N. Guinea!

Bring Water From

An Australian's Idea

A STARTLING plan was submitted publicly at a luncheon in Sydney by Mr. David M. Dow, formerly Aus tralian official secretary in the United States. He pointed out that vast areas in north-eastern Australia are arid and useless; whereas in New Guinea, on the other side of Torres Strait, there is so much rainfall that the territories are noted for the great size of their rivers.

Mr. Dow said that he had inspected some of the huge works in the United States, designed for water conservation land irrigation, and he had wondered whether it was not possible for Australian engineering genius to dam up some of th,e big rivers which flow from the New Guinea mountains into the Papuan Gulf —such as the Fly River —and in some manner syphon the fresh water across the Torres Strait and down the York Peninsula into the arid areas of Aus tralia. These areas, given a sufficient amount of fresh water, could be turned into a veritable garden.

Mr. Dow admitted cheerfully that his was “a super-colossal suggestion” and he could not indicate how the plan might be financed. But the fact was that there was too much fresh water in New Guinea and not nearly enough in north-eastern Australia.

Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Hooke and their son sailed from Sydney on a round trip of New Guinea and Papua by the “Montoro” on August 3.

Mr. Hooke is well known as a director of Amalgamated Wireless (A/sia) Ltd.