WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Hokitika Guardian, 5 April 1930, Page 2

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

“MOST PROSPEROUS STATE.”

NOVEL SETTLEMENT

Western Australia is to-day the most prosperous of the Commonwealth estates, in the opinion of the Hon V ■ J. Mann, who arrived from Sydney by the Malcura on bis way to the Empiio Press Conference to be held'in London -next June. Mr Mann is a member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia, an elective body. He will represent about 650 provincial newspapers at the conference.

With a position about half as large as that of the North Island of New Zealand, Western Australia covers almost one-third of the “island continent.” “I consider the West is easily the most progressive State in the Commonwealth,” Mr Mann said. “This is borne out by the fact that in the last 20 years it has progressed more than twice as fast as any other State Twenty years ago practically every loaf of bread eaten in the West was made from imported flour. Last year we produced 40,000.000 bushels of wheat, or more than double the total output of South Australia and Victoria, two old wheat-growing districts. “We exported about £7,000.000 worth of wheat and about £4,000,000 worth of wool, and I suppose that with gold.timber, pearlshell, fruit and other products our exports will totaabout £18,000,000. The whole of the eastern part of Australia experiences oerjofli of drought, but tbe south and * south-western areas now being developed have never known a drought.

GROUP SETTLEMENT SUCCESSFUI

“Ever since the discovery of gold in the West in the early ’nineties it ha;been a happy hunting ground for East ern firms because we had to import practically everything. We imported dairy products for a number of years, the cost often being about £1,00,000 a year. However, we have set to work to do away with this importation. The desired end is being attained, an im portaiit factor being the novel sclienr of group settlement instituted by ‘Sii James Mitchell and criticised as tin most madcap piece of work ever under, token. The scheme is now proving successful, although it is only seven years old, and the production of butter will shortly be sufficient to supply thf whole needs of the State and to leave a! margin for export.”

Western Australia was keenly in terested in the group settlement scheme It was anticipated that the Government would lose £5,000,000 for a star' Put in -view of the tremendous benefit and wealth which would ultimately accrue, the figure was not regarded very seriously. A total of £10,000,000 was lost in launching the wheat-growing scheme, but wMat production was now valued at between £10,030,000 and £ls 000,00 n year. . Under the settlemenf scheme, immigrants and their families were brought from England and given land to develop. Groups of 20 were employed in clearing the land and the Government erected four-roomed houses for the families. Although thf land, was free, the settlers had to pay for improvements. In spite of the fact that the Government did 'not insist upon the men having farming experience, the scheme had gone ahead unti’ to-day it appeared that complete success was in sight.

REVIVAL OF GOLD MINING

“In addition to the prospects otf primary production in the West, gold mining, which has been languishing for a number of years, gives promise of taking on a new lease of life,” Mr Mann added. “The Government is opening a mine about 500 miles north of Perth, and £250,000 is being spent on plans and preparatory work. A series of bores has been put down and the worth of the scheme has been proved. It will be the mast scientifically worked mine that Australia has seen, ft is expected that when operations are commenced over 5000 tons of material a day\vill he handled.” Mr and Mrs Malin will spend a fortnight in New Zealand, leaving for Vancouver by the Niagara.