FEDERAL CAPITAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13876, 9 October 1908, Page 5

FEDERAL CAPITAL.

BALLOT FOR A SITE. CHOICE FALLS ON YASS. • By Tc.legrapu.--l , Association.—Copyright. (Received October 8. 9.40 p.m. . Melbourne, October 8. The Federal House of Representatives presented an animated scene to-day, on the occasion of the balloting for the capital site. Of the 11 sites submitted it was evident, after the first ballot, that the only two really in the running were Dalgety and Yass. Up to the sixth ballot Dalgety was leading. On the seventh the voting was equal. The ninth and final ballot resulted as follows: — Yass ... ... ■•■ - 39 Dalgety ... "... 33 - . The Senate has yet to give its verdict. The Melbourne Argus on September 2 remarked:—Though the Dalgety site was chosen some three yean* ago, and though it is one of those indicated six years ago by the State Government, New South Wales has refused to carry out her part of the bargain. She demands that the Federal Parliament shall rescind its former decision and accept a site of her choosing, or at least choose some other which she Will indicate. Such an attitude as this would be incredible were not tha facts standing out before our eyes in all their naked repulsiveness. The State of New South Wales openly sets the Commonwealth Constitution at defiance.

. ... The Commonwealth Parliament is, by an express bargain, to which the Sydney Government was ft partner, bound to fix the capital site in New South Wales; bound to fix it at least 100 miles 1 from Sydney; and bound to take at least 100 square miles of territory, and as much more as it might deem necessary for the Federal dignity; Acting under these powers it chose, years ago, 900 square miles at Dalgety! And from that clay to this the Sydney Government lias blocked the site, and refused to grant an acre of the land required. It now says to the Commonwealth Parliament in effect "We deny your right to choose a site at Dalgety, 'It is. a place too far distant from Sydney. You must choose some other place which we like better. We deny also your right to choose 900 square miles as a Federal territory around your capital. You must limit your selection, not by your own wisdom, but by ours, or else we will not grant you the land." Yass is a town with a population of about 2000, situated 190 miles south-west of Sydney, on the Sydney to Melbourne railway.