AUSTRALIA'S "BUSH CAPITAL"

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 121, 22 May 1920, Page 5

AUSTRALIA'S "BUSH CAPITAL"

PRINCE TO LAY FOUNDATIONSTONE AT CANBERRA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) ■ ■ SYDNEY, 11th May. New South Wales agitates constantly for the carrying out of the bargain -made, when she joined the Federation) that the capital of the Australian Commonwealth should be established within a certain time in the southern portion of. New South Wajes. The. site, after great squabbling* was fixed at Canberra, and building had actually commenced when war put an end to the operations. A million or two have been spent there on public works but several more million* are required before it will be possible to hold the Commonwealth Parliament there. . , Those who know the extent to which Melbourne opinion and influences dominate Federal politics, recognise the justice of thp New South Wales claim,-and when Canberra was finally decided on. Melbourne's shrieks of protest died away. But with the dislocation caused f by the war, Melbourne's hopes rose anew, and she now insists vigorousljthat to spend money on Canberra now is •unjustifiable. Therefore, the ■"announcement that the Prince of Wales is to lay the foundation-stone of the capital city there on 14th June has given Melbourne a painful jolt, as the incident will finally and officially commit the Federal Government .to Canberra.

The Age comments on the situation as follows: "The announcement . has inspired a fond hope in the hearts of some of the New South Wales members of the Federal Parliament that the da-y is drawing near when the Government. will agree to push on withl the erection o£ the bush'capital, and arrange for the transference of Parliament, at as early a date, as possible, to a new environment outside the confines of. Victoria. ' The Federal capital enthusiasts appear entirely to overlook the heavy and serious nature of the financial obligations which at present confront the Commonwealth. They possibly forget, or do not care to remember, that the Federal Treasurer is now in England lookingvfor money that is urgently needed for purposes much more important than the construction of a city in the bush. It must be obvious to any sane person that Australia, must first meat her debts arid discharge the manifold obligations that have been thrust upon her as a result- of the war, before the country is asked to shoulder fresh liabilities for the 'construction of the v capital at Canberra."