GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 548, 1 July 1909, Page 2

GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE.

THE ,WORK IN* PROGRESS,

DEFENCE OF THE DESIGN.

■ A busy sceno is now • prcsonted by tbo Mount View site, where tlus now' vioe-regal residence is to stand. The Public Works Departe»«it. which is erecting- tho building iteolf id order to save the time required for calling ahd considering tenders, has twentyone labourers and fourteen carpenters / engaged upon the work, Part of the female ■ wing ,of the asylum his been moved back to make room, for the new, building, and soma dormitories and lavatories; will also have to bB shifted. Tho female, wing will be used again for patients ■ in;its new position, but tho.-other accommodation referred to' will bo removed entirely. A large area, which formerly consisted of walks and flower beds; has - 1 been levelled, and ' a good deal has been already done in:th®,way of ; laying-out; tha foundations, trenching; and excavating. , The ' 1 ground dimensions; of the building: 'will bo ■ about ,300 ft. long by , about 150 ft, . in depth. A. start will probably be mode with , putting in tho ; ooncreta for the actual construction'' work next; week, and it is hoped to; haro tho building ready, for;,occupation in April next. Tho route has been-pegged off for'the new ontrance-way from Sussex Square. Slight Changes in the Plans. The' building will carry a • small towor,' - whioh did,not appear in the published;plans; ■ to which exception was taken. A tower was' • contemplated from tho first, provided .tliat it could bo, furnishedwithout sacrificing! somo moro useful feature, in view ot the'Sniited ■■ expenditure .which the, Government was'dis--posed to incur. Tho tower, which will be ia ' the middle of the, building,- will support' tho usual flagpole. ; The roof of this servants' quarters has been lowered, with the effect of breaking the'long ikylino.i but no other al- - - terations .'.been made to the plans as published; Tlie Governmont Axchitoct '(Mr. J. Campbell) - states that*special restrictions wore imposed oh him; by" tho tho' site, which is at present surrounded on threo site by- the asylum', buildings,- , and • it Iwaa • decided from tho first, to subordinate external" appoaranco to: convenience ;. of internal arrangements; both as- regards -tho privateand official portions of: tho .building, , His " . Excellency Ivord Plunkot has expressed him-' ■ self entirely satisfied with the apportionment • ■ of intornal; space, in regard to wnich soveral improvements havebeen made on tho arrang©-inont-s of the old Government House. Tlio front of tho building, Mr. CampbellVstatos, will -bo much less i'straig-ht and monotonous than the published elevations suggest, - as .several of tho wings stand out, and t&cw aro also deep balconies-and verandahs;" "' 1 Reasons for a Wooden Building. I With regard to statements that the building should have been constructed'in brick,' ' llr.i Campbell says he represented that it 1 I would be unsafoto build so large a residence of, that fabric,. unless steel .reinforcements i .were .employed, to inake. it earthquake-proof. | tho offcct of whioli would.be to double tho - cost of tho building, Tho San Francisco | and Messina earthquakes showed that largo- ;1 I sized buildings of. unieinforced- brick Joould i not withstand a , heavy shake; and an earth- ' ■ I quake as severe as some that have been felt v I here in the past nught visit Wellington at -i i any time. Lord Plunkct fully agreed, that v!' tho building., should ' not be of unreinforood bnck, and tho Government could'hardly be expected.to double the expense of i a wooden ' building at the present time. .; ;/ " * i Precautions Against Firo. ; Exceptional precautions will bo taken, how. ; over, to .render tho ne\v residence unmflam- • mahlc, and,..thanks ,to. .the utilisation of tho - asylum site, it .will have safeguards against . ,fire .which. no' other building m ! Wellington : I possesses.;. .Theso; include . a largo pnvaio ■ : reservoir, independent of: the. town'supply, a largo water mam- surroundmc the entire building, and an. abundance of firo alarms- >■;: .'. ■ "It will be the best.residenoo .-/' i- . the ■•' ' Dominion.'; .Ciimpbcll, The Government Architoot is confident thai tho-building • will fully satisfy,aj} official, as well as pri- ■ vato, requirements, and that when it u finished.no>fault. will '.be found- with -it# ,:r appearance