The Daily News. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1903. THE FEDERAL CAPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 223, 16 October 1903, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1903. THE FEDERAL CAPITAL.

The following description of the town selected for the federal capital, from an Australian con tempos ary, wll doubtless intarist our leaders:

- '•fumir, recommended by the special commission, and selected by Parliament, for the federal capital site, is reached by road from the termima (Gundagai) of the Cootamundra branch i ail way, the distance being 31 miles, Tumuo township has an altitude, accordling to Mr Stall-Surveyor Ghesterman,

of 925 ft.; but the mean altitude of the J proposed capital site would, according to the same gentleman, be about 1300 feet above sea level. The difference in in ilea go, rail and road, between Sydney and Tumut and Melbourne and Tumut, is about 70 miips in favour of the foimer. The summer and autumnal heat are not excessive. The raiofall is ample (33 itches), and is well distributed over the four quarters of the year. The toil is very fertile on the alluvial flats, and, on the hill slopes, quite up to the average of similar country. Th e wa ter resources are anjple, and a promising g.avitation supply io offered by the" Bu4dongj apart'|rom the Tumut riyer itself. The bqsm of Gilmoie Orecjf, on which Jjes t' § ai|a of the proposed federal oipital, is by so means without distinctive featunsjand the Tumut river, which is the eastern boundary of the proposed territory, ca claim to be along the whole length of its course, not only, perhaps, the most lovely stream in New South Wales, but to ojper riverside landscapes that, for natural beauty,' are unsflrpfrsspd, if they are rivalled, by any in thai state. •' It is, therefore " (reported Commissioner Oliver in 1900), " with no little reluctance that I feel obliged to add Tumut to the list of tha rejected south-western sites; but this site, beiog 54 miles, even when connected by rail, from the map lipe of communication —thesouthwestern trpnk line between the nqrthern and southern states—is at a peipetual disadvantage, As against any site situated od the trunk line, Tumut is handicapped by the fact that Sydney is 308 miles, and Melbourne 378 miles, distant, which means 110 milos of extra haulage from each capital, and proportionate lengths along oach state section of the railway. The Gilmore j galley capital site is physically a cir- ; cijms : cr>bud area incapable of much apd a jargy poytion of the site is vejry rough 'ajad fop .jgrioultural purposes, able cou— " - it to The mean altitude, to reach 1300 feet, is hartuj '"■<«« etsure the required climate, espeti.. in Bummer and autumn." " |