WELLINGTON GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13907, 5 December 1910, Page 8

WELLINGTON GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

♦ WHAT IT HAS COST. J (STECIAL TO "TH» PEBS3.") ; WELLINGTON, December 3. I The Public Works Estimates were under consideration in the House this morning. Mr F. M. B. Fisher moved the reduction of the item "Government House, Wellington, £30,000" by£l, in order to allow the Minister of Public Works to fulfil a promise he made earlier in the session to give information relative to the cost of the erection of the new residence. Jn reply, tho Hon. R. McKenzie said the total cost of Government House up to September 27th last was £53,423. including the cost of furnishing to September 27th, and there had been very little since. Mr Fisher said the House was originally informed that the building would cost £25,000, and it had cost £53,000. The Hon. R. McKenzie said the actual cost of Government House was £245,847. Having secured this information, Mr Fisher withdrew his motion. Mr Pearce then moved as an amendment that the item be reduced hv £'2 as a protest against the extravagant waste that had. taken place in regard to tlie scheme. Mr Massey said he tliought there was no necessity for tho site ,of Government House to have been changed. The Hon. R. McKenzie said that after the fire no other scheme was possible. As soon as tho old Government House was altered it could not ne turned again into a Vice-regal residence. He thought that the new residence was equal to anything in the Southern Hemisphere. ■Mr Pearce eaid that the old site was much better than the new site. A grave blunder had been mado. Mr Luke- declared that the new Government House site was the best pewsihln in the city. Mr Nosworthy described the whole scheme as "tommy rot."' Mr Luke: What is wrong with the site? Mr Nosworthy: It is in a smoky hole; it is in the worst possible position. The amendment was rejected by 39 rotes to 23.