Australia's white elephant, which' unlike Mark Twain's is scarcely a, matter for amusement, has had the. honour of receiving another lengthy: report upon its possibilities and the most economical method of populatig it. The history of our Northern! Territory is a sad one. Year in, and! year out, promises of rapid ex-Pansion, or possibilities of gold, oil, or Vestey's coming back ai have salved the pending outburst of, wrath at the continual expenditure, and upkeep of officials, which ap-Parently rewards no outward of improvement. The secret of their lack of success is not very far away.
situated the Parliament from which the country is governed, does not rest with any official may be censured or praised for work accomplished in the Territory.
Sir George Buchanan, the British harbour expert, is the latest to forward a report, and his report bears out what was written and preached as far back as 1907, He advocates, the extension of the Queensland western railway from Cloncurry to Camooweal thus bringing the exten-of that railway to the border of the Northern Territory. The best route, he advocated, should be from Camooweal by way of Boulia and Windorah to Bourke (N.S.W.) Sir George gives this report at the request of Senator Pearce who is th?
ister for Home and Territori In 1907 a parliamentary party toured extensively through the northern portions of the Territory. Senator Pearce was a member of that party, and with them was ex-Senator, the Into Mr. T. D. Chataway. Mr. Chat-away in a series of articles published in the "Telegraph," Sydney and the "Argus" Melbourne dealt ex-.
ively with the Territory and upon the line of communi tion coming by way of Cloncurry.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.