PARLIAMENT Mr McAlpine And Mr Lake Clash On Station Progress

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27639, 21 April 1955, Page 14

PARLIAMENT Mr McAlpine And Mr Lake Clash On Station Progress

(From Out Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, April 20. A clash between two Christchurch - Government members—the Minister of Railways (Mr J. K. McAlpine) and Mr H. R. Lake, the member for Lyttelton —over the steps taken to speed up the preparation by a Wellington architectural firm of the plans for the new Christchurch railway station made this afternoon s sitting of the House of Representatives politically historic. For a Minister to assail a party member is most unusual. “I do resent the attack made on me by my own colleague in saying I have not gone about it in the most advantageous way; that is just too poor for words.” were the final words of Mr McAlpine’s reply to what he described as the trenchant'criticism of Mr Lake. The written reply of Mr McAlpine to a question by Mr R. M. Macfarlane (Opposition, Christchurch Central), who was informed that tenders for the foundations and basement of the main block and east wing were expected to be invited about the end of August by the architects, was discussed only by Mr Lake of the Canterbury members, but when the Minister made his vigorops defence Opposition members freely punctuated his remarks with “Hear, hear.” the voice of Mr J. Mathison (Avon) being heard above all others. Mr Macfarlane asked his question after a report in "The Press” of April 5 that work on the plans for the new station had been delayed and the early calling of tenders for the building was not possible. Minister’s Written Reply In his written reply Mr McAlpine said that the preparation of the detailed architectural and structural drawings for the station was going on. As the foundation and basement work was being done, the plans for the west wing foundations and whole superstructure would be completed in time to irtvite tenders for that major portion of the building and to enable the successful contractor to begin work as soon as the work in the first contract was completed. The Minister later said that the plans did not provide for full bus terminal facilities, but the west wing would include an off-street dock for the dispatch of special buses as required. That matter had been given careful consideration in the preliminary planning stage, having regard to the location of the present bus terminal in Victoria street, the present road service patrons, and the effect of increased long distance travel by rail-car in the future. “The present bus terminal is more conveniently situated than the railway station for the many people who regularly come into the city by bus from country districts to do their shopping.” said Mr McAlpine. “These people use the present terminal extensively and would be seriously inconvenienced if the terminal was shifted to the new railway station. Furthermore, while the present terminal is used to a lesser extent by long-distance bus passengers the introduction of railcar services on all main routes will further change the patronage of the terminal.” It was expected that through passengers would prefer rail-car travel, and that the services using the bus terminal in the future would be very largely confined to local routes, he said. In those circumstances, the retention of the present terminal was considered preferable to including extensive facilities in the new station building Mr Lake’s Views Discussing the reply, Mr Lake said that Mr Macfarlane had done the people of Christchurch a service in asking a question on the delay in letting tenders for the new station, as given in a report. What he was interested in was where the statement

emanated, because it did not tie up with the Minister’s statement, which was a definite one. “There is no need to convince the Minister of the need for a new railway station for his city and mine,” said Mr Lake. He believed in private enterprise, and if private firms could assist the Government they should be invited to do so, but he was concerned whether the firm of architects was doing all it could to speed up the job, said Mr Lake. There was no lack of desire on the Government’s part to get the station built, but the architects could very easily drag their feet. “I would suggest to the Minister that it would be a very good thing for the people of Christchurch if he would have a word with the architectural firm and see that they don’t let him down on the date suggested for the calling of tenders,” said Mr Lake. “I am also disappointed to learn that the first stage of the job will be to construct the foundation and basement of the main block and east wing. I think it would have been better to let the job as a whole. Knowing the contracting facilities available in Christchurch, I know they could do with a big job in the next month or so, and I think it would be a good thing if the Minister would accept from me and the cither Christchurch members of Parliament the suggestion that he does everything possible to speed up the preparation of the plans.”

Mr McAlpine’s Reply After a very brief reference to the power situation, Mr McAlpine said he would like to reply to the trenchant criticism of Mr Lake, who had said he thought it was quite improper for the Government to let a contract for the foundation of the building before it let a contract for the erection of it. “I don’t know whether he thinks we have sky hooks to hook the building on,” said the Minister. “He criticises trenchantly the decision to let the contract for the foundations before the construction. I want to tell him I want to build the station in Christchurch just as quickly as I can, and I don’t want any help from anybody else. I propose to go about this just as quickly as I can do so. “I have taken all the steps suggested. I have consulted with the architects and engineers in every way humanly possible to ask them to step up the preparation of the plans for these buildings. First the building was planned some years ago. There was a hold-up, and since then there have been many mechanical improvements in the design and structure of modern buildings, and it has become necessary, in view of the march of time, to review some aspects of the building. It is now necessary to use much more welding instead of the slower method of riveting. With all these methods it has been necessary to redraw the plans to some extent.

“I have consulted With the quantity surveyors, the engineers of the Railways Department and the architectural firm in Wellington on whether there is any way we can get this building started without waiting for the completed plans,” Mr McAlpine said. “Their advice to me, corroborated by contractors, engineers, and quantity surveyors, is that we can call for the tenders for the foundation of the east wing while the plans for the main buildings are being taken out. “We will start that building as quickly as oossible. When the contract is let for the foundations we will call for tenders for the replacement of the existing building. I Wink the Christchurch members, anyway, want to see that station building. It has been promised most of my lifetime, and I don’t want to see it promised any longer.”