WESTERN AUSTRALIA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21758, 24 March 1934, Page 11

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

land of possibilities HOPES FOR SECESSION "I have been charmed with yout - scenery and amazed at the wonderful fertility of your soil," said Mr. W« Burges, a retired Western Australian grazier, who - left' by the "Mariposa yes* terday after an extensive holiday tour of the "After my experience of grazing 13,000 Merino sheep on 500,000 acres in Western Australia, I was particularly; impressed with the country I |£w, soma of which was carrying over five sheep . to the acre. The varied scenery both islands makes New Zealand a mostj desirable holiday resort. After Switzerland, which to me is the most beauti-. ful country on earth, I should have no, hesitation in placing New Zealand second. It should have wonderful tourist possibilities, especially for. people from Australia." Mr. Burges described Western Australia as a land of enormous possibilities. Excepting for a coastal strip that had been settled, there were literally tens of thousands of square miles awaiting the settler who had courage, - experience and a certain amount of capital. Much of this country was well watered and was ideal sheep country* The cost of leasing the land was phe-.; nomenally low, and with the present prices of wool there were many chances of prosperity. . , Commenting on the possibilities or the chilled beef industry' in Western Australia, Mr. Burges said that labour charges would prevent it ever being a success. Large meat interests had spent £1,000,000' on works in Darwin, and it was costing them £8 a head to ship the beasts. In the Argentine the -cost was about 30s. The same difficulties were met in the wool industry. Ho quoted an instance of men getting 3s a bale for pressing wool, and even at that high rate they did much less work than was don© by black labour ,in tho past. ~ ; ' • The problems of secession were discussed by Mr. Burges. Western Australia had suffered for years from membership in the Commonwealth. The bill had passed the State Parliament and everyone awaited anxiously the time when it would be forwarded to "the House of Commons. The State was contributing £10,000,000 a year to the Commonwealth, a sum which would help considerably in the finances of the State itself.