RAILWAY ENGINEERS' OFFICES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 135, 7 June 1907, Page 5

RAILWAY ENGINEERS' OFFICES.

Some time ago the Railway Department commenced the erection of a wooden building on the railway station property facing Queen-street for the temporary accommodation of the engineers' staff. The Mayor took the matter up, and his prompt and firm protest resulted in a stoppage of the work. At the City Council's meeting last night the Mayor notified that he had received a ____-t.llni__t.i_Tr from the Minister of Railways, stating that it was now proposed to erect the building on the south side of the railway station, at the back of Mr. A. H. Nathan's warehouse. Mr. Farrell: Is it in the brick area? The Mayor: It is. Mr. Parr: Nothing for it but the crowbar brigade. He suggested that the Mayor should view the site, and if it wera found to be an eyesore another protest could be put in. The. Mayor said that it was owing to his action that the work was suspended, and he was pleased that the Minister had recognised the very serious objection to the project. It was hardly credible that the Department seriously contemplated the erection in such a place of such an abortion of a building as a permanency. It was their duty to see that nothing was done detrimentally affecting the city, but if this were only temporary it was a question whether it was advisable to proceed with opposition, provided the fire hazard was not increased. Their agreement might assist in the erection of an up-to-datei building to replace the present unsightly structure. The Government was not bound by the city's by-law as to the brick area.

It was decided to thank the Minister for his action regarding the first site, and with regard to the second to state that they made no comment, assuming that the building was a temporary one.