FUTURE OF CANBERRA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20319, 30 January 1928, Page 10

FUTURE OF CANBERRA.

AUSTRALIA’S CAPITAL CITY. MANY PEOPLE DUBIOUS. (From Oue Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, January 20. Despite all the magnificent buildings that have been, and are being, erected at Canberra, the Federal capital, situated a few miles from the country town of Queanbeyan, in New South Wales, the “ I told you so ” people continue to throw cold water on it. And certainly there are many members of the Federal Parliament who are anything but happy there. Australia is a country of magnificent distances, and some of the Federal members who live in the far-away places resent having to travel the continent to such remote spot. However, that was “.n the bond ” when federation was agreed to, and there it must remain, even if it does mean the passing out of Federal politics of a number of the ablest men. Mr W. A. Watt, for instance, a former Premier of Victoria, and at one time acting Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, has intimated that it is not his intention to contest the elections that are to be held at the end of the year. And there are others. It is said that Fir Bruce himself is not enamoured of the prospect. Life at Canberra is rather dull, in fact—except when Parliament is sitting, and then members can liven up the proceedings to suit themselves. Probably if the Federal Parliament had to meet in Sydney instead of Canberra the complaints would be few. That is to say, the members who have to travel from West Australia, Tasmania, and Northern Queensland would not mind if their destination were Sydney. It is not the remoteness of Canberra that s the trouble so much as the absence >f life and gaiety. If the Federal members feel this way about it, it is not surprising that the Federal officials, of whom there is a small army in the capital city, counting their wives and families, are not too pleased with the change. There is a picture show there—or soon will be—hut not much else in the way of amusement; and the Australian people are an amuse-ment-loving crowd. Canberra is a centre of attraction for motor car tourists, and the Hotel Canberra, despite the fact that it is “ dry ” (and,_ by_ the way, a referendum on this question is to be taken when the elections are held) is nearly always full to overflowing. But it looks as if it will be many a long day, just as it was in the case of Washington, before it becomes a populous and busy trading centre. The Sydney Morning Herald correspondent touches on this aspect of the matter in the following terms: “As it is certain that the population of Canberra will not materially increase in the next four years, some concern has been expressed for the interests of persons who have recent'y opened businesses at ‘ Civic Centre.’ it is felt that during the present year some of these may expect to experience a lean time. While Civic Centre has been designed as the ‘ hub ’ of Canberra, its attractive-looking shops compete unsuccessfully with the shopping centre at Kingston. Nor is it lively that Civic Centre will become the principal business centre for some years, this being mainly attributable to its distance from Canberra railway station, and to the fact that the majority of the workmen employed by the Federal Capital Commission live near Kingston and Barton. During the last session of Parliament the commission was criticised as not providing a greater number of sites for business offices at Civic Centre, but in view of the present position it would seem that the commission was considerably better informed than the critics.” Such are the growing pains of Australia’s capital city.