STATE ARCHITECTURE IN NEW ZEALAND.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13231, 26 September 1908, Page 8

STATE ARCHITECTURE IN NEW ZEALAND.

We sympathise with tho s-pirit, if not with the letter, of tho Hon- T. K. MaedonakTs motion in tho Legislative Council with regard to tho designing of buildings for tho Government. Mr Maodonald would havo competitive designs called for buildings exceeding £3000 in value. Truth to tell, tho present practice in regard to tho designing of public buildings in this Dominion ia about as unsatisfactory as it is possible to conceive. Tho Government havo in the Public Works Department an architect, an exceedingly coiiecientious and painstaking officer, who, we believe, is worth a larger salary than the meagre amount for whioh he is set down in the Estimates. For the ordinary work of the Department there is no doubt ho is fully qualified, and do« exceedingly well. It is absurd to sup-po-vo, however, that ho is capable of designing such important buildings as the new Houses of Parliament with the note of dignity and artistic excellence for which one naturally Icolcs in buildings which are to last for generations, and to bo used for the highest offices 01 State. If ho wero so qualified l he would easily bo able to command at least threo or four times the salary he is at present receiving. Tho Government have tacitly admitted tho necessity of outside assistance by calling in private architects on various occasions. Thero lias, however, been at times a suspicion that political influonco has been allowed to weigh with those selections, and the results have not always been satisfactory. If competitive' designs for the new Parliamentary Buildings, Government offices, and Government House, are to bo called for in Xew Zealand, thero will still remain tho difficulty of selecting tho best design. It is quite possible that wo Irive in out midst architects capablo of furnishing designs worthy of the importance of tho buildings, but we should liko to liavo somo reasonable assurance that tho best would be selected by some authority competent to judge. Personally, wo believe that tho best results would bo achieved by following the plan adopted by the Canterbury pioneers when they wished to build a Cathedral worthy of tho snored pur•poso to which it was dedicated, and to set a standard of architcotisrail teste which generations to como might admire and profit by. They called in the ecclesiastical architect who, at that time, stood at the head of his profession in England, tho kite Sir Gilbert iScobt. Canterbury people, we venture to say, will ever feci grateful for the wii-dom and foresight displayed in making this choice, and for the admirable taste in which other public buildings wore designed in the early deys of tho province. We thinik, therefore, that the best p-lan for tho Government to follow would bo to entrust tho designing of tho new buildings-to some European architect of atekuowledgod eminence-, -who has had experience in a similar class of work. Failing this, the next best plan would be to call for competitive designs, and get .somo English architect of acknowledged ability to seleot tho best. Objections will,' perhaps, be made to this 'proposal on tho score of tho delay which it would involve. We would' point out, however, that a building which is to house the Parliament of the Dominion for generations to como should not bo rushed up in a hurry like a wool store or a jerry-built suburban hall. It should no planned with forethought and deliberation, and put together with the best workmanship, superintended by the ■best professional skill.