ADDITION TO RAILWAY STATION

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 54, 26 November 1938, Page 12

ADDITION TO RAILWAY STATION

Wellington Improvements Approved

PRESSING DEMANDS TO

BE MET

Details of additions that are to be made to tire 'Wellington Bailway Station were announced yesterday by the .Minister of Bailways, Mr. Sullivan. He said these were necessary to meet the pressing demands for additional accommodation at the station. Cabinet had agreed some time ago to the required improvements being carried out. Plans were approved of, and the lower of the two tenders submitted that of the Fletcher Const ruction Company, Ltd.—had been accepted, the contract price being in the vicinity of £6(1,000.

Mr. Sullivan said that in determining the nature and extent of the improvements, full consideration was given to all immediate needs, and the requirements of the near future also were studied carefully. The outcome was a scheme of enlargement which it was hoped would meet present and prospective demands and at the same time retain (be admirable architectural grace of the original structure. “The alterations comprise an extension of the cafeteria to the Featherston Street frontage, the enlargement of the kitchen facilities, and necessary improvements to provide for the increased staff which the growth of the business requires,” said Mr. Sullivan. “The new cafeteria will have a floor space of 1738 square feet (79ft. x 22ft.) and provide seating for 48 additional patrons. The extensions will provide additional accommodation for the traffic staff as well as extra storage room for the refreshment branch. Ou an upper floor of this extension there will be offices for a district locomotive engineer and iris assistants, and badly needed accommodation for other sections of the staff. Other changes provide for accommodation on the second floor for the correspondence school, at present conducted in a detached wooden building.

“The additions will have a total length of 226 ft. by a width of 42ft. The new portion will be. a continuation northward of the Featherston Street wing and will be a three-story structure, dropping to one story so constructed as to permit of additional stories to tire full height of the station building if this further extension is required in the future. “Portion of the extra accommodation now required had been provided for in the architects’ original plans,” said Mr. Sullivan; “but when the plans were redrawn in 1933 in order to reduce expenditure consequent upon the financial depression, the space for the refreshment, branch and other sections, which is now urgently required, was curtailed considerably.” Tire Minister said that the contract provided for the completion of the alterations and additions before the opening of the centennial exhibition next year.

Messrs. Gray, Young, Morton and Young are the architects.