THE NEW POST OFFICE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 126, 20 February 1908, Page 3

THE NEW POST OFFICE.

A FINE BUILDINC. • THE INTERNAL ARRANGEMENTS. The new Wellington Post Office, to be erected at a cost of about £70,000, will be a magnificent building. It should bo large enough to -satisfy the most extreme desires of the long-suffering officials who liavo grappled, for years past with an ever-increasing influx of mail matter, in premises baroly adequate to confine the torrent. When the now building is completed, and tho old structure is adapted to conform to it, tho entire edifice will bo divided hetweon the Post- and Telegraph and the Tourist Departments. The Government architect (Mr. John Campbell) has held conferences with the heads of these departments, and at last the separate requirements of all the principal branches that will occupy the now building have been provided for, to their common satisfaction, in tlio working plans. A few small alterations may yet be made, but tliey will not affect the general design of tho internal arrangements. A sketch of the front elevation of the new Post Office as it- will appear when completed was published in The Dominion some weeks ago. A few changes have since been mado in the external design, single columns, for example, being substituted for double, and other minor alterations made so as to' bring the styles of old and now buildings more into conformity, and to a.iiahle later additions to bo effected without marring the architectural effect. The new building will be constructed of brick; faced with New Zealand stone, to bo approved. Mr. Campbell states that the struoturo itself will ho entirely fireproof ; the only part that will bo subject to any danger from lira will be tlio contents. The! internal construction will be chiefly of steel columns and beams, the floors and staircases being built of ferro-concrote. Specially made British steel window frames and sashes Tvill be. used, of a kind not previously employed, it is' thought, in any public building in New Zealand. Only sections of tho windows will be mado to open.

Tho size of the building will be considerably in excess of present needs, so as to allow for the constant expansion of departmental business. A largo area on the fourth floor f will he left unfinished, and will serve as reserve accommodation.

An interesting account of tho internal arrangements -was kindly given to a representative of TnE Dominion by tho . Government Architect ' yesterday. Tho basement floor, will bo almost entirely given up to tho Parcels -Department of the Post Office. It will also contain six largo store-rooms for tlio various sections of tho Postal Department's work, each measuring 32ft. by lift. At tho foot of tho stairs will bo tho public parcels office, 40ft. by 15ft., with a counter running almost tlio entire length. At the end of this office will be tho Customs examination room. Roughly, tho parcels office will contain about 9250' square feet. Tho basement floor will also contain a carpenter's shop, 33ft. by 20ft., heating chamber, and bicyclo room. An electric lift will go from tlio basement up to tho cart entrance for receipt arid delivery of parcels.

The ground floor will be raised about sft. 6in. above tho streot' level, and tho main entrauce, facing Featherston Street; will bo through triple arches and up tlirco flights of steps leading to a spacious vestibule, 40ft. by 22ft. Behind tho vestibulo will bo the large public oflico, measuring 75ft. by 57ft.. with access through two dust and wind proof revolving doors. On tho left side of the vestibulo, as'ollo enters, will bo l an electric elevator and stairway to tho upper floors, and on tho right side a stairway to the parcels department, in ' tho basement. There will bo also on tho loft side of the vestibulo a doorway, giving access to what will eventually bo tho savings' bank department, a public offico measuring 4Gft. by 15ft., with counter extending the whole length. At first, however, this room will bo used for paying out old ago pensions and other work undertaken by tho Postal Department, and the savings bank business will bo carried ou in tho main public offico until'tho increase of work necessitates that 'it shall havo a room to itself. .

.On the right side'of the. vestibule, lis 0110 enters, will bo tho,postal boxes! Entering tho public office, 0110 will seo a large elliptical counter, enclosing a public spaco about by. 34ft. Behind tho counter, 011 tho.loft, will, be the ledger clerk and tellers of the savings bank and- money order departments. At tho left-hand end of tho elliptical counter, opposito the entrance, will bo the telegraphic spaco, and at the. other end a small inquiry offico and spaco for letter delivery and handling of registered letters.

The large public office will bo lighted by day by a main dome, 25ft.. in diametor, and • nino smaller domes, with a diameter of Bft. Tho domes will be situated in a "light area of 75ft. by CGft.

_ On tho left sido of this floor, facing Panama Streot, will be, tho, money order and savings bank .office, an apartment measuring about 70ft..,by 50ft. 011 the Grey Streot sido will be tho mail room, 120 ft. by'soft. .• The lobby for" privato. letter boxes: will bo. in tho angle of lfoatherston' and Gray Streets, and, the boxes will-diflor from thoso' now 111' uso in being mado all of steel,' by, Messrs. Chubb and Co., instead of .made of wood.

On the first floor tho principal rooms will bo an instrument, room, 93ft. by 50ft.; punching room, 47ft. by. 17ft.; letter carriers' room, 105 ft. by 50ft.; laboratory, officials' rooms, and : three largo rooms for clorks. Tho second floor will contain tho offico of tho Secretary's staff, 54ft. by 50ft., record room, three waiting rooms, and offico rooms.

_ On the third floor, on the Panama Street sido, will be the accountant's office, 65ft. by 50ft.; men's and ladies' retiring rooms, cloak rooms, and lavatories; tho Dead Letter offico, 60ft. by 30ft.; elearing.-room, 53ft. by 45ft.; and money order room (not public), 50ft. bv 38ft. V Tho fourth floor will contain a kitchen, 28ft. by 17ft., and ' refectory, 50ft. by 2oft. Tho remainder of this floor will be left unfinished for the prosont. There will be four electric lifts in tho building, including one for uso by tho public, at tho main ontrance. The alterations to be made to the present building will provide accommodation for the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, whose new promises will be entered, from Customhouse Quay. On the Panama Street side of tho old building will bo tho room 3 of tho telegraph dispatch clerks and messengers, and at tho back of the present building extensive lavatory and cloak accommodation on all floors will be provided.