DRIFTING SANDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22205, 4 September 1935, Page 14

DRIFTING SANDS

' RELENTLESS SURGE AUSTRALIAN WILDS RAVAGES OF DUST FAST-VANISHING RACE EXPLORER'S GRAPHIC STORY The well-known Australian author, Mr. lon L. Idiiess, has returned to Sydney with a graphic story of a journey of more than 8000 miles, which he recently undertook through the heart of Australia, in search of material for a biography of the late Sir Sidney Kidman, whose; death was announced in a cablegram! published yesterday. Mr. Idriess speaks also of the disposition of native tribes :o practise race suicide once the w.'iite man establishes contact with them.' Mr. Idriess' journey took him through the north of South Australia; as far as the Northern Territory and Queensland borders into central Queensland; through a>outh-wsst Queensland to thp north-west corne:r of New South Wales; back to Adelaide, and thence through central Australia and round the Lake Evre country. His main aim was to get into touch with every type of elderly bushman in that vast tract of country, and to obtain from drovers, station harlds, and others intimate memories of Sir, Sidney Kidman back in the days; when he worked for a few shillings a week. "No Sign of Living Thing " Mr. Idriess draws a drab picture of much of the country through which he passed, consequent upon the then lack of rain and as a result algp of duststorms and drifting sand. He says that over a large area going, toward the Lake Eyre basin, theie hs.d been about an inch of rain, but, with the ravages of duststorms, the young blades of grass which had sprung up had disappeared. "One journeyed for hundreds of miles," Mr. Idriess adds, "practically without a sign of any living thing. Where there had been young; grass there wa3 a desolate picture oi: sand. For hundreds cf miles there is this creeping, very ;ane sand,, drifting all the time toward the good lands —towards the nortii-west corner cf New South "Wales; down south toward the coastal land bolder, and between the South Australian and New South Wales borders, even across to Victoria. The dust from .central Australia has even coloured the snow on some of the Victorian A'ps a d:.rty pink in places." Disappearing Tribes Mr. Idriess says that, in the southwest of Queensland, along the territory border, and north of South Australia, one sees the merest remnants of native tribes at a distance of about every 40 miles, where there used to be tribes of from 300 to 400 many years ago. "Some tribes," lie adds, "have entirely disappeared. This is due in a large measure to, colds which the natives contract, and which rapidly develop into pneumonia. "One is impressed on these journeys with the consequences of the practice of race suicide among the blacks where tribes come into contact with whii:e men. Almost every tribo with which the whito man comes into contact practises race suicide. One can trace the practice through all its stages. Where, for example, white men have only recently come into contact with the natives, one will see a number of piccaninnies. Where, again, the two races have been in contact for a few years, the number of black babies will be proportionately fewer; and there will be practically none at sill where this contact has been long established. MALICIOUS DAMAGE PROPERTY OF THE KING TREE [N SANDRINGHAM PARK [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT] By Air Mail LONDON, Aug. 17 "Caddish and ungrateful wickedness" was how Mr. F. K. North, chairman of Grimston magistrates, described the act of William Eastoe, fowl dresser, and Robert Lawrence, labourer, both of Wortham, who were charged with doing malicioun damage to the property of the Kinig. They had disfigured a fine old beech tree in Sandringham grounds by cutting their initials in big lotte:rs on the bark. Superintendent S. G. Woodeson, prosecuting, isaid that needy institutions had benefited by £12,000 as a result of Sandrirgham Gardens being opened to the public. The vast majority of those who visited Sandringham to enjoy the quiet beauty of the grounds behaved admirably. Unfortunately, there was a Bmall minority of visitors who committed thoughtless damage. Eastoe and Lawrence were in a char-a-banc party, and the tree they disfigured was one of 9ft. girth on the beautiful church walk leading from Sandringham House to the church. " This i« a disgraceful abuse of kindness, with the risk that tho owner might have to close his ground?," said Mr. North, in fining defendants 10s. REWARD FOR PRINCESS "REAL HOLIDAY" EARNED DUCHESS KEEPS HER PROMISE [from oub own correspondent] By Air Mail LONDON. Aug. :L7 Before she left London for Scotland, Princess Elizabeth told her class-mates that her mother had promised her " : a real holiday." This promise was a reward for the splendid way in which the little Princess got through a very trying term. 6he-had to make more appearances in public than usual, owing to the King's Silver Jubilee, and to "carry or." with her schoolwork as if she had no interruptions. She attends daily classes at her own home during term with a fenfriends. The Duchess of York is being as good as her word. The Royal children are living as simple and informal a life as any other children on holiday. Princess Elizabeth has reached the stage at which she loves to plan picnics. The small girls go for a great many outings in the beautiful grounds of Glamis Castle. Simple liower-print frocks are worn by the two children on their expeditions. When going outside the grounds Princess Elizabeth usually wears a kilt. Princess Margaret is still considered young to do so, as kilts are very heavy.