FEDERAL CAPITAL

Hokitika Guardian, 8 June 1926, Page 3

FEDERAL CAPITAL

PREPARATIONS AT CANBERRA. SYDNEY, .May 20. Great .'progress is being made at Canberra, the future Federal capital, and in a very short time visitors to Australia will see there a city possessing the best features without the defects of the older cities of the world. Planned upon munificent lines, and on one of the most beautiful sites in all

Australia, Canberra must one day rank as one of the finest cities in the world. There are comparatively few people living there at- present apart from the army of fSOCO workmen, but early next year, when the Commonwealth Parliament is to assemble there, and “the great trek” from Mel bourne of some 1000 civil servants and their families takes place, there will I'' 1 '' a considerable permanent popular ion.

Canberra presents n fascinating study in city-building. Cntil quite recently almost all (levoloj)inentiil work "as entirely in Hie hands of a Commission. The provision of parliament--1 arv and administrative buildings, es’lsential services, and houses lias beer, going steadily ahead, hut of recent months privalte enterprise lias become a factor, and one which becomes more important as weeks go by. Of course, private enterprise was expected, and is received as a welcome guest in the city of officialdom; hut it provides an element of uncertainty, and disturbs ih? even tenor of the townplanner’s way. The Commissioners know just how many civil servants they have to house and provide for, not only next year, hut for years ahead. But just how far will private enterprise enter the development of .Australia's AV-ashiugton ? SHOPS AXI) PICTURES. Canberra- now lias its shopping centre— its “universal provider” its motor accessories shop, its chemist, its baker, its grocer, and soon its newspaper. And. although the paint is scarcely dry <iii the signs, the proprietor intends building quite a palatial place of amusement. 'Hie latest official re-

port of the progress of activities, indicates the completion of the whole of the major operations in the construction of Parliament House, and the approaching completion of the majority of internal fittings and mechanical services. Furniture and equipment have been ordered, and the installation of a pneumatic tube ser vice between Parliament- House, the Secretariat- buildings, and the Government- Printing Office lias been completed. Mechanical services are being installed, and the printing machinery is being crcected. The Government hostels are also completed. CONTROL!.TNG ENTERPRISE. The Commission in charge of the building operations' at Canberra is a hard landlord. It says that one shall not build this class of house here, nor another somewhere else. Shops are confined to certain areas, and so shall other trades and industries. It- set asidt? one site for a picture show, and invited all-comers to hid for it. The result was that when the hammer fell the price was £7OOO for a 99-vear lease, with reapprnisement in 20 years, and at intervals thereafter. It set aside certain areas for minor industries, and almost all have been taken up at prices in some eases above the upset figure. 'ILo same applies to the special shopping areas. Every day new names are being written in on tin* plans that .

bang in the Lands Office, and every week brings the increased quota of enquiries. While the Commissioners say that this is all very satisfactory they are wondering just how far this private enterprise will go! What essential services have to bo provided, in say, five years’ time? Will there he jnt ssiiflici.ent private enterprise to cater lor the needs of the civil service section of the new city, or will it grow rapidly, feeding to a large extent upon itself and repeat the experience of Washington ? Frankly, the authorities do not know and have no means of finding out.. They hope for rapid development, outside of tTie official population. Tn this little socialistic capital —for it is truly an experiment in ideal official Socialism in the true, and not the political sense of the word—the administrators are rulers, judges, advisers, brothers, and friends of the population. When one asks just how many people they will have to look after in a year from to-day, tliev sav:

“The present population is 4500. There are about 100 civil servants coming from Melbourne next- March, with their families—over 2000 in all. For them w? are providing 600 cottages. Then there . will besides lie all the members of Parliament, newspaper representatives, and no end of people nsociated with private- enter/prise.” One declared that it was his own private opinion—“purely a guess, mind you”—that- Canberra of 1930 would have a population of over 25,000.