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Otago Daily Times, Issue 19198, 14 June 1924, Page 9

According to a statement made by the chief architect of tho Federal Works and Railway Department the Parliament of tho Commonwealth will be able to assemble at Canberra about the middle of 1926. This would seem to put an end to any prevalent anticipation that the great event could take place next year. It is getting on for twenty-five years since the Federal capital came into existence—on paper. Provision for the building of a capital city in New South Wales, at least 100 miles from Sydney, was embodied in tho Federal Constitution of 1900. But progress in connection with the scheme has been slow. Controversial issues inevitably arose, and tho six State capitals already in existence wore by no means inarticulate. The difficulty over a site threatened to become chronic, so much so that Lord Rosebery once described tho business of hunting for a Federal capital as the Australian national Sport. Eight years sufficed, however, for agreement respecting the site, and three years later another great achievement was chronicled in the adoption of a name. Tho consideration of plans was a tedious process. Even now the magnificent dreams of the originators are but very partially realised. Tho buildings that have been erected, or aro in process of construction, are of a provisional kind—economical substitutes for the magnificent structures that were included in tho original design. When tho Federal Cabinet held an historical first meeting at Canberra in January last, it found accommodation in the old station homestead. “To-day,” we read, “the beautiful undulating site on a plateau of tho Australian Alps is hardly touched by man’s handiwork, save where the enthusiasm of the forestry expert has begun to replant the hillsides with a garment of greenery. Eventually every street is to be lined with trees, and there will bo many gardens to soothe the spirit of the weary politician. But these are dreams yet to be realised. To-day Canberra is very much the ‘bush’ capital, tho object of scorn and derision on the part of jealous Victorians.” There will be Federal legislators, at all events, who will not be disappointed if the rate of architectural progress at Canberra obviates the necessity of their abjuring next year the comforts of Melbourne.

IJpon f.ho point of view hinge conclusions of vastly different import. A few weeks ago prominence was given in London journals to the opinion of the headmaster of a well-known school expressive of admiration for the British youth of to-day. Part of tho testimony ran; “Boys and girls of to-day are better than those of years ago. They are franker and more expressive. They have powers of initiation and organisation which would have astonished boys of my day. We in our younger days gave an obedience which was sheep-like in its unquestioning docility, and often sullen. To-day boys and girls willingly impose discipline upon themselves. Their obedience is a glorious loyalty.” This made cheerful reading coupled with a pronouncement by Sir Kingsley Wood, in a presidential address at the Faculty of Insurance conference, that tho condition of the children of the nation in 1923 was better in physique, health, and cleanliness than ever it had been—so much so that a child born today had an expectation of twelve years more life than his grandfather had. Unfortunately just a couple of days after the publication of these encouraging observations tho Recorder of Birmingham, in an address to a grand jury, added a rather disconcerting contribution to the discussion. Ho commented on the fact that, while vast sums were being spent on education, juvenile crime was increasing. His remarks were not flattering to teachers, since, after raising the question whether tho education given to young people was on right lines, he said he “did not like to think that those who were put over these children were responsible for tho increase in crime, yet one read of strikes among teachers, and one felt that perhaps the children thought ‘lf my teacher strikes, why should I bo law-abiding?’ ” This seems to have been an unkind cut at a conscientious profession. Statistics of juvenile crime constitute an argument that is difficult to answer. Perhaps those very “powers of initiation and organisation” that are said to distinguish tho boys and girls of to-day have something to do -with the case.