NORTH AUSTRALIA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 25 May 1925, Page 10

NORTH AUSTRALIA.

DEVELOP'M KN T PROPOSAL.

NEW FEDERAi/ TERRH ORV

The -development o. t.epical Australia- is a suoject that is <oiitinuiiil.v creating a discussion and exciting criticism. r lhe reputation of more than, one federal Achninistiution has heen marred t>v its handing <>t sort hern Territory affairs. Growis ©• discontent are contim.aLy learning Pe. th irorn the sparsely-settled north of. )\ estern Australia A northern section of Queensland has more than once agitated for its separation from the rest of the State. Now the Federal .Government is seeking to establish n ledoiat Territory, a portion ol Western Australia bounded by a line drawn south front Wyndham on the. west and the 27th paralle] on t.. 0 south, and a portion of Queensland bounded by a line, dra.yn south frpm Nnimanton on th© east and by the 2!>tn para.lel on th© south. This proposed area would exclude the valuable peal-fisheries of Western Australia and the York Peninsula of Queensland. Senator Pearce, the sponsor of th© scheme, will introduce a Bill during the next session of the Federal Parliament' for the creation of a Commission to control this area. Existing territorial 'boundaries" will not be affected and the. powers of the State concerned will not with. The commission will l>e empowe.ed to undertake the task of assisting development and settlement. Senator Pearce submitted the idea to the Federal Cabinet several weeks ago, and the matter has been threshed out thoroughly. The scheme will not mean the creation of a new State, as controj of lands within their own .domains wilt rest still with the Commonwealth and states con.erned. T. e Commission will nave con-ferol over t. ansyort, and the orovision of, outlets and the stimulation 'of production and settlement. It ..ill Consist of th.ee practical men who will live in the no.th and, subject to che al ocation of fends by Parliament,, carry out the whole control and de- . elopment o' the area. The th tee commissioner's w.ll probably be a railway engineer, a pastora.ist, and a mail olf the admipist.ative or business type. T .e engagement cf Sir Geoige,Buchanan; an em nent English engineer, by the Commonwealth Got eminent to investigate the coast and countr r tetween l)e bv (AVester n ,-ustra ia) and Dai win in order to locate suitab e deep-sea ports, was. another setp indictative of the Federaj Go.e nment’s desire to develop the north. Sir George Buchanan has indicated that he w.l| recommend the establishment of a terminal port at Wyndtsam,- behind which are hundreds of miles of niagnifieant undeveloped countr,'. Darwin he also considers has a great futuie. He, says he will watch with great interest and sympathy Austra ia’s unique experiment of developing a tropical country with whit© labour.

The scheme is likely to meet with much opposit on fioni Queensland and Western At st'alia, especially the form'er. It is believed there ‘that -the Federal plan to create, n ot a new State, but a development area, is trifling with terms, and the question-is asked. How can any Commission “control.” transport, provide new outlets for trade, and stimulate settlement and moduction without encroaching on the sovereign rights of existing States ? Queenslanders believe that much of the area of their State involved is already highly productive and provided with transport facilities.