THE FEDERAL CAPITAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 137, 6 December 1912, Page 2

THE FEDERAL CAPITAL

MR. O'MALLEY'S EFFORTS. (Fi'om Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, 29th November. . Whatever may hapen to tlie Turks or tb anybody else. Mr, O'MaiJey, the Comrii&nwealth Minister for Home Affair*, is determined to achieve immorality as the man who pushed the Australian Tederal oapitAl into being. Now that interstate bitterness over the matter of the'nite of the capital ,ha« died down there are eigns of increasing doitbt as to whether there is really need for the building of such a place at the present tim«, when. so much genuine development work still ltemaina to be done. But Mr. Q'Mal* ley has no doubt*. He is enthusiastic, over a. report by a Departmental Board upon the four designs selected by a special committee from the many competitive propositions put on paper by architectn and engineers in all parts of the world for the benefit of Australia. The Departmental Uoard says it cannot recommend tho full adoption of any of the deuignfi submitted to it, and it Jhas iteelf prepared a. plan for the lay-out of the capital city. What pleases 'Mr. O'Mftlley i& that the board has embodied the cream o,f the competitor*' schemes lo secure magnificence. Its plan makes provision for a capftol, < bouleva-rd«, a. i dasina, grand ' driv«», an toper* -house, qathedralsj a splendid Parliament HoUAe, ' rind the very latest thing iii swimming baths. 1 The whole in on lines suggesting magnificent spectacular effects and opulent comfort, on a ecale calculated to dismay those unimaginative people who want to know what necessity there is for 4 "capital ' in the bush." It may be deemed proof of either genius or of a Departmental spirit of "give him what he likes" that the board's proposals afford Mr. O'Malley great satisfaction. In a special memorandum he expresses warm appreciation of the successful labours of the board, and states that a city laid out in acordanc© with the board's views v/ill be beautiful.