NORTHERN TERRITORY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3442, 2 March 1920, Page 22

NORTHERN TERRITORY.

(By Cable.) THE DARWIN INQUIRYMELBOURNE, February 24. The Northern Territory Commission further examined Dr Gilruth, who denied that the Daly River district was unsuitable for farming. He also denied that he instituted a black list in the Northern' Territory, or that there was a black list of proscribed people who were not to receive Government employment. At the Darwin inquiry the "Hon. Randolph Bedford, M.L.C., for Queensland, gave evidence that he met Dr Gilruth in 1916. Dr Gilruth said:' "You are attacking me in the newspapers." Witness replied: "We have not started yet." Dr Gilruth heatedly exclaimed: "The Terri-. tory will be no good to the commonwealth: I made an offer of £5,000,000 on behalf of a syndicate to purchase it with the object of leasing it and spending £10,000,000 thereon." Witness replied:! " You won't buy a country five times* the size of France for a peanut." Dr Gilruth said the statement was made in confidence, and requested him not to publish it. Wit' ness respected the confidence till 1917, when he read a cable message in a Brisbane paper stating that a company "was being formed in England with a capital of £100,000,000 to exploit the dominions after the war. Thinking this might be connected with the Northern Territory he made a declaration in Parliament in June, 1917. Replying to a query, Mr Bedford stated that Dr Gilruth was very He was very much in earnest. February 27. Before the Northern Territory Commission Mr E. J. Rigley gave evidence that Dr Gilruth did not say he made any offer to the Government for the sale of the Territory to a syndicate. The Hon. Randolph Bedford's account of the interview seemed to him very incorrect and exaggerated. ' February 28. At the inquiry into the administration of the Northern Territory, Mr - Thomas, who was Minister of Home Affairs when Dr Gilruth was appointed Administrator of the Territory, said that the Prime Minister (Mr Andrew Fisher) had recommended Dr Gilruth during his term of office. He regarded Dr Gilruth as a loyal and capable Administrator. Mr Glynn, a former Minister of Home Affairs, gave evidence that Dr Gilruth was a man of considerable ability and great energy. He stated that Dr Gilruth had asked him whether the Government was prepared to sell the Territory to a chartered company: Witness said he did not seriously think of the suggestion, as he was not in favour of the Territory reverting to a chartered company at that stag* of its development.