WORK WAITING

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 123, 27 May 1933, Page 14

WORK WAITING

NEGLECTED BUILDINGS

GOVERNMENT AN OFFENDER

(Contributed.) The condition both inside and outside of buildings owned and occupied by various Government Departments calls for serious consideration by the people of Now Zealand. When one looks round in . Wellington and observes buildings worth and valued at thousands of pounds going to rack and ruin, it 'is clear that it ia time somo action was taken to remedy, this state of affairs. It is' hard to say who is responsible for the upkeep of these buildings, but each department should be required to bear the cost of keeping the building it occupies iii good order. It is strange that, somo attempt has not been made to utilise, tho .unemployed carpenters, painters, and plumbers, etc., to renovate these buildings. Of course, the usual cry will be raised that tho' Government has no money to spend on buildings; but sooner or later tho money will have to be found, otherwise the neglect -will have gone too far and tho country will be put to further needless expense. As the Unemployment Board is reintrodueing its building scheme with a subsidised payment for labour, what an opportunity presents itself to the Govern ment to set an example to the rest of the community 1 If the board and those responsible for tho upkeep of Government buildings came together and formulated a plan to overhaul all Government buildings, not only in Wellington but- throughout New Zealand, what an incentive this would give te others to follow suitl Tho laboui alone required to renovate the Government ', buildings would no doubt be tho means of absorbing hundreds .of artisans who at present are doing useless or non-productive work. In work of this nature most of the money is spent on labour, as the cost of material is a very small proportion of the total. .Tho mcii could be paid a fair living wage, even award rates, and yet tho subsidy paid by the Unemployment Board would lessen the cost to tho Government and indirectly saye^ tho taxpayers. A few of the buildings which need attention may be mentioned. Tho old Parliament Buildings would bo improved with a coat of paint. Thu steps and stairs arc -tforn almost away, and many parts need renewing. The same applies to tho old Legislative Council Chambers. It would bo interesting to know, when the Government Buildings opposite were last painted or when any repairs except minor ones, were done. Has the adjacent war building ever been painted? Pass from'there to Wellington's famous railway stations (shall we evor get a new one?). The least said about these the better. Tho Government Printing Office would look better if it was scraped and painted with a preservative.1 Tho G.P.O. needs renovating, while the old building at the back requires a thorough overhaul. Tho Customs buildings require attention, and Buckle Street Barracks all need overhauling and renovatiirg. Thero is hardly a Government building in AVerlino'ton that does not require some attention. What a clean-up can be done which will help to relieve unemployment and give a big impetus to the allied building trades. ■