AGREEMENT AT LAST.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 851, 24 June 1910, Page 5

AGREEMENT AT LAST.

NORTHERN TERRITORY TRANSFER. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. Melbourne, Juno 23. It is understood that an agreement has been reached between the Commonwealth and South Australia as to the terms on which the former will take over the Northern Territory. SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S WHITE ELEPHANT. The obstacle to the transfer has been the South Australian demand for the completion of'the trans-Continental railway from Adelaido to Port Darwin. It is generally considered in Australia that the Northern Territory would / be best linked up with Queensland's railways. Discussing tho pros and cons recently the "Sydney Moinin" Herald" said: ' . "South Australia • wants to' have two cakes, and eat them both. It wants to get rid of its' expensive white elephant, which Qosts somo hundreds of. thousands a year to maintain, and return practically nothing; and not content with this, it wants a present of a strictly delimited 'railway connection, costing anything over four millions sterling, into the bargain. Such a line would only ho excusable if it could be shown to be the best possible way of developing the north. But, on the contrary, it is, according to the way of thinking of all the eastern States, far from being the best possible way; and if built the line would be merely a gift to South Australia, and a gift of doubtful value, even at that. It.would do nothing towards that linking up of inland communications, which is tho outstanding great and vital problem in Continental railway policy. . . It would pay her handsomely to hand over the territory, with its vast potentialities, nnd its accumulated deficits, without any qualifications whatever. To be rid of tho burden would be for her an exceeding great relief; and if tho Commonwealth succeeded in doing anything with the territory she would be probably the largest sharer in the results of success."