PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 68, 18 September 1917, Page 7

PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

( S-PACE GOING TO WASTE.

Much remains tp.be done before the liew Parliament Buildings are completed, but on the other hand much has already been accomplished. lOne of the members of !,Parliament .-who ■ has taken a . deep, interest in the progress of ■ the structure ■ is Mr. H. G.\ Ell, who, in the course of to ihterview' with a re-, porter, Stated^ he considered it a great waste of public money to allow such a large sum of. money to lie idle as was the case" at present in regard to the new .bijilding. "If thS present apiount of labour" engaged ;. or< the buiidliig•'■' were concentrated in completing such jportion of' it as' could be completed,' 1, said ..Miv E11,,." there "is not the slightest doubt .that, within the rieit: six 'or nine - months fully, forty rooms coukTbe handed over tc the.Go^ vernment for public Use."This would en- | able the Government to. use several of the large rooms' in the old • building for 'public;-purposes,-,.Some;of which are-,now occupied by the ■ Public. Health Department; andt.thei .Valuation ..Department, 'the iniTual;'valtie "of"these"fpoms cannot be. niuch' less than £1500. I calculate 'this oh'the ba.s'is'-.ot^he'.reht the Go.v.ernmerifc is paying for accommodation in various; departments riri Wellington, Already' stress of requii'emgnts foraccoiftmbdation. has forced; the Government to take- a; privatehouse on The Terrace, lnucti to the-in-convenience of, the "public, and meaning an' added ■ cost'• of'.administrat-ioli., ...The Public Departments are housed all over the city. The Defence .pepartmenb is scattered over several' buildings. Some of the departments. are'.,in.'Manners-street, Feathei'stoii-;streetj; Laaibton-quay, and • judging by- the- pformation contained in the telephone list> the Piibtic De'part,nients,;tn>iet; be, '.Sij,' a;,d|Szen parts of,',- the city. ■ Thus there 'is a wa^te • going- on at present that would provide for the increased accommodation in the old building. Already,five'-addilaCin's have been made to provide extra accommodation, ..which, cottld.,Hot have cost -Jess- -'than .£15pO,:Vr;'I';:,:;::":;..:; "'.:•■:.';■•■;:.:■■.;;:'.:;