DOMINION HOUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 179, 29 July 1913, Page 5

DOMINION HOUSE.

FREEHQI/D OF rEKS SITE. LOJSDON, July 28. The Improvement? Committee of the London County Council recommends that the Strand site be -jfiered Earl Grey at a price of £130,000 m connection with his proposal to hous'. the overseas Dominions' London offices and displays of colonial produce under one roof in London. The cable ind.ira.tos that the L.C.C. is now willing to part with the freehold of the site β-aggested by Lore! Grey. Previously the "Council 'declined to' consider any other tenure than a leasehold. The pro-posal that the site should be used for the erection of an Imperial . centre containing all the Government offices of the overseas Dominions has besn put forward on several occasions since Australia led the way in securing the Strand site from the London County Council. At present the offices of the Canadian and Sou.th African Provincial Governments, like the offices of the Governments of the Australian States, are scattered all over London. It would be a great advantage if all the Government offices or VJie overseas Dominions were in one locality, but the difficulty which stands in the way is that most of them have long leases of the premises they already occupy and would be put to some expense if they vacated them. The London County Council would be very glad to get rid of the site for which Earl Grey is in negotiation. It has been a. white elephant to the Council, chiefly because of its situation. It is certainly one of the finest sites in London for an impressive building of an Imperial character, but, as it stands at the junction of the city proper with Westminster, it is not a very suitable site for ordinary business purposes. The main centres of business are much further east and west. The site is part of the Aldwyoh improvement scheme of the London County Council, which, in payments for resumptions, interest on expenditure and loss in rates on vacant property, has cost the Council over £7,000,000. ' Earl Grey and his friends who are putting tip lie money for the option over the cite are acting unofficially for the present, as they have not the support of any of the Dominions to their scheme, but they have taken it up for patriotic reasons, and not with the intention of making money out of it.