THE NORTHERN TERRITORY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13307, 17 February 1914, Page 4

THE NORTHERN TERRITORY.

DR. GILRUTH'S .CALL

SIGNIFICANCE IN DARWIN

'"■•■ : DARiWIN, ' February 9. The sudden summons to the Administrator r ; to report .Thimself m Melbourne is considered very significant here. It is being asked whether such a change of policy as niay follow, might bring about -the -'resignation of 'his Excellency. Friends, of the -dootor on* his appointment said he would either: make or break things, Tand if he felt he could not do himself' credit 'in his difficult task he would be the first; man to admit it, and hand the reins over. Tlie matters ■ now calling for special- consaderatioivare the construction of the line to the Katherine, the agricultural, farms, and settlements at Batchelor,' Stapleton, and Daly river, the Marranboy battery, the appalling j increase of. the cost of the eivil/' service, ] the policy on,. which the .. pubhc works and buildings should be constructed, and- a policy whereby a council of officers iand perhaps of non-official members might be formed for advising the Administrator on matters of public policy. "A GREAT EXODUS." ' Owing to retrenchment m the public works expenditure, and other causes, a great exodus of popuhition is taking place. Messrs Burns, Philp. and Co's steamer Montoro, from Singapore and Java ports, arrived here to-day and .left for Sydney after a short stay. The passengers, include the- Administrator (Dr. Gilruth), Mrs Gilruth, and three childx\% osre i iCiu^aaoas o^Aud su*r pup 'usx Robert' Williams, interested m the immigration - projects, Air, Johp, Cleland (the pioneer of the Territory and hero of the wreck of. the Gothenburg, 1895), Mr T. J. Worgan (cnief clerk, and draughtsman at Hisman Land Office at Darwin)^ Mr- - .Christie- (contractor for Public- Buildings -it; Darwin), Mr J. H. Little -(a Haly River settler), and-rMr | Davies (railway engineer, transferred to Home Affairs Office, Melbourne)'. "PROGRJSBSING- BACKWARDS." Mr John Oleland, who sailed omSaturday for Adelaide, is the oldest resident of this Territory. He arrived* at the Escape Cliffs settlement in* 186£, and with two short breaks, has. been a*resident here ever since. Just 39 years ago, this 'month, he left Darwin m the Gothenburg, and . distinguished, himself N sig--nally m rescue's from that wreck, the JSouith Australian Government of the, day marking his heroism by the presentation of a gold medal and gold watch. Mr Cleland "has played many parts m the Territory, and for some, time was a pearler, but latterly a mine and battery owner.

Mr.Cleland has a fund of information <©n early Territory history," and J lias watched events there carefully for' AO years. He thought that the Territory was progressing backwards, and that the Agricultural, the Lands; and the Aborigines '■■• Departments^ should* be abolished, and'' aill efforts and expenditure centred on the through railway and ■a vigorous -mining policy. ■•• >