UNHAPPY DARWIN

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1930, Page 8

UNHAPPY DARWIN

COMIC OPERA REVOLT

ENDED BY SORE THROATS

SYDNEY,. May 10

Am unhappy fate seems to pursue the Northern Territory of Australia and its metropolis, Darwin—Darwin and Damned, as it has been called. But the latest disturbance that lias taken place at Darwin has all the elements of comic opera and the people of the rest of the continent have refused to take it seriously. But i 1 must have been fairly serious ior the unfortunate Government Resident, who was locked in by the unemployed because their demands had not been acceded to. Following a demonstration, Government House was picketed, and all bank officials were told to remain at their bank and stand guard over the money. Meanwhile the unemployed camped on the verandah of Government House, and all through the night—several nights—danced to flic tune of a number of mouth organs. If in ally, after it had been in progress if or less than a week, the “revo’ution” collapsed through Red Croup. r n short, the Red Army developed sore throats, and tiie five constables —re'nforccments from the out back—then ba’d no difficulty in securing the upper '■■'lid. Since then all has been quiet. How much their hearts were in tlm can be gauged from the fact hat the whole fabric of their proletarian uprising was shattered when Hip nnh’cp ovt-osHA a few of their 'coders for being illegially on tlie verandah of Government House. The 'dial humiliation came when a man was sent with a broom to sweep up the signs and symbols of the revolutions •io-nrette butts, match beads, paper, -nd fcod scraps. The general lieadauarters—a tent with a Red Flag and

■ ppol-’s galley—opposite Government ”'"”so wore pulled down by the poh' - " ifi'-cn '-ho were ’"cst. nrominent in ’ rebellion have apologised to the v '-dornl Government for locking its "cprescntative in Government blouse '"it all the same there are to b n some inns for trespass. On Friday

■-"’'t last, panic reigned for a while r ’i Hie C'nmm'inist camp when some -oi.-pv sneaked but of the scrub and tele the Red Flag 'from tlm hoadqimr- *•'— s tent. He was chased into the "■loom hv the speediest of the Cnm-

tut lie oseaned. a'ul anotlmf Red Flag had to he secured. This was "of cii-v in Darwin—and then the "-life linccremonini'slv tore it Hie following day. However, when tlm nolieo raided the Red fortress tlierwas not an atom of fight left in Hie Revolutionaries. Now there are lwo policemen held in reserve in case I here should be a fresh outbreak. All this goes to show up the serious side of the Northern Territory—the failure of successive Governments to bring Darwin and the vast area of the country behind it out of the slough of despond. The Commonwealth Government has now been in possession of tlm b'rritory for two decades. About C 10,000,000 has been sunk there, not counting the huge sums that have been 'ost by private enterprise. Inmimerat’de reports have been made—and pigeonholed; and visiting experts have expressed their views in return for large fees. Many attempts have been made to get the Territory "going” but they have all (failed. Today there are fewer inhabitants than there were 50 years ago; the expenditure exceeds the revenue by about £IOO.OOO a year, and no progress is being made. These repeated failures are due to a multiplicity of causes. The Territory : s isolated and cut off from the rest of Australia; communications are poor and distances are great; labour lv scarce, expensive, and insufficient There has been continuity of policy. Itsiunhappy record has had a depressing effect on private enterprise despite the rich prospects of the pastoral and mining industries. But they are “prospects” only. In 1928 the total value of all minerals produced was about £14,000. The cattle industry is ravagecl by the prevalence of ticks and by tbe difficulty of travelling stock through, the waterless country. • Agriculture has made little progress. Why, in Darwin, it is difficult to obtain a green vegetable, 'nd easting its shadow over the whole »f the territory is Darwin, the township, the resort of H>p riff-raff of the Fast, and the scene of so many comedy tragedies. It is ‘-til' the cloud on Australia’s northern horizon. 1