THE AUSTRALIAN CENTENARY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1754, 31 January 1888, Page 2

THE AUSTRALIAN CENTENARY

PKK 1K,!... a .-,.,_. ..ION.) BYDNI.T. J.nil«ry 3\ The last important fa ction of tho Centennial demonstration was performed to-day, when the foundation 6. one of the now Parliament Houses was laid by his Excellency the Governor m tho presence of a lart*e assemblage. When the building will be erected, is at present a matter of uncertainty. In the first place tbe Government have no authority to incur tho necessary outlay* and m tho next place no designs for the bu.ildiners havo b^en called for. Tho site which has been secured is a splendid one, embracing tho whole area of unoccupied land between tho present Parliamentary , buildings and Governor Bourko'ssta'ue, and waß reserved by the Government m 1879 for this special purpose at a cost of oyer seventy thousand pounds. Lowdon. January 29 Tho "Spectator" referring to the Australian centenary predicts that when the next hundred yea M.have been completed, Australia will be a Feoeral , Republic, with a population of flf y millions, possessed of powerful fleets and strong armies. Bhe will also have contracted international alliances, and bo a greater factor among the nations of the world. Her alliances, and strength will place her bey nd the grasp of unscrupulous- Powers, and eh • will be mistress of the Paciflo archipelago and able to d»fy Europe. The people then will resemble tho Americans and possess some of their characteristics, but tbe gentle climate will produce a gentler manner. They will be a people fond of art and luxury.