PRESS DELEGATES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 68, 17 September 1925, Page 4

PRESS DELEGATES

IMPRESSED BY CANBERRA

VISIT TO SHEEP STATION.

(MOH On OWS OOUHMIBIHT.)

SYDNEY, 11th Sept.

This week the delegates to the Imperial Press Conference are seeing the real Australia. On Monday they were the guests of the Federal Capital Commission at Canberra, and in splendid weather they saw the. future capital of the Commonwealth in the making. Canberra may be "a bit in the rough'? at present, bnt already the first glimpses of what the city eventually will be can be obtained. They were' impressed by: the vision which planned and is building the capital, and many of the members of the delegation were surprised to see, after all the sneers that; they had read of Canberra, that it,was not by any means 'the forsaken sheep sta'-: tion, bestrewn with lichen covered foundation itones, that so many are accustomed /' to associate) with the name. It has become a scene of feverish activity. Much of: the spade work inevitable: in the creation of a well-planned city has been accomplished since the site received its name twelve\yoars ago.

At Duntroon Military .College, the visitors spent another interesting couple of hours.. The staff cadets were drawn up in line on the parade ground, and all the members of the delegation who had served in'the war were asked by the Commandant, to inspect the students. Then the latter performed a slow march, of which the absolute precision drew from several of the visitors murmurs of "Beautifully done-" The historic homestead of Duntroon, with its wealth, of golden wattle and hawthorn hedges, proved an attractive mingling of the spirit of England with that of this southern continent. The shingled spire of Duntroon 1 Church,: which was consecrated in 1846, gave another oldworld touch to the picture, while; its quiet f'God's Acre" was an impressive reminder, of some of the undaunted pioneers who have made the present-day Canberra' possible. - The party also visited- the Cotter River darn, where.water has been stored for the requirements of a large city, and during the afternoon a deviation -was made to Mount Stromlo Observatory, iwhich is on an elevation of 2560 ft and from which a comprehensive view of the Federal Territory can be Obtained. . /.. •■"■ ■:.'■■■■■'.

On Tuesday, the delegation toured the Murrnmbjdgeo irrigation area, a feature oT the visit being the keennees of the ladies in the party to learn more of the products exported from Australia \t> England and to ascertain under what conditions these goods were .produced. The cannery was visited, Arid a fleet of cars conveyed the visitors-on a tour of inspection of orchards in bearing, while a hurried run through the grounds of the Yanco Experiment Farm gave a glimpse of the many tests being conducted in regard -to crops. Of ' out: standing interest was a visit to the Yanco Agricultural High School, where, outside the imposing homestead of the late Sir Samuel M'Caughey, the pupils were drawn up. Lord Burnham addressed the lads, reminding them that they were going the right'way to rectify what seemed to him the weak point of New South Wales—that so large a proportion of the population is in Sydney. An Inspection, was made of the winery.of ''Penfold's, Ltd., capable of dealing with 5000 tons of grapes each: season,, and a trip along a recently-constructed scenic road drew from the delegates expressions of delight at the wonderful panorama. "That is a Wonderful view^" commented Lord Burnham, ''especially when it is remembered that; this work has'all been accomplished in twelve! years. It shows tremendous industry and courage." .'..■• ■.' • ■... '.- •. ■■ „'.' ' .

On. Wednesday the delegates saw ths heart of the real Australia. They Were the guests of the Owners of the Kerarbtiry sheep station, a famous property, and there they saw specimens of the'merinoes—some of the best in the land—-that have made Australia famous. They saw' them being shorn, branded, ear-marked. They saw the wool being classed and packed. They saw every activity of a well-conducted ..sheep station, amazed at the methods, and certainly impressed with this source of nation*! wealth. ■•■ ,