STATE BUILDINGS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 73, 19 December 1907, Page 3

STATE BUILDINGS.

PROSPECTS AND .HISTORY. If the present departmental buildings should bo dispensed with, and tho site leased to finance other grander buildings, they will at least have had a varied history. The site of the great wooden building was reclaimed from tho sea at a cost of £6000. The original structure was designed by Mr. W. H. Clayton (Colonial Architect), and erected by Messrs. Scoullar and Archibald at a cost of £56,000. The southern wing, which was a later oroction, cost about £4000, and this is also about the cost of tho northern wing just added, bringing tho total expenditure upon buildings and /site up to about £70,000. Tho franio of tho building is of Tasmanian blue-gum, and tho weatherboards and interior finishings of kauri. Despite the frequent internal alterations . with which it lias been shaken since, tho building is said to be still as sound as it was thirty years ago, though it has not the modern conveniences of buildings liko tho Customs and Railway Offices. The length of tho structure is about 265 feet, greatest depth of tho wings 160 feet, and average height 52 feet. When it was first erected it.sufficed to bring togotlier under one roof all tho Government departments, which had previously been scattered about tho city. Tho departments have since burst their confines, other largo buildings being erected to suit various needs. The present Government House, which may also bo superseded, was completed in 1871, from tho plans of Mr. Clayton, Colonial Architect. The value of the building was estimated by the architect at £16,245. As the maximum lifetime of a; wooden building is only fifty years, and vory few wooden buildings attain this ago, Government House cannot bo expected to have a very long period of usefulness before it. Its chief inadequacy is in facilities for entertaining, tho ball-room, in particular, being vory cramped.