Memoirs - Page 13
Over that half century the position and status of the six colonies which had agreed to merge to form a Federation which became the Commonwealth of Australia changed appreciably in the eyes of the world and in those of the people making up its population. The emancipation of women was well under way - they having won the right to vote - and the concept of equal pay for equal work was becoming a probability if not a reality. The conquest of the tyranny of distance - in terms of speed and access - was in full swing via sea, air and ground transport (rail and motorized) - even the "invasion", by man, of outer space was becoming a realizable goal. Communication - postal, radio, telephonic and telegraphic - was developing (and improving) apace, and even television was discernible on the near horizon. The wars had presaged enormous technological and scientific changes - an atomic bomb to speed the end of the Pacific war with Japan and the enormous energy effects that was to bring about - and the "modern" financial and economic world was in turmoil; changing almost before one's very eyes.
Mum and Dad (as noted elsewhere) had survived the first decade (1901 - 1910) of the new century - sometimes suggested to have been the forgotten one - as relative youngsters. Sport was king as a favourite pastime of participants and spectators and early Australians were showing indications of considerable prowess in many areas of it. Drinking was emerging as the great Australian male pastime and the development of the ASPRO company, it has been said, confirmed the interest and reliance of women on the headache powder. Development was rife, however, with particular interest in and emphasis on airborne activity. Notwithstanding that agriculture and primary industries were well established the population was principally identified as being located in the cities and on the coast lines.
The decade 1911 - 1920 was, of course, overwhelmed by the First World War - touted as "the war to end all wars". The site - Canberra - for the home of the Federal Parliament - was determined, though construction work on the House did not commence until 1923, and an American architect - Walter Burley GRIFFIN - won a competition to design and construct it (in the event he "fell out" with both his supporters and critics and did not become involved in the construction). This finally fell to the lot of the Government Architect of the day John Smith MURDOCH. The emerging film industry was well catered for, and competently managed, in Australia while the famous retail trading firm G. J. Coles appeared in 1914 with the avowed policy to sell low cost merchandise. The ANZAC's paid dearly (10,000 dead) for their historical participation at Gallipoli (nine VC's won) and in the "Great" war (59,000 odd killed/ 152,700 wounded) at a cost believed to be in excess of £M370. A significant service - the world famous and unique Flying Doctor Service of Australia - was born out of an incident in 1918 (the last year of the war) to provide medical services to outlying isolated areas of Australia.