RAILWAY STATION BUILDINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 136, 8 June 1907, Page 6

RAILWAY STATION BUILDINGS.

PROTEST AGAINST PROPOSED WOODEN BUILDING. Notification was. received by the Mayor on Thursday last ' from the Minister lor Railways stating that the Department intended to erect offices iv wood for the engineer and his staff on the site at Vac rear of Mr A. H. Nathan's warehouse, at the south end of the. railway station, instead of near the Queeustrcet frontage. In commuuieatin« this : |to the City Council. Mr Mvers stated that while it behoved them to see that j nothing was done contrary to the bylaws or prejudicial io the city's interests !he did not see why further objection | should be raised, provided that the building was to he temporary, and that fire hazard was not affected. ' The Council dee-ided to reply in these terms. The Mayor was informed yesterday by the chairman of the Underwriters'' Association that the fire risk of adjacent buildings wotfld be greatly increased, and the Association strongly protested ; against such a buildiDg as was proposed. j The Mayor accordingly entered an emphatic protest against ._ erection of such a building, and telegraphed as follows to the Hon. Hall-Jones: — Pleased to receive eomtnuuieation that wooden building for engineer's offices facing Queen-street is not being proceeded with, but regret to learn of the intention to erect a similar wooden structure on the other side of railway sta- | tion, in our brick area, as chairman of the Underwriters' Association has protested to mc that the fire risk of adjacent valuable properties will be seriously affected. I circumstances, I respectfully but emphatically protest, against the Government violating our by-laws, and trust you will recognise your moral obligation, and seriously consider the | urgent necessity of erodting a Wrick building worthy of the city's requirements and the site. lv connection v\ith this matter the •following Press Association telegram from Wellington, which appeared in our columns on May 14th last, is of interest: — "Replying to a communication from the Mayor that the Government is overriding the city by-laws by erecting wooden buildings within the brick area of the city, the Acting-Premier (the Hon. W. Hall-Jones) explains that onlj j a small wooden v extensioii is being made jto the Government Departmental" Buildings, Lambton Quay. He points out that the Departmental Buildings occupy a large block of land entirely by themselves, and that the risk of fire spreading to or from such buildings is |very remote." He added: '"I have to asjsure your Worship of the. Government's entire sympathy with the Corporation by-law. which requires all ordinary buildings within the inner area of the city to be erected with incombustible materials, in proof of which I need only remind you of the valuable, and handsome brick and stone structures which have beeu erected by the Public Works Department within the city in recent years. They include the Government Printing Office, new Custom-house, Geological Department's offices in Sydneystreet, addition to Parliament Buildings and also to the Public Trust offices, new Drill Hall bow in course of erection, and further additions to Parliament j Buildings, for which a tender has just I been accepted." j