Mr. H. Wilsonasked the Prime Minister what message he has sent to the Prime Minister of Australia on the occasion of the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Canberra.
§ The Prime MinisterI have sent the following message to Mr. Menzies
On behalf of the Government of Great Britain, I send to you and to the people of Australia our warmest congratulations on the occasion of the Jubilee of the founding of Canberra, and our best wishes for its continued prosperity. The achievements of the last fifty years indeed speak for themselves.173WIn commemorating the founding of Canberra as the seat of the Federal Government we are reminded that, of the many enduring ties between our two countries, none is firmer or more fundamenal than that which stems from our joint and steadfast adherence to the same principles of parliamentary democracy. It was in Westminster that those principles were first forged into the system of Government which we now share with you in Australia.We in Britain would therefore like to mark this Jubilee by offering, as a gift from the Government of Britain, some significant contribution to the development of Canberra to reflect our common Parliamentary heritage. We would wish this gift to blend in with the grand design for your beautiful capital city. It might perhaps be a set of ornamental fountains, or a bell-tower, either of which, we hope, would enhance the site of your new Houses of Parliament at the heart of Canberra, and serve as a reminder for all time of the close bonds between our two countries.