. Gilruth was asked to report at this stage. Many years ago South Australia published some of this information in a prospectus for a North and South Land Grant Railway but no syndicate in. the world evdu nibbled at the tempting bait, and South Australia was glad to sell the Northern Territory to the Gomrnonwealth. Government for its debt. Hei'oie efforts have been made since then to develop the country, but notwithstanding the Hon. Mr. Parkhill's statement that it "has enormous mineral, pastoral, and agricultural possibilities beyond question '{ it still remains a serious problem.—l am, etc., :< . ■ homo.