THE GREAT CENTRAL PLAIN OF AUSTRALIA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3057, 13 April 1881, Page 4

THE GREAT CENTRAL PLAIN OF AUSTRALIA.

Few people realise practically either t'l.p extent or the importance of tho country included in the area vaguely described as the Great Central Plain of Australia. It has been estimated tbat the whole extent of land comprising the Empire over which Queon Victoria—Empress of India—bears S way amounts to about 10,000,000 square miles. Of theso vast territories Australia comprises a very considerable portion. In round numbers the square miles within her 'borders may be stated at 3,000,000, less than one-third but considerably more than one-fourth, of the land comprising tbe British dominions, and these include more than a fifth of the known " dry land " of tho globe. The Central Plain we (Town and Country) have, in a former article, described as for the most part consisting of fertile soil, and occupying the major portion of the " island continent." In fact we may say that at least there are two_ or three millions of square miles situated in the part Ascribed as the Great Central Plain. Out of these 2,000,000 square miles _ there is scarcely any land that can bo said to be barren. For the most part the soil is of a fertile character, rich in those ingredients which constitute a fertile soil, and are required for the purposes of vegetation. There is here no such thing as actual desert, although there are seasons in which the appearanoe is that of a desert. As it is generally admitted that the Great Central Plain consists of fertile soil, and, in fact, is productive as a whole, at all times when sufficient rains fall, it is not necessary to dwell further than we have already clone on the point. The great drawback is the lack of moisture. Under present circumstances the 2,000,000 square miles would not be sufficiently productive to maintain much above 2,000,000 of people. But if the climate were to change so that rain should fall upon the whole with as much regularity as in other countries in similar latitudes, instead of these 2,000,000 this Great Central Plain would bo capable of maintaining at least 200,000,000. More than this, if such'a change -were brought about in the pentad, plain, it would have su"h a beneiicial finWr " ,ri * ne remaining million of square •i *" ''tiding it that it would render miles surrou. % . • . i . ~ ~ supporting at least KomorZ "Ii they could do with 50,000,000 more than ~. this plain as dry as at preset. '