WILDEST AUSTRALIA

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 196, 18 July 1928, Page 7

WILDEST AUSTRALIA

LIFE IN THE NORTH-WEST. SCHEME FOR SETTLEMENT. INTERESTING VISITORS. Few people realise that three-fourths of the world’s supply of pearls comes from Broome, in North-West Australia. Some interesting details of this town and of tho hinterland were given to a “Standard” reporter this morning by two distinguished visitors, Mr Bernard C. Ryder, F.R.G.S., arid Mr William Lingford. Mr Ryder was a member of the Stuart Wylie expedition in 1926 which was sent into tho northwest by a group of British financiers. DEVELOPMENT SCHEME. Mr Wylie stated that a scheme for the development of North Australia, in a suggestion that the outlying belts of West Australia and Queensland, together with the Northern Territory, should be cut up into areas as Crown colonies and on the attainment of certain population be created States under the Government of executive councils, opened up an interesting point as to the suitability of that portion of Australia for settlement. Desirable, however, as the scheme might be, there were insurmountable difficulties in tho way of settlement, inasmuch as the north west coast of Australia differed from any other portion of the great continent.

“Along the coast line of the north west, between King Sound and Darwin,” he stated, “there are only three navigable places. Added to this is a terrific tide rise and fall of some thirty-six feet, while the whole contour of the coast is wild and rugged in the extreme, making landing at any portion of trie coast not only difficult, but decidedly hazardous.” It was claimed by Mr Ryder that accessibility by the coast could only be achieved at two places for a distance of some 600 miles, these places being at Port George IV and Napier Broome Bay. At other parts, an inpenetrable series of wild towering ranges and cliffs presented an obstacle that could never be satisfactorily overcomo. Though fundamentally the question involved in the settlement of this area was that of defence, it would bo difficult to imagine a more unsuited coast to present even a suggestion of population.

SMALL WHITE POPULATION. At tho present time from Broome, the seat of the greatest pearling grounds in the world, to Darwin in tiio Northern Territory, there would not be a white population of more than 350, which represented a tract of country * greater in extent than tho whole of New Zealand. The danger was that within two and a-half days’ sailing distance thero was a coloured population of 30,000,000. However desirous the Australian authorities were to settle this vast area, they did not encourage settlement, for the restrictions .militated against any one desirous of taking up land. Recent applications for concessions had been refused for experimental tropical agriculture, while fishing, mining and residential leases had been declined. The view of the unsuitability of the North West for settlement was shared by Mr William Lingford, who spent some five years pearling and trading between Broome, W.A. and the more remote parts of the North West Coast. tj “Whatever views the Government may have as to the suitability of the north west for settlement,” he stated, “they share but the general belief of a land flowing with milk and honey, while in reality it is a land of loneliness; of discomforts and hardships, and witliall an uncertain reward.” Mr Lingford stated that the lands within close proximity to the North Pole—Greenland and Grant Land—were more correctly charted. than the north west coast of Australia. The latent charts available for parts of tho coast were made in 1861 and were very unreliable, THE PEARLING GROUNDS. Speaking' of liis experiences on the pearling grounds, Mr. Lingford said ■that Broomo was very remote, being 1300 hundred miles by sea from Perth, the nearest city. The population of 2000 contained a leavening of about 250 whites, all engaged in the pearling industry. Some Japanese who settled there before the immigration laws were passed, had become naturalised Australians. Other divers wore from time to time brought from Asia., or one of the near-by archipelagos. Japanese, Chinese and Koepangers from the Dutch Island of Timor were -all engaged in tho industry. Mon impoi ted tor this work were not allowed to be employed in any other occupation, the labour laws restricting them. All the actual labour was done by the natives, and the white men had supervising duties. This at times gave opportunity for othor activities and Mr Lingford on one such occasion made a trading trip to the far north. Going in his schooner, lie traded with the natives in bech-de-mer, tortoise shell, sandal wood and cypress pine. On an extended trip Mr Lingford was away for eleven months, and during the whole of that time did not see one of his own race. The water supply was the great difficulty there. Running short on ono occasion, lie landed on a beach where cliffs and palm ti tAs appeared to offer some prospect of water seepage. Coming ashore in the dinghy, his “boys” showed signs of fear when suddenly about 200 black heads, appeared over a sandhill and as quickly disappeared. Landing, he had made si a-ns to the natives indicating that he wanted water, but bad received no response. Finally,, by the aid of striking matches, he had impressed the chief, who was obviously hostile, and had been led to a small hole, about a foot wide, fed by seepage. Ail the time the bags were being filled it had neon necessary to keep on striking the lucii'ers. At the end of twenty minutes period, when the bags were full, only one match was left. “I thrust the box and match into the chief’s hands and ran,” stated Mr Lingford, “with the whole tribe at my heels. I reached the boat first and my own boys had her out through the surf before the blacks could get us.” The natives in this part of the country were magnificent specimens physically, reaching m some cases a height of nearly seven feet, stated Mr Lingford. He attributed this to the diet, largely fish and dugong, otherwise “sea-cow. ’ IMPRESSIONS OF NEW ZEALAND. Questioned as to their impressions of New Zealand, the visitors stated that they liked the country and were especially impressed with the scenery. A pot pourri of the whole world is to be found in your country,” said Mr Ryder, who instanced the glaciers and thermal regions as showing the variety of natural phenomena in New Zealand. “The climate we found to be equable and a pleasant country has produced a pleasant people. AVe have seen none of the pessimism and despondency noticeable in other lands and a spirit of brightness and confidence in the future is as far as we can tell from a three months’ visit, everywhere prevalent and 1 we should think justified.” \ On the thirteenth of next month Mr i Ryder and Mr Lingford will sail by, i

the Niagara for Sydney which will be their headquarters for a further trip to the islands to tlie north of Australia. They leave here in a few days’ time by car and intend to see the country as they travel north.