Central Australia was a territory of Australia that existed from 1927 to 1931. It was formed from the split of the Northern Territory in 1927 alongside the territory of North Australia; the dividing line between the two was 20 degrees south latitude. The two territories were merged in 1931 to reform the Northern Territory. Central Australia's seat was in Stuart, which was known commonly, and has been officially since 1933, as Alice Springs. Background The split occurred because interior minister George Pearce felt that the Northern Territory was too big to govern efficiently, and was part of Pearce's plan to create a specialised commission to develop Australia north of the 20th parallel. It occurred on 1 March 1927. Government Whereas the Northern Territory had been governed by an Administrator, both North Australia and Central Australia were governed by Government Residents. The Government Resident of Central Australia was paid £750 annually while the Resident of North Australia received £900. The seat of government was located at Stuart, which was commonly known as "Alice Springs" at the time and would be officially renamed so in 1933. The Government Resident of Central Australia was required to have a medical background. He was instructed in his duties by the Minister of Home and Territories and assisted by an Advisory Council comprising two appointed and two elected members. Ordinances of the Northern Territory continued to have effect in Central Australia. John C. Cawood served as Resident of Central Australia from 1927 to 1929, while Victor Carrington served from 1929 to 1931. North Australia and Central Australia both continued to be part of the Division of Northern Territory in the federal House of Representatives, whose member could participate in debates and join committees but could not vote and did not count in forming a government. For the entirety of the two territories' existence the representative for the division was Laborite Harold George Nelson. There was no developed judiciary in the territory, all judges being locally-appointed justices of the peace. A courthouse was built in Stuart and it was intended that a federal judge would visit it periodically to hear major cases. No such visits had occurred by 1930, however, and Central Australia's Supreme Court remained in Darwin in North Australia. This led to allegations of abuses within the judiciary, as witnesses were unwilling to travel that far. Crimes that fell out of the remit of the