NEW PARLIAMENT HOUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 72, 23 March 1912, Page 9

NEW PARLIAMENT HOUSE.

FOIJNDATIOjr 6TONE I_ID. (By Telegraph!— Own Coneapondest.) WELLINGTON, this day. The foundation stone of the new Parliament Buildings, at the corner of. Motes-worth-street and __lbton-quay, was this afternoon laid by hie Excellency the Governor, Lord Islington, in the presence of a large number of people. The design for the Parliamentary Bi—_ng was selected from the thirtythree schemes sent in. CoL Vernon, the Australian architect who was called in to act as adjudicator upon the designs, awarded the first prize of £1000 to the plana submitted by Mr. John Campbell, Government architect, and Mr. Claude Pa ton (of the Public Works Department, Wellington). It is understood that Mr. Campbell's design, which will io voire aa expenditure from £.1*5,000 to £195,000, will be carried out by tbe Government with a few modifications of a comparatively unimportant character. An inspection of tbe prize design shows a Parliament House worthy of the name, and one that will be a credit to the capital city. The first impression one receives, is that the whole building is rather low as compared with its length. The lowneasj- however, is handsomely relieved by the large oantral dome and by the clerestory roofs which surmount the chambers of tbe House of Representatives and Legislative Council. Certainly there is no superfluous ornament or "filigree work" about the design. Solidity and dignity are the two outstanding features. The House will b« of stone. Tbe style of architecture is English Renaissance—massive hut not uabandsaaie. The sketch of the front elevation, running north and south, show* a building standing on a fine elevated site, extending from the "front of the present Parliament Buildings tn about the middle of Sydney-street, tb* thoroughfare* which will Shortly be closed, in order to make one complete Government block. The" principal feature of the front is a stone stairway. forty feet wide, flanked by two group* of statuary, leading up to the main floor of the building, which is to "be fourteen feet above the ground surface. Thie Stairway will here long colonnades of lonic-capped pillars ten feat wide, on either side. At either and of the building, pavilions will project ont beyond tbe colonnades, in siarilaf fashion to the stone stairway. The dome over the main lobby will be thirty-five feet in diameter. The main floor will contain its two Chamber., lanre and lofty, and esepecialty wellventilated, to library, members' lobby, Ministers' and Speakers' rooms, and Cabinet room; on its ground floor or basement will be the committee too—» and members' rooms. Bellamy's is provided for at the rear of tbe south end. ■ear Museum-street. Tbe northern end will extend to within forty feet of tbe present library buildings, with which it can be connected by a corridor.