ARCHITECTURE IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 993 
Sydney, by reason of its site, and the accident of its irregular 
and careless growth, is even now the most picturesque of Austra- 
lian cities, and its narrow crooked streets are full of pleasing 
possibilities in the way of unexpected architectural effects. The 
grouping of the dome and cupolas of the new markets, when 
looked at from George-street, north of the Post Office, is a recent 
and pleasing instance of this. It does not need the gift of 
prophecy to foresee that during the next century Sydney will be 
practically re-built ; but sufficient has already been done, however, 
to prevent much alteration with regard to the width and the 
shape of the principal streets. But in order that the work of 
those who come after us may not be impeded, we require some 
safeguard against departmental blundering. ‘This end, I think, 
would be achieved by the appointment of a permanent board of 
experts, whose duty it would be to confer with and advise the 
Government on all matters connected with the improvement of 
the city. 
The formation of a Board, such as is here suggested, is not a 
new idea; for nearly three centuries Paris has had her Council- 
General of Public Buildings; and it is not too much to assert 
that the Paris of to-day is incomparably the finest city in the 
world. This result is due, mainly, to the work of the Council- 
General. 
Such a Council would undertake in part the duties now per- 
formed by the Public Works Committee, the City Building Sur- 
veyor, and the work formerly done by the City of Sydney 
Improvement Board; but above and beyond all this it would 
protect the public interests from an esthetic standpoint. Such a 
Board would have prevented much unnecessary expenditure in 
Martin-place. It would build up, but it would also pull down. 
For instance, [ do not think it would tolerate the existence of 
the inhumorous grotesques which fill the Post Office spandrels, or 
of those other graven images which fail to fill the niches of the 
Lands Office. ‘This Board would also include in its functions the 
management of the Art Gallery Trust. 
It may be asked why is it necessary to take all this trouble on 
behalf of a public which cares nothing about these things—a 
public which looks with complacency on the stained glass of the 
Town Hall staircases, and which possibly mistakes the Centennial 
Park statues for works of art! It is because of this, and in order 
that they may be prepared for the artistic destiny which undoubt- 
edly awaits them, that this paper has been written and these 
suggestions made, 
