FEDERAL CAPITAL

Progress, Volume X, Issue 3, 1 November 1914, Page 97

FEDERAL CAPITAL

Two years ago it was officially promised that the new Australian capital at Canberra, New South Wales, would be ready for occupation in five years. That promise is steadily fading away, and only a very rash person would now predict the time of completion of what we have been told is designed to be a magnificent "capital of a continent." Some preliminary work, not very much, has been done, and although some 300 workmen are officially stated to be still engaged on preparatory operations no essential progress has been made with the laying out of the capital itself. A struggle is going on between a departmental board which drew up a design for the capital and Mr. Griffin, the Chicago architect, who was engaged by the Federal Government to design and watch the construction of the city. Mr. Griffin considerably revised the board's design. The board is clamouring for the revision of Mr. Griffin's design, and was instrumental in getting the competition postponed because of the war. At this rate nobody can say when the plan of the Federal city will be settled. The protracted delay is not at all' displeasing to Melbourne, which thereby remains the Comonwealth seat of Government for an indefinite period.