COMMONWEALTH CAPITAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1469, 18 June 1912, Page 5

COMMONWEALTH CAPITAL.

FIRST YEAR'S EXPENDITURE,

8y Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. Melbourne, June 17. The Federal Government does not propose to provide expenditure beyond ,£IOO,OOO in connection with the Federal capital during the next financial year. "It impressed mo as being a very excellent site," said Mr. James Mackenzie, 1 - Surveyor-General of New Zealand, on his return to Sydney, from a;visit of inspection to the- area oiv which tho Federal capital is to be built. Mr. Mackenzie faid he did not wish to say anything as to the wisdom of the policy of establishing a capital in the bush, though a visitor could not help wondering why this was done. Although he had not seen any of the other suggested sites, it appeared to him that it would have been difficult to have got one superior to Yoss-Canberra. Tha climate was bracing, there was a great deal of level land, no engineering difficulties should be experienced iu regard: to railway construction, and there should be no trouble in. resnect either to water supply or drainage. Surrounded as the site was by, it had reminded him much of Auckland, with the exception of the absence of a harbour. ■