CANBERRA

Hokitika Guardian, 10 May 1927, Page 1

CANBERRA

AN HISTORIC FUNCTION

A NOTABLE GATHERING.

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association

SYDNEY, May 9. Favoured by fine, exhilarating weather, the Duke and Duchess of York to-day, with regal pomp and ceremonial. fulfilled the central objective of their visit by opening tile new home of the Federal Parliament, at the Federal Capital, Canberra. Fur splendour and historic importance, it was the most outstanding event in the history of the Commonwealth. There was a great gathering, which included not only the notables of Australia, hut also representatives of the British, Canadian, South African, New Zealand and Indian Parliaments. There is a splendid block of luxuriously furnished Parliamentary buildings, with the Government Mouse and other official structures, upon which, and upon the layout of the new Capital, millions of money have already been spent. These form the nucleus of the proposed city, beautifully situated on one of the grandest and most picturesque and most salubrious districts of Australia, within easy reach of the seaboard, and destined to be tbo centre and the incentive to a widespread development over the present sparsely-populated area, with a seaport at Jervis Bay, to which the proclaimed Federal territory extends.

The ceremony began by their Royal Highnesses, preceded by the GovernorGeneral and Lady Stonehaven, driving through linos of navals, military and air force members, the Air Forces providing an aerial escort, while a Roval

Salute was fired, and a fanfare of trumpets was sounded. The Houses of Parliament and the special stands along the route were filled with invited guests on platforms. At the entrance and in Parliament House there wore the State Governors and Federal Ministers and their wives, the

President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of 'Representatives, Dainc

Melba, and the beads of tbo Protestant denominations and other invited guests. liord and Lady Stonehaven, with Mr Bruce (Federal Premier) and his wife, met the Royalties as tliev mount-

ed the steps of Parliament House, where they were received by the President and the Speaker. At this juncture Dame Melba stepped forward and sang a verse of the National Anthem, the assemblage, by request, refraining from joining in until she ended. Then a choir led tho public in repeating the verse, with a great, unrestrained outburst, the music having a magnificent effect.

Mr Bruce shortly addressed the gaither ing, and formally asked tbo Duke of York to open tbo door, using a golden key which will be returned to be preserved as a memento of the occasion. The Duke was given a ilttplieate key, and also the President and Speaker.

When the door was opened, but lietore the threshold was crossed, a short religious service, invoking, tho blessing of Almighty God on the new Capital,

was conducted by the beads of the Anglican, Presbyterian and Methodist Churches.

'I lie Roman Catholic Church was asked to join in the religious service, but the Apostoliu Delegate, Archbishop Cattaneo, stated that the principles of the Catholic Church did not allow this, though the Catholics fully agreed that the blessing of God should ho Invoked on the new Capital, ‘ and the Catholics had arranged to hold their own special function on that day at Canberra.

The Royal and Vice-Regal groups and the invited guests next entered the buildings, and the Duke unveiled a statue of the King. Thence they proceeded to tho Senate Chamber, where further functions were performed, the filing of a Koval Salute and the repetition of the trumpet fanfare concluding this portion of the ceremonies al

Later the Duke held an Investiture, and at 1 o’clock he attended the official luncheon.

AN IDEAL DAY. SYDNEY, May 9. After several days of sTtowcry and misty weather, Canberra awoke to-day in glorious sunshine, looking its best in all its autumn beauty, with the wide-stretcliing green bills and valleys, and the lofty surrounding mountains, which later reverberated to the sounds of the field guns firing Royal salutes. The town and the visitors were astir early, and by the time tho Royal carriage entered the route from Goverr nront House to Parliament House, it was thronged with enthusiastic crowds. The carriages, with quaint peruked postilions and outriders, passed between the lines of naval men and troops, whoso bayonets glistened in the sunlight, a body of the Light Horse, with flashing lances and glittering per nous, forming the escort, with numerous airships fluttering overhead. There was a remarkable demonstration as the Royal couple approached the step sof Parliament House, the assemblage throwing their hats Tn the air and cheering vociferously. The whole scene was most imposing and

impressive. PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH. After the party mounted the steps of Parliament House, Mr Bruce, Federal Premier, delivered a speech expressing the national joy and satisfaction at tho presence of the Duke and Duchess as representatives of tho King, who, he said, was the visible svmljol of our unity and the centre of all our loyalties. Recalling that the King had twenty-five years ago, Inaugurated the first Parliament of the Commonwealth on an unchartered sea, lie said that, since then, Australia emerged with a definite national consciousness and had evolved great policies, which not only governed Av tralians’ lives to-day, but which future generations must inevitably follow. He referred to Australia’s part in the war, which had proved her worthy to endure. Mithin a period of a little more than a quarter of a century a nation had been born. "With humility in thenhearts, they rendered thanks to Divine Providence for all that they had done, and all that they were. They remembered with gratitude the fostering care of the Mother Country and the protection, enjoyed under the British flag. To-day it was their solemn duty to reaffirm their faith in their country, and their devotion to the Throne and the Empire. Great, though their progress had been, Australia was but on the threshold of her achievements. He then pictured Australia s greater future, and added: “May those who enter these portals govern with justice, reason and equal favour to »11| in humility and without self*

interest. May they do so with tho voice of those who sent them—the people. Let us march forward to our destiny with firm purpose and high resolve.”

Amid deafening applause, the Prime Minister handed the Duke tho key, and asked him to open the door of the future home of the Parliament of the Commonwealth.

Mr Bruce, in handing the key to tho Duke, added: “We irecognise this occasion marks tho beginning of a new era in the history of Australian We look hack on her story of accomplishment, which fills us with pride. Wo look forward with confidence that we shall prove worthy of the great destiny which lies before us.” DUKE’S REPLY.

The Duke, after using the key, made his reply. He said that the King, his dear father, desiring to mark tho importance of the opening of the first meeting of the Federal Parliament in

tbo new Capital of the Commonwealth of Australia, and to show his keen interest in all that concerns the welfare and advancement of his subjects in Australia, lmd granted him a special commission to act as his representative in performing that day’s ceremony. lie was commanded by the King to say that his thoughts were with them in this hour. That to-day’s historic occasion brought hack vivid memories of the ninth of May, twenty-six years ago, when, as the Duke of Cornwall and York, the King opened" the first Parliament of the Commonwealth. Doth he and tho Queen retained tho happiest memories of that occasion. “ The Duchess and I,” he said, “ are proud to ho following in their footsteps, and we thank you for the welcome wo have received and the kindness you have showered upon us in every part of Australia.” The Duke’s speech then alluded to tbo wonderful evolution and tho marvelloiis changes and progress made during the intervening quarter of a century. It had been a testing time, when, under the stress of the greatest war in our history, the Empire had found a new meaning, and a new strength. Quickened by all these influences without and within, the tish Empire had advanced to a new conception of autonomy and freedom —to the idea of a system of British nations, each freely ordering its own individual life, but bound together in unity by allegiance to one Crown, and co-operating with one another in all that concerned tbo Commonwealth. The King’s earnest prayer,” he said, “in which I fervently join, is that, under Divine Providence, the future years may see the same development and prosperity of the Empire and of all its parts, rlie same spirit of mutual understanding and the same determination to support one another to the uttermost should the need come.” The speech concluded: “ It is perhaps peculiarly lifting that we should celebrate the birtli of the new Capital City just after the close of the Imperial Conference, which represents the beginning of a new chapter in our Empire store. May this day’s ceremony mark a re-dedication of this Commonwealth to those gloat ideals of liberty, fair dealing, justice and devotion, and to the cause of peace, for which the Empire and all its members stand. We turn to-day a new page in history. May it be a page glorious for Australia, and for the whole Empire.”

DUKE WAXES ELOQUENT. SYDNEY, May 9. The Duke ol York,'speaking on his own behalf from the steps of Parliament House, after the opening ceremony referred to to-day’s events as the landmark in the history of Australia, marking not only the opening of the new Parliament House and the inauguration of the new capital city, hut more heeausc one feels the stirring of a new, quickened national activity, of a fuller consciousness of your destiny as one of the self-governing units of the British Empire. One’s thoughts turn instinctively to wluit the future may have in store. One’s own life would hardly he worth living without its dreams of better things, and the life of a nation without such dreams of a better and a larger future would be poor indeed. Standing looking over the beautiful site chosen for the federal Capital I think of those great men who worked for federated Australia—• whose aim was realised when my father opened the Federal Parliament. We are now building on the foundations which they laid. I think we should all have in their hearts one other vision. On Anzae Day we commemorated those gallant men and women who laid down their lives in the war. Though they have passed into the Great Beyond, they are still speaking to those who choose to listen, and if Australia listens to tho voices of the noble army of the living, and those yol unborn are determined to march in step with their faces towards the ideals for which those men and women died, then the glorious destiny of this country is assured for all time.”

THE KING'S MESSAGE. SYDNEY, May 9. At the conclusion of his speech in the Senate Chamber, the Duke of York rend a message from the King, in which he stated : “ Our thoughts are more than ever with you on this of happy memory to me and the Queen. On this occasion of signal importance in the history of Australia, t ask you to assure our people of the commonwealth of my heartfelt wishes for their continued happiness and progress. I share their pride in their new capital city and join in their prayers for their successful future.

GREAT MILITARY DISPLAY. SYDNEY, May 9. The parade of the naval, military, and air forces, provided a great finale for the days’ ceremonies, the most impressive sight 1 icing a display of regimental colours bearing the names of battles in which the units had participated. When the Duke, on horseback, with an escort of light horsemen, rode to the parade ground, the greatest fleet of aeroplanes ever gathered to-1 gether in Australia performed amazing feats over the heads of the assembled forces. As the colour parties, hearing the King’s and the regimental colours, passed the saluting base, thousands of onlookers paid tribute as they stood tn silence with hared heads in memory of the dead. After the Duke had given the salute the troops advanced in review order, providing an impressive finish for a memorable day. It is estimated that there were 3-5,000 onlookers who gave the Duke and Duchess of York a stirring reception. His Royal Highness looked well on horseback, and managed his spirited charger in a fashion which drew applause from the onlookers.

BROADCAST A FAILURE. SYDNEY, May G. Crowds gathered in different parts of Sydney io hear broadcast descrip*

lion of tlie opening ceremony, but the reproduction of the speeches was faulty and the account, which was given by an amateur, instead of a professional announcer, was very prosaic, lacking colour, contrast and life. The Commonwealth Bank was rushed by many thousands of people anxious to secure a special issue of Canberra florins, queues lining up outside the Bank all day. At the conclusion of

the Duke of York’s speech from the steps of Parliament House a united religious service was held and after an impressive blessing ceremony by the Acting Primate of the Anglican Church, Mr Bruce handed the keys of Parliament to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House. 'flic House of Representatives later metj. and after transacting formal business, passed a resolution expressing Parliament’s sense of the honour done to the Commonwealth by the opening bv the- Duke of York.

The official estimate of the attendance at the opening ceremony is thirtyfive thousand.

The religious services included the blessing of the capital city site and Parliament by Archbishop Cattaneo, tlio Catholic Apostolic Delegate to Australia. LONDON COMMENTS. LONDON, May 0. An effort to broadcast the Canberra proceedings in England failed. Nothing intelligible could be heard. Apparently the wave length and time were unsuitable. If it had been early morning or early evening doubtless it would have been all right. Practically every London newspaper

makes Canberra a feature story. Speeches at the opening are published fully. The papers also devote editorials to the subject.

The ‘'Daily Telegraph’’ says editorially: It is typical of the Australian genius, who by a bold political innovation and social experiment, has set so many fruitful examples to the old world, that Canberra lias been conceived on original lines. Its population will be the tenants of the nation. Tlie “Daily Chronicle’” editorially

say.-: Canberra’s conception is significantly different to that of a London, a Paris, or a Borne, each with its traditions stretching back far into tlie past. Canberra’s traditions are yet to be made, because the nation whose capital she has become is destined to be more national in future that to-day. The “Daily News” says: Canberra

of special interest to all the demo

eratic peoples of the world, as a wonderful capital—-smokeless, dustless, mudless, odourless and slumless. It only we could ‘rebuild London on the lines of Canberra!

TASMAN’S PASSENGERS. BRISBANE. May 9. Passengers taken from the steamer Tasman arrived at Townsville by the Akimaru. They state it was raining on the night the Tasman was stranded and in the absence of a guiding light the vessel got too close to Clerke Island and ran on a sand spit where it remained fast. The vessel grounded quietly and tlie engines were reversed but failed to move her. The morning showed the ship to he on a soft coral reef with other reefs around lier. The Tasman is safe and uninjured, and should be refloated easily. The steamei Roggeven which had passed the spot earlier the same niglit returned and made two attempts to tow the Tasman off but on each occasion the tow-line parted. The Tasman’s passengers went’ ashore and indulged in picknicking and swimming. There was plenty of bird life on the island and fish were plentiful.