On 6 July Menzies delivers the first Baillieu Lecture that was founded
in London in honour of great Australian, Lord Baillieu.
Opening of Lake
Burley Griffin:
"When the time came to give the lake a name, I remember
my then minister for the Interior, Gordon Freeth, coming to me and saying,
'There is a widespread feeling that, as you have been in a material
sense the father of this lake, it should be named after you.' My reply
was prompt. 'Gordon,' I said, 'that is a characteristically pleasing
thought on your part, but the lake is not going to be named after me.
Do you remember that the original designer of this city and the original
creator of the whole notion of a lake was Walter Burley Griffin. So
far as I know, he has no memorial in this place. He must have one. I
want to have the lake called Lake Burley Griffin.' It was so named and
has given Griffin a memorial which no man ever more handsomely deserved."
R G Menzies The Measure of the Years, 1970 p 147-8.
In December
Robert Menzies' Cabinet gives him a special dinner to celebrate his impending
70th birthday and his 15th anniversary as Prime Minister.
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Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies officially opens Lake Burley Griffin,
Canberra 4
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