West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Tuesday 13 June 1905, page 5


THE PREMIER IN THE SUSSEX' ELECTORATE. A BRIEF VISIT TO THE TIMBER COUNTRY. RAILWAY FROM JARRAHWOOD TO NANNUP ADVOCATED. MINISTERS IMPRESSED WITH THE DISTRICT'S RICHNESS. The Premier (Mr. Daglish) and the Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Drew), accompanied by the member for the district (Mr. Frank Wilson), returned to Perth last night after a visit to the Sussex electorate. The members of the party left the city on Friday morning, and were entertain-ed at Busselton in the evening. On Saturday morning they went by special train over the timber Combine's line, which runs from Wonnerup to Jarrahwood, and about which there is a considerable amount of controversy going on in the district. This matter is dealt with in an article elsewhere in this issue. Upon their arriving at Jarrahwood they were met by a num-ber of settlers living in and around Nannup, who had driven a distance of 15 miles or more for the purpose, and who placed their vehicles at the dis-posal of the visitors for the purpose of driving to the settlement. The mem-bers of the party were accompanied by, amongst others, the Mayor of Bussel-ton (Mr. Cammilleri) and Mr. G. Bar-nard, sen. Before leaving Jarrah-wood, which has been reduced from a once flourishing settlement, to a place of desolation where there is no longer any signs of human life or endeavour, where the houses are roofless, unkept. and uninviting, the Ministers were shown the spot where it is thought a discovery of valuable coal has been made. The locality is within a yard or two of the Combine's mill, and is, in fact, down a shaft which was sunk for the purpose of obtaining water. The shaft is sunk to a considerable depth, and a small company has been formed to try and find out if the coal is there in anything like payable quan-tities, and further steps are to be taken to ascertain whether the first estimate of its quality is correct. The drive to Nannup was for the most done in the rain, as was also a necessarily hurried inspection of some of the country near the settlement. As will appear elsewhere this morning, the desire of the settlers is for the Govern-ment to take over that part of the Wonnerup line leased to the Combine and buy the part owned by it, and then extend it as far, for the present at any rate, as the Lower Blackwood, or, in other words, to Nannup. This, it is argued, would not only open up, immense areas of valuable timber coun- try, but greatly assist in the agricul-tural development of a district, which, it is claimed, would be as prolific in the production of all kinds of stock and farm produce as any in the State. The distance from the termination of the present line to Nannup is roughly 15 miles, and as it presents no serious engineering difficulties the cost would, it is urged, not be great. Besides the advantages to the immediate dis-trict, others are mentioned as certain to follow in the course of a policy of rail-way communication, especially if the taking over of the combine's line meant the getting of timber from the Crown lands which lie between Wonnerup and Maryvale. Capital would be put into this part of the State, hundreds of men would be employed, the settlers would be released from their present irritating isolated condition, produce could be got to market with reasonable faciility, and the necessaries of life and the requirements for successfully carry-ing on farm and settlement life gene-rally brought into the district without the present delay and irksome mode of transit. Large quantities of tim-ber would, it is added, be wrested from the forests, the harbour at Busselton would be seen with big ships at her jetty, and the town itself wear an additionally prosperous appearance. The people are enthusiastic in favour of the line, and are working hard to put forward a case which they hope will claim the favourable consideration of the Government and of Parliament A visitor to the district cannot help being impressed, as Mr. Daglish and Mr. Drew expressed themselves to be, with the energy and determination of the settlers. They have an unfailing belief in the resourcefulness of the dis-trict. Members of the Ministerial party were not only informed of the possibility of this part of the country to successfully produce cattle, horses, fruit, and vegetables, but that it was believed to be capable of growing the most useful English grasses. In the latter respect a piece of land has al-ready been cleared by them and set apart for the purpose of making ex-

periments, and generally speaking the members of the party freely acknow-ledged that the people were undoubted-ly doing all in their power to deserve the attention of the Government and of Parliament. A writer once said that those who built their lives into the walls of the State deserved the highest recognition and admiration. It is coming to be seen that no man builds his life into the walls of the State with harder labour and very often with less recognition than he who toils from sun-rise to sunset on the land. At any rate, Mr. Drew promised to obtain the opinion of the Director of Agriculture as to which English grasses should be tried in the district, and to forward parcels to be sown. The Minister also requested that specimens of the fruit and vegetables grown there should be sent to the Department, in order that the productiveness of the land could be amply demonstrated. As far as railway construction in the district is concerned, two proposals have been made. One is for a railway from Nannup to Balingup, and the one under con-sideration. The first is said to be op-posed chiefly on the ground of the engineering difficulties it presents, and the heavy grades, and the other sup-ported because it only requires 15 miles to be added on to a line which is al-ready constructed, and which is in di-rect communication with the deep-water seaport of Busselton. The diffi-culty, of course, in respect to the Won-nerup-Nannup line, is whether the Go-vernment can take over the part it already owns, or whether the Combine will have to be bought out in respect of the part of the railway it leases as well as in regard to the portion it owns. Those who have some ac-quaintance with the matter think that it will yet lead to either litigation or to parliamentary interference, if not to both. Late on Saturday night at Nannup Ministers received several deputations in reference to several local require-ments. The particulars of the first are given in a report which appears else-where dealing with the question of timber. The second asked that a bridge should be constructed over Sheepyard Gully, on the Balingup-road, and also one over the Blackwood River in the neighbourhood of Dudinallup. The bridge on the Blackwood would have the effect of bringing the settlers within touch of the Balingup River in the winter. If the Jarrahwood railway were extended in a south-easterly di-rection for about six miles and thence south-west to Nannup the bridge at Dudinallup would he the means of securing all the traffic on the south side of the Blackwood for the Jarrahwood rail-way, and also open up a large quantity of land suitable for agriculture at the head of St. John's Brook and in and around Condernup. Mr. Daglish pro-mised to Iook at the sites of the pro-posed bridges. The Premier also promised to see if £100 could be placed on the next Esti

mates for a Roads Board office, and said he would try and find £50 towards assisting to clear the show ground. In reference to the burial ground site Mr. Daglish consented to ask the Minister for Lands to arrange to have the ground surveyed, and he said would give a grant of money towards clearing. With regard to a request for assistance for the purpose of the reading-room and li-brary, the Premier said the Government was taking steps to put grants under this head on a better basis. He believ- ed that in these matters the Govern- ment should only assist those who help- ed themselves. If the people of Nannup subscribed towards this institution they would receive the usual grant, which, he believed, was either 15s. or 10s. for every £1 subscribed. A request was also made for assistance in the matter of repairs to the Agricultural Hall. Mr. Daglish said the usual vote of 10s. for every £1 subscribed would be granted. Mr. Wilson, who introduced the de- putations, in thanking the Minister, said he trusted the Wonnerup-Jarrah-wood line would be taken over, because that would give a great impetus to the district. (Hear, hear.) He hoped some- thing would be done in this direction even if an arrangement had to be made with the Combine. The Premier said he was much impressed with the resources and energy of the people and district, and as far as he was able he would do all he could for them-(applause)-in the way of providing them with better facilities for getting their produce to market. (Hear, hear.) In the evening the Ministers and the visitors were entertained by the Farm-ers and Graziers' Association in the Ag-ricultural Hall. All the work in con-nection with this was most tastefully and successfully carried out by the la-dies of the settlement and district. Mr. J. Carney, jun., occupied the chair. The toasts were ot the usual descript-tion on occasions of this kind, and speeches non-political. The Premier, in replying to "The Ministry." expressed his pleasure at having been provided with an opportu-nity of seeing so much of the Lower Blackwood and his gratification at the very hearty manner in which he had been received. He had already said how he regretted to see the railway from Jarrahwood to Wonnerup lying idle-(applause)-and he had promised to see what could be done in the mat-ter. (Cheers.) Mr. Daglish eulogised the efforts put forth by Mr. Frank Wil-son in the interests not only of that district, but of the whole electorate. He never lost. an opportunity of fur-thering its just demands. (Applause.) Mr. Drew also acknowledged the toast, and Mr. Wilson was accorded a hearty reception upon his rising to re-spond to "Our Member." Mr. Drew, in giving "The Agricultural Industry," regretted that the State and its re-sources were so frequently and so un-justly misrepresented by some of the newspapers in the other States. (Ap-plause.) Mr. O'Neil, who responded to the toast, claimed that the district was fitted for both closer settlement and intense culture. . "The Timber Industry" was proposed by Mr. E." Brockman, and replied to by Messrs. Milligan and Kelly. Mr. G. W. Barnett proposed "The Lower Blackwood Road Board," and Mr. W. Bishop replied. " Mr. Wilson in giving "The Farmers and Graziers' Association," said he de-sired to apologise for the absence of Dr. Hackett, M.L.C., who regretted that important business detained him in Perth. That gentleman's sympa-thies were with the people of the dis-trict to the fullest extent-(cheers)and he was prepared to support their claims. (Loud applause.). Messrs. E. McLarty and K. M. Clarke also regret-ted that they were unable to be pre-sent. Mr. K. Kidd, who responded to this toast, rather startled those present by suddenly disappearing from the room when in the middle of a high eulogium on the possibilities of the district, and caused no small amount of merriment and, applause by dramatically producing a bag. and after banging it down on. the floor produced its contents, which consisted of some very large onions and potatoes. Picking up the largest pota-to he waved it in front of the aston-ished Premier and said, almost defiant-ly, "There, you can't beat that!" Mr. Daglish preserved a golden silence. The toasts honoured were that of "The Busselton Men," gracefully proposed by Mr. O'Neil and responded to by the Mayor of the town; and that of "The Visitors." Mr. J. L. Clarke, who re-sponded. made an attack on the Com-bine and pointed out that the people of the Kirupp district were suffering from a similar disability in respect of timber reserves as those in the Sussex electorate. Several members of the party made an early start on Sunday to view a fresh portion of the country, and by an almost circular route reached Jarrah-wood, where the train was to be pick-ed up. The party, besides seeing some excellent land, passed the flourishing homesteads of many old settlers, whose lot, everyone was in agreement in say-ing, would be happier and much im-proved if they enjoyed the advantages of railway communication. Jarrahwood was reached after a cold drive, and the party arrived in Busselton late in the evening by train. This part of the trip, which throughout was enjoyable and should prove ser-

viceable to the Premier and, the Min-ister for Lands when they come to take the requirements of the district into consideration, passed off without acci-dent, although the Premier was the subject of a couple of mishaps. On Saturday the sulky in which he was seated stuck in a bit of a creek. He and his companion got out, and the horse immediately plunged and overturned the vehicle. And on Sunday morning, as he was being driven down a steep decline the axle of the trap he was in broke, but no serious conse-quences ensued. During the drive on Sunday the Pre-mier promised deputations to give £100 for a bridge at Dundinallup over the river at Sheepyard Gully, and said he would have an inspection made of the site where it was suggested that a bridge should be built over the Black-wood River. Yesterday morning was employed in looking round the town of Busselton and viewing the public institutions. A visit was paid to "Fairlawn," the charming residence of Mr. R. Gale. The visitors were Shown over the grounds by Mr: and Mrs. Gale, and subsequently entertained by them. They viewed the commanding willow-tree which has sprung into a imagnificee t life from a sprig that came through other sources from the weeping-willow tree over Napoleon's grave at St. Helena. ,Many a house in the old world has the shadow of the "man of destiny" over it, but few houses in Australia have, and perhaps none- except in a similar way to "Fairlawn." The ages as they go along will, it is said, keep Napoleon's memory green as the greatest human being who ever lived. The tree at "Fairlawn" is green, but it will probably wear the soar and yellow leaf when his memory is still green, and he appears in the light of history as one of the world's greatest men. The Premier afterwards visited the s Municipal Council Chamber. where the SMayor made several requests on behalf of the Municipal Council. The Pre- mier promised to pay for the purchase . and fencing of a new cemetery ground, but declined to do anything particular in regard to the recreation ground. He said he considered that if the Govern' ment gave the land, the sports of variotts kinds for which, it was used should amake it self-supporting. He promised to consider the request of assisting in the extension of the show ground. and to see what could be done in the nitter of a grant for improving the reSserves. With regard to putting down an artesian bore. the Premier promised to consult with the Minist:,r for Works, and he said he would see the same Minister on tha ue.stioan of a vote for reclaiming part of the beach near thf church. The Premier informed the do putation that' Mr. Johnsotn (?lilster for Works) had informed him that tenders would be called next week for the Yallingup Cave-road. f The party left Busselton at 1.45 p.m., and arrived in Perth late last aignt.