HAPLESS DARWIN.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1924, Page 1

HAPLESS DARWIN.

SCENE OF DESOLATION. SYDNEY, .May I. Views on the future of Darwin and the Northern Territory generally* nearly always .alternate between the extremes of optimism and pessimism. The. impressions of Air T. Beelian. a well-known Queensland station owner and meat magnate, who has just returned from a visit to Darwin and the East, appear to fall into the latter category.

"Darwin.” he says, “is a 'while elephant’ in every way. There is practically no trade or industry: the people are miserable and unhealthy; and the town itself is in a sorry state of neg-' led. The railway through the town is fevered with weeds, and (here is only one train a fortnight going inland. The inhabitants are practically cut off from the rest of the world. No tiew*peapers are received—all the news is obtained by telegrams. Since alien labour has been done away with construction has been at a standstill." The meat industry .Mr Bcehnn said, had failed lamentably. When the industry was commenced great hopes wore entertained for a large trade in frozen meat with the East, Imt this had now fallen through. Owing to lack of fresh water the first consignments of meat were cooked in hraekish wat-’ or, and buyers became prejudiced against further supplies. Now there was no industry at all, workers' quarters tit the meat works had been burnt down, ami bail not been rebuilt.

"And 1 tint quite sure,” added -Mr Meehan, “that there will ho no further industry for years to come.” While in the East .Mr Meehan investiated cold storage conditions, and the .opportunities of trade for Australian frozen meat. He became convinced that Australia stood no chance of a good trade in frozen meat with Chinn. There was very little cold storage, and the bulk of the frozen meat imported came from America. America also supplied China with large quantities of canned foodstuffs, which, Mr Beeltan considered, were vastly superior to the Australian tinned products.