EMPIRE PRESS UNION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19124, 16 September 1925, Page 15

EMPIRE PRESS UNION.

DELEGATES IN AUSTRALIA. VISIT PAID TO CANBERRA. TOUR IN COUNTRY DISTRICTS. [FROit OUR. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] SYDNEY. Sept. 11. The delegates to the Imperial Press Conference are seeing the real Australia this week. 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, but already* the first glimpse of what the city eventually will be can be obtained. They were impressed by tho 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 station bestrewn with lichen covered foundation stones 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 12 years ago. ! At Duntroon Military College, the visi-1 tors spent another interesting couple of ' hours. The staff cadets were drawn up in line on the parade ground and all tho 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. The . historic homestead of Duntroon, with its wealth of golden wattle and hawthorn hedges, proved an attractive mingling of tho spirit of England with that of this southern continent; The shingled spire of Duntroon Church, which was consecrated in 1845, gave another old-world touch to the picture, while its quiet "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 tho Cotter River dam, where water has been stored for the requirements of a large city, and, during the afternoon, a deviation was made to Mount Stromlo Observatory which 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 Murrumbidgee irrigation area, a feature of the visit being the keenness of the ladies in the party to learn more products exported from Australia to England and to ascertain under what conditions these goods were produced. The cannery was visited, and a fleet of cars conveyed the visitors on a tour of inspection of orchards in bearing, whilo 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 outstanding interest was a visit to the Yanco Agricultural High School, where, outside the imposing homestead of the late Sir Samuel McCaughey, 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 12 years. It shows tremendous industry and courage." On Wednesday the delegates saw the heart of the real Australia. They were the guests of the owners of the Kerarbury sheep station, a famous property, and there they saw specimens of the Merinos —some of the best in the land—that have made Australia famous. They saw them being shorn, branded, ear-marked. The> saw the wool being classed and packed. They saw every activity of a well-con-ducted sheep station, amazed at the efficient methods, and certainly impressed with this source of national wealth.