THE TERRITORY.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 January 1920, Page 5

THE TERRITORY.

QUESTION OF A SALE. EVIDENCE AT THE INQUIRY. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. ( Received Jan. 7, 8.20 p.m. Darwin, Jan. 7. Before the Commission, Mr. F. E. Carey (until recently Administrator of the Northern Territory), was questioned as to why he left the administration to join Vesty's, aad then rejoined the administration, and if Dr. J. A. Gilruth (the former Administrator of the Northern Territory), was anxious to get him to rejoin in order to cover up Dr. Gilruth's tracks, Mr. Carey replied: "You are wrong." AH he knew was that Dr. Gilruth knew he desired reappointment. Replying to Justice Swing's inquiry as to who wanted to buy the territory, Mr. Carey said: "I do fiot know. I know that in 1913 the Administrator asked Lord Forrest if the Coihnion wealth wanted to sell the territory. Lord Forrest asked what price was offered, and Dr. Gilruth replied 'between £400,000 and £000,000.' Asked who was the buyer, Dr. Gilruth replied that was his business, but it was a chartered company which would comply with the White Australia policy." Darwin, Jan. 7. Before the Inquiry Commission Mr. Barratt asked Mr. Carey: "Did not Dr. Gilruth try to buy the Northern Territory for a private company for four or five millions sterling?" Mr Carey replied: "No, he asked the Government if it would sell the Territory to a chartered company." Witness believed one of the essential points in the proposed company was that only white labor should be employed. Witness further stated that Dr Gilruth and the- other officials were fairly popular in the Territory at first. He considered the later change of feeling was largely due to industrial reasons. Witness said "he left Darwin fearing personal violence from Bolshevik Russians and other undesirable extremists. He denied that Dr Gilruth made a practice of sending round a black list of people who offended the Administration in order that these people might be debarred from all Government employment. [ (