CANBERRA.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19220, 28 January 1928, Page 2

CANBERRA.

AUSTRALIA'S CAPITAL CITY MANY PEOPLE DUBIOUS. ! (ITBOK OUB OWJJ COMMPOJTOBrr.) SYDNEY, January 20. Despite all the magnificent buildings that have been, and are being, erected at Canberra, the Federal capital, situated a few miles from the country town of Queanbeyan, in New South Wales, the "I told you so" people continue to throw cold water on it. And certainly there are many members of the Federal Pariament who are anything b"ut happy thereAustralia is a country of magnificent distances, and some of the Federal members who live in the faraway places resent having to travel the continent to such a remote spot. However, that was "in the bond" when Federation was agreed to, and there it must remain even if it does mean the passing out of Federal politics of a number of the ablest men. Mr W. A.* Watt, for instance, a former Premier of Victoria, and :>t one time Acting Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, has intimated that it is not his intention to contest the elections that are to be held at the end of the year. And there are others. It is said that Mr Bruce himself is not enamoured of the prospect. Life at Canberra is rather dull, in fact—except •when Parliament is sitting, and then members can liven up the proceedings to suit themselves. Probably if the Federal Parliament had to meet in Sydney instead of Canberra the complaints would be few. That is to say, the members who have to travel from West Australia, Tasmania, and Northern Queensland would not mind if their destination were Sydney. It is not the re oteness of Canberra that is the trouble so much as the absence of life and gaiety. . If the Federal members feel this way about it, it is not surprising that the Federal officials, of whom there is a small army at the capital city, counting their wives and families, are not too pleased with the change.. There, is a picture show there—or soon will bebut not much else in the way of amusement; and the Australian people are an amusement-loving crowd. Canberra is a centre or attraction tor motor-car tourists, and the Hotel Canberra, despite the fact that it is "dry" (and, by the way, a referendum on this question is to be taken when the elections are held), is nearly always full to overflowing. But it looks as if it will be many a long day, just as it was in the case of Washington, before it becomes a populous and busy trading centre. The "Sydney Morning Herald" correspondent touches on this aspect of the matter in the following terms:—"As it is certain that the population of Canberra will not materially increase in the next four years, some concern has b'een expressed for the interests of persons who have recently opened businesses at 'Civic Centre.' It is felt that during the present year some of these may expect to experience a lean time. While Civic Centre has been designed as the 'hub' of Canberra, its attractive-look-ing shops compete unsuccessfully with the shopping centre at Kingston. Nor is it likely that Civic Centre will become the principal business centre for some years, this being mainly attributable to its distance from Canberra railway station, and to the fact that the majority of the workmen employed by the Federal Capital Commission live near Kingston and Barton. During the last session of Parliament the Coromissipn was criticised for not providing a greater number of sites for business offices at Civic Centre, but in view of the present position it would seem that the Commission was considerably better informed than its critics." Such are the growing pain* of Australia's capital city.