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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 86, 11 April 1881, Page 4

The Gbeat Central Plain of Australia. — Few people realise practically either the extent or the importance of the country included in the area described as tbe Great Central plain of Australia. It has been estimated that the whole extent of land comprising the Empire over whicb Queen Victoria— Empress of India — bears sway amounts to about 10,000,000 square miles. Of these vast territories Austislia comprises a very considerable portion, In round numbers tbe 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 the British dominions, and theee include more than a fifth of the known " dry land " of the globe. Tbe Great Central Plain we \Town and Country) bave, in a former article, described as for the most pßrt consisting of fertile soil, and occupying the msjor portion of the " island continent." In faot we may say that at least there are two or three millions j of square miles situated in the part \ described as the Great Central Plain. Out of tbese 2,000,000 equare miles there is scarcely any land tbat can be said to be barren. For the moet 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 euch tbing as actual desert, although tbere are seasons in which the appearance is that of a desert. As it is generally admitted that tbe Greet Central Plain consists of fertile soil, and, in fact, ii productive as a wbole, at all times wben sufficient rains fall, it is not necessary to dwell further than we have already done on tbe point. The great drawback is the lack of moisture. Under present circumstances the 2,000,000 iquare miles would not be sufficiently productive to maintain much above 2,000,000 people. But ii tbe climate were to change so that rain ehould fall upon the whole with as much regularity as io other countries in similar latitudes, instead of tbese 2,000,0(10 this Great Central Plain would be capable of maintaining at least 200,000,000. More tban thie, if such a change were brought abcut in tbe Central Plain, it would have such a beneficial effeot on the remaining million of equare miles surrounding it that it would render them oapable of supporting at least 50,000,000 more tban tbey could do with this plain as dry sb at present. Business is on the move in Wanganui* The Herald sayß it will no. be long before even some of the churches will be elbowed cat— that is, will find it advantageous to lease or sell, and build in some more retired locality. The authorities of tbe Englißh Church have already tbe m\tev upder con-