AUSTRALIAN OVERLAND.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1390, 16 March 1912, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN OVERLAND.

« RAILWAY TO FAR NORTH. By Telesraph—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, March 15. Mr. Griffith, Minister for Public Works, promised a deputation to place before the State and Commonwealth Cabinets a proposal to link up the New South Wales and Queensland railways, with a continuation through Queensland to Port Darwin. THE QUESTION OF ROUTE. Thero has been somo discussion of late in Australia of the best route for the transcontinental railway to Port Darwin. The Commonwealth by its agreement with South Australia when it took over the Northern Territory is bound to construct a lino linking up Pine Creek, the terminus of the railway inland from Port Darwin, with a point on the northern boundary of South Australia. It is suggested that tho line might well be run down through Queensland to Bourke, in New South Wales, and there has been considerable argument as to what would bo the utmost deviation justifiable. The main reasons for entering upon this gigantic work are as follow:—To promote the settlement o£ the Northern Territory; to provide tho most speedy means for tho transport of troops in time of war; to open a market for the producers of that vast tract of country south of Port Darwin; to provide the best means of shifting stock in times of drought; and to open up a fresh mail and passenger route across the continent. , Mr. T. Waddell, ex-Treasurer of New South Wales, is t strong advocate of tho route via Bourke. He points out that it is equally Queensland's interest with that of New South Wales to have the latter route followed. "Surely," he says, "the promotion of settlement will be best attained by the construction of a line as direct as nossible from Port Darwin to New Soiitn Wales and Victoria, which jointly have threo millions of population, rather than to South-Australia, with its half-million. Sydney is, and will probably always be, the largest city in Australia. If connected by a fairly direct line to Port Darwin it stands to reason that tho great territory south of that port will pain ten settlers to one that it would pet from Adelaide , . Quick , communication,with: the greatest and richest city will also cause-jjiueh.lnrcer, fii/os-.of money{toibe jn-,-vested in the Territory; and labour follows capital. Then as to the transport of troops in time of war to Port Darwin; if from Adelaide, ISnG miles at least would have to be covered, and, with the exception of MO miles to Ternwie, tho whole journey would be on a 3ft. Gin. Range, which would reduce the speed of fast trains by 15 miles an hour, as compared with the gausro of this State. If the line went from Sydney, via Bourke nnd Cnmooweal. the direct route, the distance would bo WG3 miles, only 13.15 of which would be 3ft. Gin. gauge. The. line from Sydney to the Queensland border will Ik 4ft. BMn. I come to this conclusion from the facts that from Port Darwin to Pine Creek, now constructed, nnd from Oodnadatta to Tcrowie, now made, 3ft. Gin. is the gauge, and the Queensland system is all that gauge. Practical men know that a break of gauge even on such a line is not so serious as manv peoplo imagine. Where the big population is the hie number of citizen soldiers will be. What a loss of tims if these had to go via Molboumo nnd Adelaide; and if troons massed in the Northern Territory had to be suddenly recalled to protect Sydney (which city'will offer the greatest priz9_to an enemy), how serious the delay coniing round by Adelnirlo as compared with the direct route? Then, as to a market for that vast tract of country south of Port Dnrwin, is there any oomparisnn in flip market of Sydney with that of Adelaide?" Further, it is pointed out that if tho Adelaide line be constructed, it will ba almost uscle=s, as it will traverse about 1000 miles of wretched country, with scarcely.a hoof unon it. On the nHicr hand, if the lino from TCew South Wales is mad", almost the whole distance will be tbronrrh pxHlont pastoral country, most of wliiMi is heavily stocked. Mr. F. E. BiHle's, in his book. "Xonply Lnnds," .says: "T am «f opinion that if tho. railwav route from Pino Cwpls to Oodnnrlntta bi> made, it will be a bnra failure. There is no nnstornl or ngnVuHural country wni'Hi taik'ni nbont on this route, and it wonl'l prnotienlly run Hirom,'h dppm't land. The Pin» Creek t" TSourke. N.S.W.. is the most direct, and onlv nbont 300 miles of thr> whole route would be through poor country." ,