CUSTOMS OFFICES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 301, 20 December 1922, Page 5

CUSTOMS OFFICES.

PROPOSES CENTRALISATION. ACCOMMODATION ON WHARVES. The proposal n> .•enir.ili.-e the Customs offices and examination sheds on the wharves »■»< referred to at n special meeting of ;'.ie Aiu-U'and flar'iaur Hoard this morning. The Distri-t tor the Public Works Department. wrote statin;; lie understood the matter had already been considend by tlie hoard in the -iuipo Jl two schemes: lvi The centrali-aiion of Customs wharf staff and examination shed accommodation under one roof, probably one of the shejn on Central wharf: ib) The accommoilation needeil under (a I. with the addition of accommodation for the Collector of Customs and stall' and tiio Marine Department (now limisixl in flovcrntnent Buildinp«) in a building to he erected liv the AuricI land Harbour Hoard on a suitable central site, probably rm the north ~iile of Quay Street, hetwen the Queen's and Cential wharves. Tt was hardly necessary to refer to the advantages thrtt ■would follow centrali-ation m above. such advantages hem;: no douht generally admitted. Up desired, however, t." ask whether tip boaril would dftinitely consider proposal i !i ■ and if the hoard I was favourable wii-n erection might lie contemplated: what probable site would be adopted: what class of building would ■be proposed: and particularly what rental might lie required for acrohimodaj tion to lie provided for the Collector and staff and for the Murine Department? The amount of net accommodation required For the two departments wouH be a* follows:—Collector of Customs, 3.200 gqtiaiv feet, and .M.irine Department 3000 -i|uare feet. In addition to this the wharf stafT would require lo.liui r-quare feet for examination sheds and 4000 square feet tor the Staff. In the event of the board not beinjr able to entertain a building proposition. In , would be glad to be advised regarding the proposal for a Central wharf office and examination shed. The irlioirman I Mr. IT. R. Mackenzie) moved that the matter lie referred to the board in committee. •Mr. <;. i:. Ihitchinson said that h* thoiiirht liisit the board should adhere to its original intention to try and pet the examination sheds centralized. lie did not think the board should borrow money to build a live-storey building for all the Government offices mentioned. l.ilder (he district engineer"* propo.-ai it would mean that the board would frive 19.000 square feet of space free and the Government would only pat for 8000 square feet. The motion was carried.