Federal Capital : Proposed Site at Yass
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ArchivesACT Research Guide :--- ;:::,- \\J\C 8KJl[)c51-. _ c Li BR/~RY- ~ .>. 19 0 9• 0 R 1~ Gj;1 I • .' /· ) ) 0:- . «"'. ,, ~ I ~ .-0 /~, .,.. / '~--Pi1tf{~~ OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA. · ~·.......... ~~......:;...._.. ·~· ...:.~~ ,........... FEDERAL CAPirrAL: PR.OPOSED srrrE AT YASS-CANBERRA, PAPERS RESPECTING SELECTION OF TERRITORY A~D PROPOSED SITE FOR THE CITY: TOGETilER WITH REPORTS RESPECTIKG TOPOGRAPHY, WATER SUPPLY, SEWERAGE, RAILWAY COMMUNICATION, POWER, ETC. P1·esented by <.:ommand: 01·derPd to be JJrinted 23rd JunP, 1909. lCo•l of l'ape r. -l1rqiM~tion, uot i.:ivcn; l,luo copies; :>pp1·oxim:>tc cost of pl'intin~ :>ucl publishing, £29] Printed and Published for the GOVERlOfF.NT o f the CoMMON\\'F.ALTH of AUSTRALIA bv J. KE~IP, Government Printer for the State of Victoria. · No. 6. -C.86:29. ArchivesACT Research Guide SUM.NIARY OF CONTENTS. 1. Miuisfer's Instructions to Mr. District Sm·\·eyor Scrivenct-. 2. Appointment of Boa.rel to consider result of sur'"ey in"estigation and a<h·ise Minister. 3. Prime Minjster's letter to N.S."\V. Premier, asking that the N.S. W. G01·emmc11t Archited allll :Hr. Scri,·e:i .r be allowed to iict on the Advisory Board. 4. N.S. W. Preniier"s Jetter acrreei.ng to foregoing request. 5. Mr. District SurYeyor Scrh-ener"s report as to result of investigations to date-2:,th February, 1909. 6. Mr. District Sun•eyor Scri,·ener's letter forwarding plan and two descriptions of proposed territwy. 7. MU.Lister's reference of such report to Advisory Boarcl. S. Report of ALl\'isory Board to Minister. !). Letter to l\Jr. nist1·ict fnneynr Scrivener from Secretary, Home Affoirs, forwarding copy of Addsory Boar11"s Report, a.nd instructions as to further sm·,·cy. W. Pri1ne Minister's letter to N. ~. \V. Premier, forwarding pla.u of suggestetl territory, and asking tha.t further alien:i.tion ot· leasing be not per111itled; also relp1est ing info rmation re rivers and railway routes. 11. :Minute by Minister for Home Aifairs to Pdme .Minister, recapitulatiug action taken, a.sking tbat N.S. W. Premier be sent copy of plan of suggested territory, informell clesirous entering into negotiations, and asking for m;ip showing mrn.liem1tecl Crown La.ud, &c. 12. Prime Minister's letter to N.S. W . Premier, informiJ.1g desirous of ncg.1tiations, and askiug i·e 1mip abovcmentioned. };{, N.S. W. Pt·emier·s letter to Prime 'Minister, asking more specific i1lfor111ation ;ts to wlmL reqltired ~·e l·i ,·ers and w;\ter supply. 14. N.S. W. Premier's letter acknowledging receipt of letter 1·p map of un:.il icnated Crown Lantls. 15. Prime ~inistcr's Jett r to N.S. W. Premier, g iving particulars o( what information desirerl re rivers. 16. N.S. W. Premier's Jetter acknowledging receipt o( foregoing letter. 17. N. S.W. Premier's lelter to Prime 1'1inister, intima.ting resen·;\tion from sale an•l lease of proposed territory. l S. N S. W. Premier's letter to Prime Minister , forwarding map showing unnlienated Crown Lands, &c. 19. Heport 2Gth May, 1909, by Mr. Distrid. 'urveyor Scri,·euer, as to fm·ther survey. 20. N . S. W . Premier's letter to Prime Minister, forwarding copy of report by Chief EngiJ.1eer for Sewerage C.:.nstructiou M to sew~rage. 21. N.S. W. rremier's letter to rrimc Minis'.er, tr;tnsmitting rep:;rt. 11y Chief Engineer for Harbors and Water Supply 1·e water supply. 22. N.S. W. l'rernier's letter to Prime Minis:er, forWM•ling repot·t by the Electrical Engineer, Pnl>lic Works Department., as to electric light and power supply. 23. N.S. W. 'Premier's letter to Prime ~i1 1 ister, forwarLling iuform(l.tion (l.S to tenures of land, &c. 2-1. Report of Ad\Tjsory l3oo,rd to Z.Jinistcr for H r. me Afl'a.irs, s1.1b111itting views ;iml recommendations. [Non:.-Tlie Plctns and .Jfap.• preparccl in (Onnexion witli tl1is Report are printed separately.] A 2 ArchivesACT Research Guide .FEDERJ.iL CAPITAL: PROPOSED SITE A'r YASS-CANBERRA. (r) INSTRUCTIONS OF 111.tNISTER FOR HOME AFFi'JRS (d) Accessibility.-It is requisite that the si~e To MR. D1sTRICT SURVEYOR ScruvBNER. be easy of access with Sydney and Mel bomne, and, through them, to the other Department of Home Affairs. Capital cities, also with a suitable har· :\lelbourne, 21st D ecember, r908 . bor on the coast. Tbe Secretary, In the consideration of (a) the smveyor wil l bear Department of Home Affairs. in mind that the Federal Capital should be a be:'lUtifut city, occupying a commanding position, The Seat of Govcmmcnt Act 1908 proviJes that with extensive views, and embracing distinctixe fea the Seat of G01·ernment of the Commonwealth shall t ures which will lend themseh-es to the eYolution of be in the district of Vass-Canberra, in the State of :i design worthy of the object, not onlv for the p re New South Wa les, and that the territory to be sent. but for all time, consequently the potentiali granted to or acquired by the Commonwealth for ties of the site will demand most careful considera the Seat of Government shall contain an area of tion from an hygienic stand-point, with a Yiew to not less than 900 square miles, and ha,•e access to securing picturesqueness. and also with the object the sea. of beautification and exoansion. With a view to giving effect to the foregoing, The foregoing covers the main essentials which the Prime Minister, at mv instance, bas asked the occur to me. and I have no doubt but that the ex Premier of New South \\·ales for the loan of the perience of ·the surveyor will enable him to realize services of a competent surveyor, preferably Mr. what is required from him. Scrfrener or ?lfr. Chesterman. I shoul d be glad if the sun·e,·or could enter upon The duty which I propose to intrust to the sur the work at the earliest possible date, and. in the veyor is that of making a. thorough topographical fi rst instance, conduct the reconnaissance of the dis investigation of the \'ass-Canberra district, with the trict. from which possiblv certain territories will object of placing such facts before me as will be shown to stand out as· possessing the necessary enable Parliament to decide on the most suitable advantages. These territories could then be more territory for the puq.ioses of the Seat of Gm·ern critically examined and reported on. ment within the district referred to, in which con I t is probable that after the receipt of the p re nexion I am of opinion that the work to be carried liminary report from the sun·eyor I will require ar out by the surveyor should be divided into three r<1ngements to be made under which Members of phases, as follows : Pa~liament may have an opportunity of seein,g for themselves the proposed territory o r territories. the (r) Prelimin3n· reconnaissance, corering the catchment area. and the countrv in the vicinitv, so whole of the district and embracing the that when the. final examinat i ~n shall have been catchment area of the \rater supply completed they will be in the best position to go,·erning the same; decide. (:?) Topographicn l im·estigation of that por· H. MAHON . tion or portions of the district whicl1 . during the reconnaisance, are shown to possess the requisite characteristics for (2) THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HOME the Commonwealth territory; AFFAIRS, TO THE i\fal\'!STER FOR H OME (3) Contour sun·ey of suggested site or sites AFFAIRS, RECOMMENDING A.PPOINTMENr OF for the Federal Capital city. A BOARD TO CONSIDER THE RESULTS OF THE J:lRELTh!INARY INVESTIGATION. The primary essentif1lS of the territory ma,· briefly be summarized as fo ll ows : Department of Home Affairs, l\ [elbourne, 8th February, 1909, (a) That it includes a site or sites possessing the necessary topogmphical character Federal Capital Site. istics for the Federal C:ipital; . The preliminary inYestigation will, by the 20th (b) That it in:: ludes the catchment are;i of the rnstaht, have arrived at such a stage :is to admit w:~ter supply for the Capital- such of more definite ideas being formed as to the most water supply must be of sufficient mag-· suitable territory for the purpose. I therefore re nitude to place the question of Yolume commend that a Board· be formed comprising- at a11 seasons and purity beyonJ doubt. The Secretary for Home Affairs (Chairman), NoTE.-Jt i!: desirable that the catch 'I'he Director-Genera l of Works, ment area sha 11 be ill the proximity of T he Government architect of New South the Capital site. but should the topo Wales, grarh1cal examinntion of the district The surveyor engaged on the work, disr-lose the fort that surb a con<lition h consirler the results of the preliminarv im·esti is not practicable, then tht' catchment g;Hions, and to addse you as to the sit~ or sites area must be connectrd with the terri which conform most closely to the requirements of tory. including the site for the Capital lhe Seat of GOl·ernment, and the territon· embrac -that is to say. se1,erance must he ing them, with a. ,·iew to such portions o.f the dis :ivcined. trict being more closely sun-eyed and reported on. (c) Sa11itatifJ11 .-That th site nrovides for a perfect svstem of sanitati~n.