“TOPBYTURYEY LAND”

Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1919, Page 4

“TOPBYTURYEY LAND”

DARWIN ENQUIRY. (Received This Dav at 8.45 a.m.) Sydney, This Day. Evidence taken by the Northern Territory Commission at Darwin so far is chiefly centred round that by the officials of two codes, Government and private, for their communications. Evans in his evidence, said the private code was used to prevent a leakage in the information system. Carey explaining certain correspondence declared Mr Gilruth was interested in the Daly mine, having guaranteed half the loss thereon to Judge Bevan. He also stated in evidence that he negotiated with Yesteys for employing Gilruth on a scientific mission.

Bevan gave evidence that Gilruth because of his interest in the Daley Mine about September 1916, when witness told him owing to heavy liabilities he could not go on with it, Gilrufih agreed to take half Bevan’s share. The Minister controlling the territory was not informed of the matter. Bevan claimed all their actions were perfectly honest and straightforward. Justice Ewing announced he could see no justification for the statement that Bevan was interested in the Daley river land. Therefore he proposed to strike liia name out of that charge.

QUEER LIFE IN DARWIN. SYDNEY, December 10. An official inquiry into tbe condition of affairs in the Northern Territory has now commenced, and it is believed that the tract and capacity of the new Administrator there, Mr Staniforth Smith, will quickly put order and law in the place of the recent chaos. A representative of the Melbourne “Argus” who has been sent to Darwin tells some quaint stories of life there. He says that, as he writes, with the temperature at 90, a vigorous football match is in progress. The barracking is being done in tongues as far apart as Greek, Maltese, and Chinese. Here, football is played in summer, which is the rainy season, and cricket in winter when the ground is more consistently dry. Thousands of pounds have been spent by the Government here in “promoting agriculture.” To-day, the only agriculture is represented by market gardens, from which come an insufficient supply of vegetables.

The Government maintains in the Territory a full-blown judge to attend to the litigation of 4000 people. But for years past the juries here have absolutely refused to convict anybody of anything. No matter what was the qvidfenco the verdftet was acquittal. So now prosecutions arc initiated with reluctance. This is tbe glad borne of the slygrog shops. The people strike against paying Is 6d per bottle for beer at tbe hotels (which are conducted by the (State.); but they go like lambs to the sly-grog shops in the evenings and pay 3s and 4s a bottle. They sent up from Melbourne at great expenso- a launch for the use of the Administration. It arrived without some essential parts and is still lying there helpless. The wharf has an electric light equipment,, but all night work is done with flares.