NORTHERN TERRITORY

Southland Times, Issue 18810, 1 May 1920, Page 5

NORTHERN TERRITORY

ROYAL COMMISSION’S REPORT. ADMINISTRATION SEVERELY CRITICISED. By Telegraph.—Brew Assn,—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. I MEIiHOURNK, April 30. Judge Ewing's report on the Northern Territory severely criticises the administration in Melho unto. lie finds tita; 100 little attention was given to mhk'.y well founded complaints on the part of residents, and that too many representations wore made through official channels. With regard to the deportation of executive officials, he considers that there was a good deal of provocation, which goes far to extenuate if not actually to justify the unusual form of protest adopted. He states that one of the deported officials was not responsible for the outbreak, and that the other two were largely the victims of circumstance. Several strictures, however, are passed on certain incidents of Dr Gilruth’s administration. He comments on the Romula case of locking up native witnesses in Fanny Bay Gaol with murderers and a lunatic; on the strange mediaeval system under which persons were imprisoned for debt; and also on the appointment of officials to positions the duties of which they were entirely ignorant. He considers the lack of system and generally happy-go-lucky methods far more to blame than any evil or malicious intentions on the part of individuals.