Historical information

Kew, in Melbourne, Victoria, was declared a Borough in 1859, following which the first Council was elected in 1860. Kew became a Town in 1910, and a City in 1921. It was amalgamated into a new City of Boroondara in 1994. The centenary celebrations of 1860 marked 100 since the first Kew Council was established.

Significance

This reel-to-reel tape, now digitised, is both rare (ie unique) and historically significant. While the recording clearly has local significance, it is also of national and international significance due to the content of the Prime Minister's address. The focus of his speech is the nature of Australian democracy and its strengths, deriving from universal suffrage and the acceptance of democratic values by the Australian population, gained through historic participation in democracy at local, state and federal levels. RG Menzies mounts a strong case for each level of government having value in the development of Australian democracy. He also describes the emerging democracies of Africa in the period following decolonisation, and suggests that the success of these countries is dependent on democratic institutions not being imposed from above by colonial powers.

Physical description

City of Kew Centenary 1860-1960
Speeches by The Hon RG Menzies, MHR for Kew, and Cr WHS Dickinson, Mayor of Kew.
Recorded on 13th December 1960 at the Kew City Hall
34 minutes 29 seconds
From the archives of the Kew Historical Society Inc
Copyright Kew Historical Society Inc

Timings
00.14-17.00 The Right Hon RG Menzies MHR
17.07-32.33 Cr. WHS Dickinson
32.38-33.10 The Right Hon RG Menzies MHR
33.30-33.50 Cr. WHS Dickinson
33.51-34.25 Song - 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow'

Inscriptions & markings

Label on original box