COSTLY CANBERRA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20290, 24 December 1927, Page 20

COSTLY CANBERRA.

“ DREAM CITY’S ” MILLIONS. OVER £8,000,000 EXPENDITURE. VICTORIANS’ COMPLAINTS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, December IS. The “dream city” Canberra is frequently called, and judging by the expenditure upon its construction, it should really be one. The report of the Federal Capital Commission, issued this week, discloses that more than £8,000,000 has been expended on it. The present commission took over from the previous constructional authority on January 1, 1925.. It has since been trying to obtain from the Commonwealth Auditor-general certified .tatements as to the commission’s liability for the money spenl on the territory before its appointment, but without success. It is believed, however, that the amount involved is approximately £5,000,000 exclusive of interest.' Since it took over control the commission spent to June 30 last more than £4,000,000. The interest on the amount previously spent end the amount expended since the closing of the financial year together bring the total expenditure to well over £8,000,000. During the period of the commissions’ latest report, additional xnenditure was incurred through the necessity of having things in order for the Duke of York e visit. This accounted largely for the increase of the year’s expenditure to £2,450 000 from the £l,/SO,OOO spent in 1925-26. The costa of land acquired and of the principal items were : Acquisition of land, £800,000; cottages, £904,000; electric light and power, £195,000- roads, £700,000; sewerage, £770,000 ; water supply, £440,000: Parliament House, £650,000; and 10 hotels and hoarding houses, £520,000. Of the last-named item, the principal promises cost as follows:—-Hotel Canberra, £168,000; Hotel Kurrajong, £82,000; Hotel Acton, £70,000 ; and Gorman House, £43,000. Public criticism has been levelled at the expenditure on residences for the Governor-General and the Prime Minister. The former’s cost more than £BO,OOO to convert from the palatial residence of the Campbells, who were the squires of Canberra before their land was acquired for the purposes of the national capital, and to modernise it. The Prime Minister's residency is termed a “ lodge,” but it has cost over £50,000. let it is not regarded as a permanent residence, and the Minister responsible for Canberra construction stated this week that it was felt the residence did not do justice to the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth. This expenditure, more than anything else, is assisting to swell the army of critics, whose headquarters is Melbourne, and who Mr Bruce recently described as the “ knockers of Canberra. ’ Most Australians arc already intensely proud of their new capital, but the way money is being poured clown the sink ’ there is making oven the most enthusiastic of them dubious as to the ultimate result and cost. Meanwhile, the Melbourne nress, led by ‘he Age, continues to bewail the removal of the Federal capita! to Canberra. Only a few 7 days ago the Ago. mentioning that the isolation has not effected the expected stimulation in dealing with parliamentary business, said that members themselves diet not like Canberra, and that they wore satisfied that the “bush capital ” in description evas a bush capital -n reality.