QUEENSLAND SCHEMES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 4, 7 April 1916, Page 2

QUEENSLAND SCHEMES.

PREMIER EXPLAINS THEM, A STATE CATTLE STATION. J Queensland has latterly decided upon quite a number of socialistic enterf prises. The Premier of that State {(Mr T. J. Ryan), who left Sydney by [the Ventura on his way to England, .discussed one or two of them with a reporter of "The Daily Telegraph." The latest acquisition of the Queensland Government is a State rattle station—just a small one of 47b> square miles, at Dillalah, in the Charlevillc district. It is intended as a feeder to [the State butcher's shop. ''The but'eber's shop," explained Mr Ryan, "has over a, thousand customers a day. 'But it was found impossible to go in J for such a valuable enterprise unless the Government was in the position to obtain meat withing having it forced up to an pxhorbitant rate. It is 'the intention of the (Joverument to establish State butcheries at Rock'hampton and Town.sville, and in two 'of the suburbs. It is the intention of •the Government, also, to establish cati ... tie runs of its own, and with this in 'view Dillalah holding of over 400 'square miles of pastoral country has I been resumed, and will be stocked. We •intend to pursue tins policy until jthere is sufficient cattle available to 'assure the people getting their meat 'at a reasonable price." j The Government, Mr Ryan proceed'ecl, had only recently secured a State 'coal mine. It had established saw'mills and a dairy. It was also looking i • ifor oil. A bore was being put down Jin the Rowa district. If it struck oil, [as it hoped, it would be the property of the State instead of the Standard Oil Trust. An by the way, it must not be forgotten that the Queensland Government also runs two State gefies in the sugar areas, at a cost of | some £50.000. j Queensland electoral legislation in •its socialistic aspect is even more stringent than the Federal Act, which ;requires all political articles to lie 'signed by the writer during an election. In Queensland, during' a State election, all reports and articles, although they may contain no comment .upon the situation, must be signed. A 'statement by a Minister to the effect that he intends to go in for State trawlers, for instance, must he signed. Consequently, the pages of the Queenslend papers contain the names and addresses of the various members of the ■staffs. It is a harassing restriction, but Mr Ryan remarked, with a smile, that it wa :s working admirably. "You can say," he declared, "that we will win the Valley seat* easily." | Mr Ryan did not care to discuss the reasons for his visit to England, except that there wew, important problems to be dealt with which required the personal attendance of a representative of the Government. He i s being accompanied by Mrs Ryan and Mr P. J. M'Dermott, 1.5.0.', UnderSecretary, and Mr T. W. M'Cawley (Crown Solicitor). Pie expects to be away for about four months.