Australia’s Vast ‘Empty North’

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 243, 13 October 1937, Page 3

Australia’s Vast ‘Empty North’

BRISBANE.—One of the outstanding problems confronting the people of Australia is the development and settle inent of the northern part of the Commonwealth.

There have been many suggestions, such as leasing great tracks of country to British-chartered companies, giving power to a commission to plan and make provision for ordered development and the more drastic aud highly debatable proposal of permitting Japanese settlement.

Indeed, in 1876, the South Australian Government tried to import Japanese to develop the territory, but the Japanese Government declined the invitation. There is not much possibility of a similar invitation being made now. The Japan of 1937 is a different Japan from that of 1876.

The attempts that have been made, while absorbing huge sums of nr icy, have not produced encouraging results. This matter was referred to in a letter by Sir Janies Barrett to tho medical journal of Australia, in which he commented on the inaugural address of Professor Lee of the University of Queensland on the settlement of tropical Australia. Sir James Barrett wrote:

“Among the many problems raised in such discussions there nearly always emerges the tacit suggestion that men with coloured skins can stand heat better than those with white skins, but 1 have never seen conclusive evidence that this is a fact. It is true that the man with the coloured skin is more adaptable in thak he discards most of his clothing when at work.” “Australia,” said Sir James, "has spent £17,000,000 in endeavouring tc settle the Northern Territory—not fooldshly—and able men have tried to do velop it, but have failed. Even the Chinese failed to make good in the territory. Something may be done with this country with the aid of scientific breeding of suitable animals, and possibly with better communications an]

it may be some mineral development, but so far success has not been obtain ed. "People will settle wherever a living can be obtained with reasonable comfort and safety; so far the living has not been generally obtainable. Experience in tropical Queensland shows that the white race can and docs thrive there; the failure of settlement in the Northern Territory is definitely economic.’ ’