THE PATHFINDER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 215, 30 January 1913, Page 7

THE PATHFINDER.

dr. giliutit's 1200-mile ttmp. through northern territory. Melbourne. January 2(1. The report (if Dr. Gilnith, Administrator, on his first extensive tour in a motor car through the Northern TcrriI tory, has been published by the External Affairs Department as a bulletin. The route taken was from Pine to the Katheriue, thence by the oid Klsey station to Newcastle Waters. Here the telegraph line was left. Afterwards he travelled to Borvoloola, via Anthony's Lagoon, and from Borroloola returned to Pine Creek by way of Bnuhinia Downs. Tanuinberini, Nutwood Downs, Hodgson Downs, and McMinn's Barr stations. The distance covered was 1200 miles. Though the trip is estimated to be the roughest ever made by a motor in Australia, yet the car passed through the ordeal admirably.

I The country was found .to l>e verv badly watered. For five months Eva Downs station had to be abandoned, and the manager had to remove his stock to Top Springs—l2o miles away—in. order to get supplies. Before the plains become a. valuable asset, an enormous amount of money will, says the Administrator, have to be s;ient in boring. Water in gullies i? found in ample quantity between 250 ft and ."50ft depth. Tiie average cost per bore—including engine, beam pump, and making ready to start, is from £I4OO to £ISOO. TTe recommends that a number of bores proposed bv Captain Barclay should be put down this year.

A OOOD HARBOR. At Borroloola Dr. fiilruth met Captain Barclay. Tt is considered bv Cautain I Barclay that there will be no difficulty in making a good harbor on the north side of the Pcllew Island, nearest the mainland, with easy access by railway and practically no engineering difficulties. This, if found to be substantiated bv further investigations, should, in the opinion of the Administrator, do much towards assisting the settlement of the j eastern portion of the territory. With a good harbor, the erection of freezing works would be warranted. A visit to the spot where, in the last forty years, shale has been reported to exist, did not reveal any visible outcrop. Portions of shale, have always been found, at the northern end of' a deep lagoon on Me Arthur river. A further search is being made for indications. At all the stations the Administrator was hospitably received. He comments on the lack of attempts at water conservation. Between Darwin and Edith river, and on the Daly, there is magnificent feed, with hardlv a hoof grazin" uplon it. Within 200 miles, cattle are dvj nig for want of it. Jf the railway were' extended to Katherine, or, better still to Bitter Springs, traffic in these cattle | going north to be fattened would—if I there wore freezing works at Darwin—be : enormous. | .- HOT SPRINGS. Between Borroloola and the Roper there are several hot springs. One of them—known to the natives at Erekini—rushes out of the ground, and •forms a large stream, which travels for about three-quarters of a mile down a rocky gorge. At the end it forms a waterfall, and leads thence into a hu»e pool, forty or fifty yards in diameter ! l'rom the pool, it tumbles as another I .waterfall into another gorge, and flows as two streams across the plain. The supply is permanent and invariable, whether the season is wet or drv. The temperature of the water, when the Administrator bathed in it. was almost unbearably hot.-- He looks to a time when the spring-situated as it is only within fifty miles from Borroloola—will become a.resort for tourists and invalids. j At present he is not prepared to re- I •commend any particular area as a. j hoyse-breeding station. A patch of country which, however, struck him as favorable Mas in the vicinity of Ton Spring..

The report makes a number of recommendations for improving the mail ser•vjces. and draws attention to the. great cost, of overland carriage. Motor" lorries with solid tyres would, lie thinks he invaluable'for haulage. -' THK RAILWAY ROUTE. Discussing the railway route, the Administrator expresses the opinion that after the Katlierine is readied the line ean go as far as Bitter Springs and Klsey Lagoon without difficulty" and with little expense. Between Els'ey and Daly Waters there should be a deviation towards Anthony's Lagoon. cutting through the tablelands or downs country, and supplying what he regards as a very fertile area. From that point the railway could gradually n >turn to the telegraphic route, until it reached it at seme point near Alice Springs. The importance of the divergence to Anthony's Lagoon is that a branch line could 'be readily made to Ron-oloola, which he expects to become a valuable port, while .another branch could.ultimately link up j with the. Queensland system via Camooweal.

XEWCAPI'TAL SUGCESTED. An important suggestion in the report is that the capital should be removed from Darwin to a point "fairly" between the various ports of the future, such as Victoria river. Adelaide, Alligator, Liverpool, Roper and Me Arthur river-mouths. The best site. he considers, should be about the headwaters of (be Roper, .in the vicinity of Hitter Springs, where the soil is of excellent quality, and there is a large and permanent water supply. The locality is practically on the oveHuid telegraph line, and is almost certain, he assumes to be on the route of the transcontinental railway. MOTOR TRANSPORT. Dr. Dili-nth becomes enthusiastic on the subject of motor transport. A light motor lorry should be employed by the Postal Department on one of its routes, especially during the long- dry season. This year he' hopes to "cross the continent, by motor from north to south. If the experiment should prove successful, the Territory and the postal authorities might, he suggests, combine to establish a through service between Pine Creek and Oodnadatta.