NORTH AUSTRALIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume C, Issue 15304, 25 March 1914, Page 5

NORTH AUSTRALIA.

LANDS RENTED BY THE MILE. THE ADMINISTRATOR'S TOUR. In rather bald and official language suggesting how much of general interest the.ro is yet to be known, the 'Argus" refers to a recent tour of Dr. Gilruth, i Administrator of the Northern Terri- j tory. The journey yras of over 3'JOD j iiulo-., took nine weeks, and was crverc-d by motor and horse. / Dr. G-ilrnth, when motoring through) the Western Queensland cattle sf.aticns, 4 noticed that m Queensland cattle are \ rapidly giving way to sheep, tnd he j predicts "that this will soon be the case j with, the stations- in the Territory. On one station, which'has leases both ] in Qne-jnsland and in the Northern i 'Territory, the rents paid in respect of | the d.fi'eront leases are somewhat re- I markable. On the Quensland side rents ! and taxes amount to 12s. 9d per square j mile, whilst for the same class cf land ; in tho Territory a rent of only Is 6d I per square mile is paid. j •Anthony's Lagoon, at which there are j a. police station and a store, has been i known to dry up completely, necessitat- j ing the temporary abandonment of i the police station and the store, and an ! arrangement was therefore made by Dr Gilruth whereby a bore will be put down for tho .convenience of the t'avelling public, as well as for the police siid storekeeper. From Anhony's Lagoon to iho overland telegraph lino tho Administrator and narty had a perilous trip, and the last 26 miles of this stretch had to bo ■ done on foot. The motor car was eventu-ally-brought along when waner ' had boon taken out to it by camels, and u, quick run was made to '.ho M'Donnell Ranges. Some days were spent in the inspection of tho ranges and the surrounding district, and the Administrator expresses himself as impressed with the valuo of _tho greater portion of the country for pastoral purposes. He does not think,, \howevcr, that agriculture can be attempted until further experiments in that direction nave been carried out, and a better water supply is . avai liable. _ ' ' i On the return journey from A]fc& j Springs the motor-tyres gave out, and the Administrator rode the remaining 700 miles to Pine Creek r.n horseback in three weeks. Dr. Gilruth las made many suggestions for imp-roving the roads, tho water supply, and (he n ail services.