GOVERNMENT HOUSE. To the Editor of the Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIV, Issue 1020, 7 April 1857, Page 3

GOVERNMENT HOUSE. To the Editor of the Southern Cross.

Sir, — In a recent number of the • New Zealander' ia a notice to correspondents, under the broad heading — "The Government House Inquihy." 11 Provincial" suggests that, as the General Government contemplate purchasing the Government House, and as an Architect has had to be summoned fiom the South to make plans for the new Government House in the Domain, they should call in that gentleman (Mr. Mountfoul), before he leaves by theZingari, to examine and report upon the construction and value of the present building. Hence, it is evident that " Provincial thought — thought he not wisely ? — that the Superintendent and his " Head of WoTks" were incompetent to examine and report upon the construction and y alue of the present building. lam afraid that our Superintendent has had a tick from two moons in one month ; thus to publish his own folly. Again, in the ' New Zealander' of the 28th ult , " Mr. Mountford's" name is dragged into service, apparently to damage the reputation of every architect in the Province. I wonder who made our petty Printer Superintendent a judge of " architectural skill" ? About three or four years ago a premium was advertised for the best design for a government house ; the cost was not to exceed £8000. Ten or twelve designs were sent in, with attached estimates, detailing each part. After the Government had made its selection the whole were exhibited, during a few weeks, in the hall of the Mechanics' Institute for public inspection, and I venture to say, a fair amount of " architectural skill" was shown. In the ' New Zealander' may be found any amount of twaddle about " Government House" — half ballusters instead of whole ballusters — four-pound lead instead of six-pound lead —all of which may be very false, seeing that we have no authority for it except that of " a master tradesman" who, for aught that is known to the contrary, may be a master chimney sweep, or a master scavenger : perhaps both combined, and constantly engaged in gathering filth for the pages of the ' New Zealander.' But supposing that the half-ballusters should have been whole ballusters, and the four-pound lead should have been six- pound lead,— and if fifty other variations from the original contract, — what then ? Until it is shewn that these variations have not been fairly adjusted, nothing is shown, but the ignorance and malevolence of the twaddler. Jack-in-office, in the name of " A Citizen,' ' has brought forth Tom Murphy's " valuation of Mr. Vaile's wooden pathway" once more. Once more he is wrong in every particular. The amount of money is wrong, and the amount and value of materials is wrong. Why don't he publish the " valuable statistical State papers" instead of "picking up" that which Torn Murphy drops. Presuming that he will oblige me, he can do so by publishing the correspondence between Dr. Campbell and myself relative to that which he foolishly calls '« Mr. Vaile'i pathway." Every one, except himself,

knows that the pathway belongs to thfr public — not to Mr Vaile. The " State Papeis," too, he ought to publish, and the bill of quantities, as measured and valued by those whose rightkil bu-*mef.s it was to do so, and who are also moie competent to the business than himself and hit. staff. To the public I beg to say, that, before I began to build my houses in Queen Street, I ascertained the lowest price at which I could obtain materials, and finally agreed with a sawyer to supply all that I wanted at 19s. 6d. per hundred. He delivered a large quantity but failo.l to do so laM; enough. I then closed his account and bought timber from sundries, as best I could, but nearly all at a higher price, the average price in the market being 20s. (3d. I Bubmit the matter to public judgment, and remain, Yours truly, G. Vaile, Architect. April 2nd, 1857.