Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, OCT. 17, 1934. MELBOURNE CENTENARY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18530, 17 October 1934, Page 4

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, OCT. 17, 1934. MELBOURNE CENTENARY

To-morrow His Royal Highness Prince Henry, from the steps of Parliament House, Melbourne, will open the Centenary celebrations of that. g rea f t -ity. Melbourne was many years behind the original settlement, in Australia—Sydney and Parramatta have already celebrated their one hundred and forty-fifth birthday—but nevertheless its attainment of one hundred years of age is an event that can be worthily commemorated, for upon the .site upon the Varra bank where .lohn Batman from his skill’ declared “This will lie a good site for a village” there has risen a noble eiiy of between 800,000 and 900,000 inhabitants. The site which Batman saw as unkempt bush is now a great, metropolitan area. From the mer front rise the tall blocks of the business cpinCer; down the shores of Port Phillip Bay for miles stretch the gardens and red-roofed villas of the citv workers; and the air of solid comfort and prosperity over all is- a testimony to the record of progress of which the innabitants have good reason to be proud. Of all the great Australian cities Melbourne in its well-planned lay-out, with line city buildings, spacious parks, and beautiful homes appears the most solid and prosperous. The people of the metropolis through the various periods of the century have not lacked courage or enthusiasm in preserving and improving the amenities of their city. The Yarra is not a river about which the residents are accustomed to boast but every year improvements are made in it, and it is now quite a fine shipping highway. The parks of Melbourne are magnificent. Its marine drive would he hard to surpass anywhere in the world. The beauty of (he southern entrance to tin' eitv along the St. Hilda road has recent I v been enhanced by the erection of the Shrine of Remembrance for the War Dead, on the eastern side of the road —a noble conception ol commemorative art, the unveiling of which will be performed by Bnnc.e Henry. The last great celebrations in Australia were those associated with the opening of Sydney harbor bridge, and previously with the foundation of tße Commonwealth. The Cert tenary functions-of Melbourne will bo on different lines and will extend over a period of several weeks. There will be a wide range of activities I!rooted to reflecting the cultural and artistic life of the people of Victoria. The resources of the whole state will form a. conspicuous part of the celebrations —and truly there is a great story to tell of the development of this lovely and fertile State —its transformation from a wilder ness to productivity, the sterling work of its pioneers, the gold digging days, and the varied occupations and interests of present-day settlers. Travelling in the Commonwealth soon after the war, Lord Bryce observed in |,is sagacipus manner, “a virile and high-spirited race, energetic, resourceful, a race which ought to increase and spread out till it fills the vast spaces, so far as habitable bv man, of the continent that is its heritage.” The virility of Australian character could be in no way better illustrated than in the manner in which they faced the recent, depression, girded up their loins and sot to work lo restore prosperity. When things looked blackest they were planning for this great celebration, which happily will take place with blue skies overhead and the assurance that dark days have been left well behind. Their optimistic confidence is typical of the history of Victoria for the past hundred years. Prospectors, pioneer ■settlers, merchants, manufacturers and business people have shown great enterprise and faith in the future of the State and of its capital city. Evidence of this is lo be found in irrigation works and settlement schemes carried out in regions which at one time seemed uninhabitable. On the river Murray an irrigation system, at the time of its inception apparently extravagantly ambitious, now supports a huge fruit export industry. Higher up on the same river, with t.ho same fertilising purpose, is now under construction the third largest dam in the world. In Victoria hundreds of square miles of what was semi-desert have been converted, by resourceful ingenuity, into wheat lauds. Tn the city great industries have been built up from small beginnings, one of the most notable of these being that of Sir Mm-phersou llobertson, generous sponsor of the air race from England to Melbourne which in a few days' time will be attracting the attention of the whole world. Tlie race, of course, was organised ns a bold effort to “boost’ the Centenary and to bring Melbourne more prominently on the map. It will, of cn>if.-e, have a wider signili eniiee, illustrating with the finest pro ducts of modern .aircraft designers ,|n, vast strides made in aviation, and with the conquest of space the fact that Australia- and New Zealand for that matter--is within relatively easy distance of (he Homeland. If, ns

Moine of 1 lie competitors expect, I bo journey is accomplished in three days ~,• even in four, a wonderful demon stration will have been given of tin possibilities of modern transport. II must lie gratifying to Australians that they have a member of the, Royal House with them to participate in the celebrations. The enthusiasm Mil

which Prince Henry has been received i.s a proof of Australia’s attachment, lo the British Crown. There is no “cut the painter” tall; nowadays, for it is realised as Mr. Bruce said at the dinner he gave in London in honor of the Duke on the eve of his depart are, “the day the monarchy goes the British Empire falls apart.” Prince Henry’s good humor and sportsmanship appeal to the Australian crowd, arid doubtless they are bent upon giving the Billet- ns well n.s themselves in these Centenary celebrations a really good time.