OUR NEW MUSEUM

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 520, 29 May 1909, Page 5

OUR NEW MUSEUM

V,'.•::■>;-THE MOUNT COOK 1 SITE..: ; ■■ : :;' ■: the. result "of "the - ihstketidh of : A1 P t. brtto Mister Works (Hon, B-.M-Konzie - and "the MinIsfc «*;v for Internal Atfairs, (Hon. D. Biiddo) afternoon, it is underetood that the, idea of/converting tho Alexandra Bar-' racKß; : into., a museum :haa been , practically abandoned.owuigto.theifflmenße thickness of the walls of the originally designed ( i T . * PHson,' and the difficulty: of, making InytnMg ililte ; ; a satisfactory: 'conversion ot tho building without .involving heavy -expondi-; ture,';.-' '/'■>.' ;.'-.-■ ~ !^"!J ■". ; / : ■- '■ v' ; :* r \ -- ■ ' -i , - ? :' ■ ■" A ?ot{io'r factor leading' to ! tlio .rejection '■ of tho building :is.its suitability for use as a storehouse of the..Now.-Zealand Government Archives. Being firc-prodf, and sub-divided into.so,many;small ; oslls,■:it offers an admirable Bolutiou of the diffioultj. which at pro,eent;exists .pf: finding, rooih and safetyfW those; valuable docuraents, many of which are Bt,presont stored in tho "big wooden build-* ing,. ; -and ■psnoeod. ,, to:the , danger of total destruction by fire. - : -.'. ■■ - ■:■ .'■"'. .■-•■ ■ •' I* - is; Practically .settled ;that ! the' new niu- : seum will .be built on to the low structures : fe?il m^ri t h eb arracks > at present tenanted •by,; tho. Def oned Headduarters Steffi It will • bo a_ two-stoned^edificej , : ornate in /desian,' , ,frenting Bucko Streot, and• couimandinii a : fino-vie*,-of• the .harbour.;,:lt is even • pro- ; bable -thaf an additional. ston- will be nro- . vjdod for- ; building "will probably. stand : fairly :toll ionvard, tho space -in front being tastefully -laid out :m ornamental trees and shrubs. , .:,.':. ,■■' ■'■ .-■.■.■.'■.';■...•:■ : r ', . ; ~.-In. the event of the' barracks being given ,oycr. r as a deposit' for the-archives, the garrison at present quartered .there will protttbly be W; Point ■Hnlswell, near thevforts, and quartercdiin thebliilding at . present .tenanted :.liy tne-.prison -labourers, • which was originally designed for the pur- , . poSM'of a military.barracks. The headquarters staff; of. tho Defence' Department will, of cburte, be located m the city, whero room' srill/be found for. its.- members in one of the :• buildings, ;,..' : . .