Hide Article Text (OCR)
The Government seem determined to encourage the development of the tropical resource* of the Northern Territory. Recently an agreement waa entered into between the Minister of Education and Messrs. John Spence, David Spence, and William Owston, all well-known Melbourne merchants, for the grant of a large block of country to be devoted to the cultivation of tropical products on certain specified conditions. The preamble states that the contract is entered into in order to encourage the settlement of the Crown lands situated in the Northern Territory of the province of South Australia, and to promote the growth of sugarcane and other suitable products, and the establishment of manufactories for the manufacture of sugar and other marketable commodities.” Messrs. Spence Jc Owston are given the right of search in g up to the 31st of December, L8d0, to select 20.000 acres of the waste lands of the Crown in the Territory for a sugar plantation. The lands are to be composed of alluvial river flats, in not more than two blocks of a rectangular shape, the length not to be greater than twice the breadth, and the breadth to front the river or the leading road should the laud abut theieon. The blocks may be selected at the Adelaide Kiver or the Daly River. On the selection of the blocks the site will be fixed, and the outside boundaries and the necessary roads through the land surveyed by the Government free of cost to the other parties to the agreement. The Utter from the date of selection are required to take possession of the land and to commence cultivation by planting sugarcane and other products. On proof being furnished to the satisfaction of the Government Resident in the Northern Territory of the bona tide expenditure of £10,000 in cultivating the land and in plant and machinery, and on the production of not less than 600 tons of merchantable sugar or other products of equal value, Messrs. Speace and Owston will be entitled to the grant of the land in fee-simple. The time allowed to them for cultivating the land and expending tbe sum of money specified U six yean, commencing from the date of the completion of the snrvey being notified to the Government Resident, but if the conditions are oomplied with in any time within the period srated a conveyance and grant will be given. During the next session of Parliament the Minister agrees to introduce a Bill for the purpose of giving effect to tbe provisions of the agreement. Should the Parliament refuse to pass the Bill, the agreement will be void, and Messrs. Spence Owston will be required to remove all plant and fencing that may have been erected by them. In the event of the Government requiring the fencing they will give a fair value for it, aud the lands may bo dealt with as other waste lands in the Territory.
Newspaper Details
Adelaide South Australian Chronicle and Weekly Mail
Adelaide, South Australia, AU
Sat, Mar 20, 1880
Page 21
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
GB 16 Apr 2023
Other Publications Near Adelaide, South Australia
Adelaide Saturday Journal
Adelaide Suedaustralische Zeitung
Adelaide Sport
Adelaide Quiz and the Lantern
Adelaide Quiz
