THE COMMONWEALTH BILL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 3430, 26 November 1900, Page 3

THE COMMONWEALTH BILL.

The Australian Commonwealth is to be proclaimedr at Sydney. The first Federal Parliament will meet at Melbourne, and one of its first duties will be to select the Xt c rt Thie is to be m New bouth Wales, but not within 100 miles of Sydney. When this decision became known, ma ny places laid claim for consideration as suitable for the seat of govern- i ment. Bathurst, Bombala, Goulbourn Orange were those most thought of, and Bombala received most attention. The federal Parliament must meet m summer and a cool situation for the capital must be preferred, and this condition » met, by Bombala. The New South Wale. GoUrn meat appointed Mr Alex. Oliver, President of the Land Appeal Court, as comuiks-Mi-r to investigate and report on desn-ahie s<es tor thAseat of Government for \he f'emmonwealth. This duty took this gentleman about twelve months, and his report, for which he has gained praise, has been placed before Parliament. He confirms the general opinion previously expressed by placing Bombala first. Krtn^ mbaLa stands at an elevation of some t>OOOft above the sea, and is distant therefrom some 50 or 60 miles on the eastern 1 side of Australia. Auckland rightly enjoys a good reputation for climate, and its latitude is 36.46 deg. Bombala's latitude is 36.54 deg., but its altitude must be morne m mind, and, unlike Auckland, it is too far inland to feel the effects of humidity of the air arising from the proximity of the sea. Bombala has snow at times m winter. A railway of 50 miles will soon connect with Twofold Bay.where, secured by a breakwater of no extraordinary dimensions or cost, Rnchornge for the largest ocean-going vessels will be given of five or six square miles. In the battle royal between the two great rival States for advantage m position of site, Bombala here stands well, for it is nearly equidistant, being only five miles nearer Sydney, but while New South Wnles needs only a 55 mile extension of its railway from Coomai, Victoria must build 200 miles through mountainous country. The Federal territory is to be not 'lea* than 100 square mile?, and New South Wales is to provide, without payment, any Crown land m the area ; but Mr Oliver is of opiniion that the area, fixed is quite insufficient, and he considered the minimum of 125 square miles and a maximum of 1100 square miles m his investigations.