Farewell To Buckets

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31017, 24 March 1966, Page 1

Farewell To Buckets

(t rum Our Own Reporters

WELLINGTON. March 23.

New hope is being horn in Parliament Buildings. The buckets which have adorned the main corridors, notably the one outside the office of the Minister of Finance (Mr Lake), may not be needed again.

Nobody can be sure until the winter rains begin again but contractors are replacing if he roof on the war-time additions which constitute the third floor of Parliament Buildings f Until now, the theory is, rainwater has found its wayround the war-time additions, on to the original flat roof, and thence by earthquake and rain-made channels into the main structure —to emerge in some embarrassing places. The exact course of these most serious of all Parliamentary “leaks" has neverj qu’te been traced. Today a contractor to the

Ministry of Works has been given a contract of £B5OO, which may take four months to complete. The firm is replacing the original roofing of layered felt fabric and malthoid, which apart from anything else is adjudged a fire hazard. In its place, and covering the war-time cabinet extensions which now constitute the prime ministerial suites, a membrane of German-design-ed waterproof plastic will be placed.

This Is the same materia) which covers the hyperbolic paraboloid structure surmounting the new Broadcasting House next door.

The new roof, thin and flexible, but impervious to fire, will be laid on top of acoustic and insulating material.

Contractors have special instructions to avoid disturbing the Prime Minister or the Cabinet, which meets every Monday in this top section. The men are working to a strict schedule which calls for work on this section only be tween 7 and 9.30 or 10 a m.

To prevent their piercing security in the External Af-

fairs Department, which occupies the rest of the third floor, the workers have been provided with a special route to the roof.

Pessimists believe that it is yet too early to dispense with the bucket system. Previous attempts at repairs, they say, meant only that the buckets had to be resited in less convenient places.