AUSTRALIAN RAILWAYS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 148, 18 March 1920, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN RAILWAYS

: ♦ 1 AN AMBITIOUS SCHEME. ■ A crouD of West Australians have > formed themselves into a league with the j object of bringing about the construction I of a great development railway, which I will link un the central and northern Dortions of AVest Australia with Powell's Creek, in the Northern Territory, and ■ other proposed trans-Australian lines in j West Queensland and New South Wales, j Thus, if their efforts succeed, tho whole ! ' of the north of Australia will bo served j 5 bv a semicircular transcontinental rail- , i wav. that could bo utilised for defence ! as well as development. ' j Mr. George Miles, a. member of the ; '' Legislative Council of West Australia, , " .nid nresident of the North Australian' ; " Railway and Development League, who ■ was in Svdney recently, said: "I have j I alreadv discussed the scheme with Mr. : Huehos. Prime Minister, and Mr. Watt, j I Federal Treasurer, and the Federal Mini isfcrv has ngi'eed to send a representative | on an expedition'into the north-west of' j West Australia in May." j Continuing, Mr. Miles said the cost of ] the Dronosp.d 1787 miles of lino would bo . £5000 ner mile, or altogether. j For a considerable distance the railway : would traverse high land, 2000 ft. above oca level, while the territory cast of Leo- : pold Ranges, known as the Kimberley , Country, was thought to be capablo of carrying 20,000,000 sheep. Upwards of j 191.410.000 acres of waste-much of which \ was cood pastoral—country would po brought within reasonablo and easy distance of the railway. Tho area to be ■ Ferved in West Australia above Meeka- • : tharra had alreadv produced ,£2,438,000 worth of eold. £490.000 worth of tin, and j •£705.000 worth of copper. Tlio _ exist- ; once of prolific deposits of other minerals, had been proved, and there was ample ; 6coro for tlio cultivation of tropical i fruits. The construction of tho railway , on theso grounds and for. defence pur- j noses was advocated as the only alternative to tho importation of indentured i coloured labour. . , .. ; Mr Miles expressed tho opinion that it - tho land through w.iich tlio railway i * would nass is what it is represented to j ; ho it should, yield to tho Stale of West s Australia .tiOO.flflfl a year in' rentals. ' This with tho incomo tax which would . bo collected bv the Federal Government from uastoralisls and others, would pay i , the interest and, jinking fu(j4 on the. ! constructional expenditure..' , j