PIONEERS OF SETTLEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17597, 9 October 1920, Page 7

PIONEERS OF SETTLEMENT.

AN AUSTRALIAN ENTERPRISE. [FROM OTJB. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] SYDNEY, Sept. 28. A party has just left Port Darwin in a large motor-launch to take possession of a beautiful and fertile island lying off the north coast of Australia, near the mouth of the McArthur River. It is known as Vanderlin Island. The leader is Mr. J. T. Beckett, for many .years Protector of Aborigines in the Northern Territory. In the course of his trawls through the Far North of Australia Mr. Beckett was much impressed with the character and potentialities of. some" of i the unoccupied coastal lands, which he i declares to be capable of growing anything and of maintaining a large population in happiness and comfort. Finally he decided to/settle on one of the coastal i islands —Vanderlin. He has decided that there he can grow various tropical products, and more particularly cotton and coooanuts. He has also purchased a number of sheep, from the Government Ex peiimental Farm in the Northern Territory, stating that these animals will flourish on his. island. The party on the launch, which will be the means of communication- between the island and civilisation, numbered thirteen, including ~Mr. Beckett and his wife, and their" son and his wife." There" were also a number of aborigines as labourers and servants. The enterprise has attracted a good deal of attention, and may have the effect of turning the faces of many people toward the undeveloped Australia. In any case, this is a development bound to occur saoner or latera drift of the popu- , lation, aader economic pressure, back to the land and the work of direct production. > , . " _ : _ f .1$