NORTHERN TERRITORY HEAVY LIABILITY

Southland Times, Issue 23379, 10 December 1937, Page 5

NORTHERN TERRITORY HEAVY LIABILITY

AREAS OF USELESS LAND CANBERRA, December 8. A report on Northern Territory by two investigators, Messrs W. Payne and J. Fletcher, tabled in the House of Representatives today, emphasized that too much could not be expected of' the territory and that very little agricultural development could be expected. Grazing areas in the interior produced great wealth in the aggregate, but very, small returns an acre. Much of the vacant land was useless and was as fully occupied as it would ever be.

The Northern Territory, according to the report, is a heavy laibility. The deficit for the past financial year was £611,439 and the total value of production £499,110. In 26 years the Commonwealth has spent £15,000,000 and the population in the meantime has increased by only 2144. The investigators suggest a change in the system of land tenure and administrative methods. They further recommend a change from cattle-raising to sheep breeding, the construction of two railway systems costing £3,500,000, the abolition of the income tax and tariff dues, by which production will increase to £4,000,000 and the white population to 40,000 within the next 25 years. ’