WESTERN AUSTRALIA Of TO-DAY

Evening Star, Issue 12026, 26 October 1903, Page 7

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Of TO-DAY

HOW IT VIEWS FEDERATION

A GREAT WATER SCHEME

Mr Matc&ew Lewia Moss, the e\-Dun-eamite, who ia at present a member of the 1 legislative Council of Western Australia and a Ipuister in the present James Government without portfolio, supplied a representative of this paper with somes interest irefacts concerrdng Western Australia and till present feeling of his part of tl«s Common wealth towards Federation. Mr Moss naturallv 2>ossesses an intim.-'tc-knowledge of the trend of politics in bio State, and in answer to our fiist que.v whether the advocates of Federation acknowledge* that it has paimsd out ratis.factorily, he replied in the* terms: Federation was carried by an overwhelming majority in Western "Ausvtr.-'p. v.i>en the Bill was subinifcted to the people, bat I have no hesitation in wiying in.-.t if a poll were taken at the present time thvte would be a very great difference of o'.ti.iie;; in the community. Personally, I was a stnmg advocate of I'cileraUon. but I fjctly eonfi-ss that in view cf our experience-eij V/as verv inexpedient for AVestera Au; tv::b-: to jolii the Union. Western Aur-tT.iba, i.-i r-ltuatee, with regard to the other pi.-rcio:;. of Austral lia, in very nutch the same iie.-.-Jilon as l\c.-. Zealand is. Wliile New is se":>--rated by over I.OCO mile, of s.a* from the State Goveviuner.t, "W'i-ph-.ru Australia is. separated by over 1,000 mile* of deseit, i.n.l Federation, so far f.s v,e ar:. t.oi: t ,-njcd, :i--.r-t. certainly remain a myth until v.'e 'u\a brought into clof-or eonimrmiea.iiou with the Eastern portion of the continent, I refer to_ the construction of rJie tramcoutmental railway. We have given up the control of cur Posts and Telegraphs, our Defence, and cur Customs Departments, and it b- competent for tjjc L'tdoral Government to also take eharga of other depaitmuit,-; of tiie aa proviiled by the Commonwealth Constitution Act. Our experience at iha present timd is chat great delay arises in the settlement of matters which previously were disposed of very quickly, ihe long distance hetwee?i rjr' and the stat of govenimtiit. notivithstaniling our frequent communication by means of rapid mail steamers, being tho cause of this In addition, we have ab;o to contribute our proportion on a populatimi basis towards tb; cost of the Federal Government. Certainly the advantages which we derive are ran" at all apparent. Of course, there ra'e s'tlll a air f -;e umi!ber who think that »ve have r'C-.d correct'!v in joining in the Ftdciul k,::d ; but ~l think that even they will admit, when th« &hdLng_scale of Cuitoms duc-s is abo-Lhlied, that VVestern Aaatrulia has made a mist-.ke in handing over the iiumiuvuieiu of such a large number of its importaist depart.;;.iLiris lo so ciwbLut an athnhiistration ;is rh<- b'e:iei_al Government. The Federal Cou>.tiunion Act contained a provision itiiowing Wcs.ein Australia rive years' iiyii.l fivtiiom, subierf. to a reduction of the Western Australian State duties by 20 per csnt. p,.-;- anniim until such duties equalled or v.-<:;c less ibaa tkve miposed un-iler the Commonwealth Tari.'i. in widch Taiiif would then The object of tks wad in ix.i.[;.j to compensate Australia for i:.e ;:i.ai loss v.-ouhl attain by the ahoiiiio:! of duties between our j-itiito and tire t-;n.uning Ausualiiin Slates. The ictctitiou of the old hiterfcstato Lustonii' 'iuties meant a revenue of between £2sj.o<X) and i3o.'..l'iJo a year to Western Ausuulia, and it is quite evi.dein that vviutoui tins eoneesSdon wu should have b-.eii obiigt-d to ltrion to fume means or diieei- tyxn«.a.a.tu make up me Jo:-:s vvnieh vi'(;uld have resulted from oiir in the Australian ComtmiU'iVeititii. l-eiu-ra-tion. inir.' now ».xist..d fur two years, ;md the btnedi ot the .-bding scale is rapidly pa.-w----ing av.uy. v ,', o are., however, in a k-etu.-i' posuiou iiOiV i to witiiscaiid the .•■••r.r.iin than v. o were at the time when l''ede-iaii:)ii was proclaimed, because in the meantime our o*ii country lias developed with laarvedous rapidity. .Sad. I trunk it is quite certain that when the sliding scale has marked itseii out of cxiatencb '»'■ eaern AustraiiajQ nuance a. ill require uicat a:.ci seriotu tv-ii.- iJer^i^a. "' Fottuwhig up cue of your what pro-pecL is tLteiv tit the Federal i"tf-

liumuit undertaking iu ike xiuja- iuuire ;..:■ TruiLSOonliue-nlai Railway, which will iln, the Western State with the rest o! Am tra-lia, '!"

it is a. matter oi great, regret thai the Western Ausi.raii.-t-i eei-.-gites at the Conventions heiti in .Melbourne, and Adelaide did not n-ake. a strong clforr to g-.-t inserted in the UU] u provision stipulating for the consLiui.la>ii uf the Tra-nscoutineiiUii iltaiiway as ,i conditio 1 of the entry of Western Australia, into tie 1ej'ation. This \f.-is a- course pursued by these concerned in the welfare of British Columbia and as a coiidition of its entry into the Canadian Federation, but Western Australia's interests wore largely neglected in this connection. By a provision of the Federal Constitution -'vet it is not competent, for the Federal Parliament to authorise the contraction of a railway to any portion of a iita-te without the consent- oi the Paxhament o: that Stale. The present South Australia:! railway fyst~i.ru terminates at Port Augusta. The present West Australian railway system terminates Jit Bomder City, aaid thise f-uniliar vuh the map of Australia will therefore understand that, iu order to connect- the Western mid South Australian railway systems it wdi be necessary to eon.-trner, :■. portion of the line in South Australia a.nd another portion in Western Australia. Borne year or so prior to the holding of the Federal Conventions the then Fremier e-I South Australia, Mr (now Sir William) Holder, promised the then Premier of Western Australia (Sir John Forrest) that he was prepared to pass through his owtt Parliament a measure authorising the construction of a hue to the Western-Austra-lian border as soon as Western Australia was prepared to act similarly wi.# regard to her territory. Sir John Forrest promised to pass tiie necessary legislation as soon as t-ha meaas of our State permitted, and this promise made between two responsible Alinisters has led Western Australia to suppose that South Australia would loyally abide by the undertaking when occasion arose to deal with the inatter. The present South Australian Ministry, however, will not carry out this promise. In the Governor's Speech, delivered at the opening of the present session of the Westem Australian Parliament the policy of the James Government is clearly indicated. It was therein stated that the Western Australian Government were prepared to carrv a measure through all its stages simultaneously with the South. Australian Parliament acting in the same direction. South AusI tralia, however, in defiance of the almost established policy in Australia during the last session of Parliament, passed a measure providing for the' construction of some hundreds of miles of railway on the land grant system to connect Oodnadafcta, the northerly point of their railway system, with Pine Creek, the southerly point of their northern system, with, the object of a transcontinental railway passing entirely through South Australian, territory. There seems to be a feeling abroad in South Australia that were a line authorised from Western Australia, Adelaide would be on a branch line, and that efforts would be made to bring the transcontinental line in as direct a line as possible to the proposed Federal capital. With a view of preventing this move, South Australia is apparently breaking faith m the matter of the old arrangement made with Western Australia. They do not appear, however, to have met with very much success, as no capitalists, so tar, have felt disposed to construct a line which passes through country of so little usejind developed to so small an extent as is the rase with the central portion of South lAnttxaitx. Auxfcit look -at this

question apart 'from the natural bias that I have as a West Australian. I think it is a fortunate thing for Australia that this attempt to have so large a portion of Australia's railway system handed over to a syndicate should be unsuccessful, for it wfll only mean a repetition of what has so frequently occurred previously—namely, that the Government will be obliged in the end to obtain possession of it at an amount greatly in excess of its actual cost. " From the fact that the late Mr a Y. O'Connor, whose skill as un engineer was generally recognised in this colony from which yon obtained him, designed and executed the important work which has converted Fremnntle into one of the finest ports in Australia, and that he initiated and perfected the great water scheme which has been the Salvation of your auriferous area, will you please supply me with details of these important undertakings aud of Sir O'Connor's connection with them?" The "Fremnntle harbor and the Coolgardie water scheme are certainly two works of great magnitude, and are monuments to the engineering skill and ability of the late Mr C. Y. O'Connor. Sir John Coode advised adversely figainsfc the construction of a safe anil comnwdious harbor in tho Kvv;ui_ Itiver, but notwithstanding this opinion Mr O'Connor, from the time of his entering the Public Works Department in Western Australia, in 1891, until the commencement of the works some two years later, main t; lined that not only was" the work practicable, but thai no batter harbor could be const meted ihan at Owen anchorage, which js outside the mouth of tlu; river. The Swan lliiav had at its mouth a rocKy b:>r, over which there was never more than fiuia 4-j't to bk of wjvter. To-day this rocky bnr has disappeared. There is a depth of 36ft at the mouth of the river, and aav veu:cel which visits Australia is able with the greatest- safety, and in all weathers, to come inside the river, and berth in c;o;;c proximity to the merchants' Warehouses. Fremunlle is certainly k->-aiming a, gixr.t pert. Fur the last k» years tiro m;iil steamers h-ve calksl at i'V.mpile ii.-Jtead of Albany, which hiii to hv-d port, of call im- them. Although a miiliuu and a quarter sterling has bv-iu i-p-c-nt, i:i eom.'.r-cthm with the 'woik Ci.'i.'ts.) y.-t Ti'iiiu::ss rose three-quarters of a million to be uju n.Ld before ",l't 0 t.'-.-iwur's ntuht scheme will be completed. The unfinished |>orii..r. ot the work i:ie!ud..s the < Mistruotiun oi n- dock, which uill be ratable of Uiuii.'.; in any t-!:b> r-'.'oat. The. Coolgardie waL.r was first, broughi within tie; r.-.irge. of pntclici" po-Litics°i!i 1836. tl.rc-c years filer >hc discovery of gold in Lh.it dhtriet. Ihe mining industry and the }c*palatk-n of these Vi'dlields wcro ih.pru'knt en:i.uiy upon a continuous water supply, anil tlrN was only procurable in Aery small quant it it.-;, and as much aslOs p;;r hundred giiihrns kid to b:-. paid for it. Ar the r. que-t of the (Uivvinment Air O'Connor Vus a.-kf.d to iidvi-v: upon the be;-t ima.n.i of ptvvhiiim- a uaier .supply for the goldfitids. ami as ;V m-nit c' invest-jgv.i.ons he rvuMrnnt-ndod tin- Government to build a weir at Ihe lie!.-r.a i'iver, fourteen miles from Perth. ;-.ud eonvtv Mater thence to the colUi.-UN. Co.-nV.vt'di'e is situated 550 miles from i'ds and i; also at an altitude nf I.s'Xii above, ibe ILlera iiiv'.r. 'fhr- Govi iv>r. n ; Mere f., >'Ul .'- ; . d i::- re tie- pr;u >'eub-i-i.v o[ 1:;e

:-a:.;-Ki.' iu.ii ii h-.v-.tnu* pan of .:.(ii- ymlk-y iil >»Jl> !IKU iil\>:l- Mi' (..V<v.!!!<;;-".s ItUJili-

n.;;lior:v. i, li( { the v. f.rk v, ;■,.-. vu>\ ci.ivud o!) iriUi -;:, v.i :!.;i!i. ;v.L<r.;;;ii it ;oi4 vatil .lj.;iti.-i!y i;i' tli.;.-. yuir 10 :-v.t ;U.e water to Coii-h-.mhv. |i: L< <■;.;•.'.:.-; .r;.>[ v to «iv that Yh L . v/wk Ij: 1S kvn v, it.Juu liie esiiianU: ::::.(lc by Air v. A i-l\i!.till_ii-i;r "li tho ivi;-.:iu-in:TiU: !■ f vhu?, j-. '..•as int«u>i..-'l. 'i'i:..ri ;iio riv-.hr puTiipiit.; stations n» the pipu Ivui. Una live million gallon:; of water per <by nic mv.r con veyi*l t;> this ivKiYoj' o;i the ton o

ffiu-.u. L'hai-iutU'. in To Nh.r.v you iii,-. it in to i;.t> Jii/iplc ii> that dii-.trii-t, Y t:liis vau-r is no,v .-(,1,1 to fho mines at ok cd a thousand j/aiiuns. Our cust'iru go!(l:idds nm,- producing nuuv y»;d ih:ui tin- rest of the Jm> tralian con.iliKur. Kif. VtaVs ontpiit bed;,* v.orth r/iw: miiliuu.. And ihe.i v-iy c-l.:-fields won' unknown piior to icij-k "Tk;. tx'.uU i.i thriiaure i], volopai, va oi on, marmlous aui'h'troiK-! coiui'.rj- is uiitisjult- to prudk.i. \Vi;h M\:itr at a jnodcrate knv izruk mi-.-, v.hich will pay well, can row w uorki'd. v/ink' luul-;oh,iy it vas impOSSibk; !•] (kvilop them. r li;i-; v.oik. i* ;(;; nuaiujauit 1o tJ'.f memory of un ,;;iv.at uuiii by wWai it wa.-s and ii. is a uiautr of tii'.' iri'CaU'sr iv/iA to think ikat hedid not iivt to t-ce ihe'waU:- leaf.-L ;_t.s (.'j.-.tiUi'.c>oii. i'iiL'' Wc.-teni Au; iiii'iiar. uovri-viT. have no l iit-gieuud their ..'.u,y tcv, vrd: : his v.kh.v.. ; lU( ] a verv i!uu.-."ii;U wjis..' ua* adopted in L-tr ca.se. The (iovc-miiicufc uiti-oviiitx-d a Bid providing i-n a windy of £250 a yui- dvU'i:;,- her life, "ana i: lh_ ]>leii>-ip'j; to tuy i!ta; hoik- partita jr. pohla.:. lussiat-.-il i;: cai-i-yhi'T ;ha; nu.aia.rv. :.o voir,: , u ., !...;,;,;_ j jat- U1 -j !i; coutn'ry. ;....■. 1 ■*,.■■ :rd:= of the \Yx*ur:,. -■..t!.-.;.;:i'-H'..l " i.Lii!-,,1d * COM" ,'hi Ui.my i>uL>g.'.t.s .'■■]■• O r.;::;;!;i*s i\uver in thar u;unt.ry.

-ii'U, 1.",, .re, as iL in oyer a decade since _\ou t;: '..- ... wlini points of prognsis *- 1 _"•>■ l -\~ '■ ■■''■"''■■ anwtid yiKir attention.;"

'■■ i* K.:;:-.ee;: v.jr-j okhm 1 visited l)untuiii, ;u;i it uciud be. a did.eult matter to say what maik- of pr-j : :;re..a have impressed them.<„ivoo nioM- pa.idcataiiy on rue. tin ail sides there a-ppeans ii> ka-ve been great pro;j;e.-> made in Bunedin. It lias aa appearance of stability about it v. Kith ;..;ue of the New Zealand towns, except Auckland, cau appi'Me.h. In my opinion ]>.r.i-j-l!n a;: a city »r .-•Lirpass-e.s even, its Northern rival. 1 b:ve_ viui:-; d of the Gin.iyii.g portions of the City, where I think the best in-iud_;c,'i,d-jn of the town's progress hj obtained.

ar.a it i:, surpj-jtiiig to inc \vi;;tt a, transforma-t-i>;i for thi u«'.ter lias come ovei- ihj piace ,siu..v I last visited it. In the City the planting of the reserves, a tmail ureter, iir .>ne -.■■,l;;e.i hiu-, vastly hupioved the appear-:i:-e-e r.f tlie town. Then, ;;;mb, the tvtab-

hlu;.(.-id of the electric tian; s; rvice will add n.atenaiiy to Lh?. comfort- of residents in p.jitie-ns cf the pla-p. It has i.een a gi-o.it pt.i-i.-i-.u-e. to ina to -return to native town, for 1 am always proud to admit that I am a N\-.« /ealmde.;-. My visit en this occasion his been ie?::ricted to only a iew- days,_ for ray absence b.>th from private and puLliv' duties for the List six months will not p-iri-.iit of a mare lengthened May; but I here rome time in the near future'to sv-eiid a i'.ni.ve.v time in niv native towa.

Mr Mik-s left L-y the ci-press this morning to catch in?, fcc-t at. the Blv.ll, on his way back to Wcs.tL-rn A-cttr.al.ia..