108 DISCUSSION. 



bright it is. At Port Sunlight, as you will see, great use has been 

 made of lawns from the houses and other buildings to the roads, 

 the lawns or gardens being protected by light iron railings where 

 necessary. 



And finally, let us encourage hedge planting in lieu of railings 

 wherever possible. The Federal site will be not less than 2,000 

 feet above the level of the sea and the selection of approved hedge 

 plants for that elevation is very great. Hedges can be made most 

 artistic adjuncts to buildings, and, what is very much to the point, 

 they are inexpensive. 



Judge Docker — When the discussion upon Mr. Knibbs' paper 

 was adjourned I also resolved to take part in the debate, as the 

 subject is one in which I have taken a great interest, and as I 

 Jiave already expressed some views upon it in a letter published 

 in one of the Sydney newspapers during the latter part of last 

 year. But having read Mr. Knibbs' paper, I find myself in the 

 same difficulty as Mr. McKinney. I find that the author has 

 taken up and discussed every point, in a far more forcible manner 

 than I could hope to accomplish, inasmuch as he possesses the 

 technical knowledge which I do not. So it only remains for me 

 to reiterate, and if possible, emphasise one or two of the points 

 ■already insisted upon. 



1. After the site for the Federal Capital has been selected and 

 a contour survey made, an ideal of the city as complete must be 

 ■evolved before a stone or a brick is placed in position. It ought 

 not to be left to a single mind, however gifted, to create this ideal 

 city, but a large commission should be appointed, including, not 

 only the most distinguished engineers and architects of the Com- 

 monwealth, but also artists and other specialists, whose contribu- 

 tions towards elaborating the general ideal might be valuable. It 

 is difficult to conceive of a higher honour than to be a member of 

 such a commission and to share in the task of evolving the ideal 

 of a Capital City as clear and distinct as was the vision of the 

 ■"New Jerusalem" to the inspired Seer, but which will take decades 

 perhaps centuries to realise. 



