PARLIAMENTARY LOVE AFFAIRS ; BLACK BOOK FILLED WITH STEAMY DETAILS

 The  dynamic , innovative   Edward William Cole  , who  ran  a unique  bookshop and  publishing business  in Melbourne , in 1914 showered   politicians  and officials   with  Love ,The Sweetest Thing In the Universe,  a  book  he  edited .  It consisted  of  portraits and  biographies of  eminent authors and  their  sayings  about  l'amour.  

The books were  distributed to every member of   federal parliament and   even  members of  both  houses in  each state. In  the  above   picture the   stacks of   Love  were said to  indicate  the   comparative  representation  of  each  state.

From 1901 to l927, the new Commonwealth of Australia  was  governed and administered from Melbourne while a new  capital  city was built in Canberra. 

 A  tiny book  business started by Cole in l883  grew into the renowned  Cole's  Book  Arcade , under a giant rainbow, which sported a fernery, a brass band , a million books  and   much more.  It  was visited by  Rudyard  Kipling and  Mark Twain .  It produced a popular series of   Cole's   Funny  Picture Books  for children , pamphlets on many subjects , including  one against the White  Australia  Policy .  Cole died in 1918, the  business closed  1931.   

(Love, Cole,  Canberra.)