RE PUBLIC SERVICE BUILDINGS OR GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.

Evening Star, Issue 16995, 18 March 1919, Page 2

RE PUBLIC SERVICE BUILDINGS OR GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I think the time has come when we as settlers of Otago and citizens of Dunedin should impress upon Parliament the need for a Government Building in Dunedin of a sufficient capacity to house all the different departments of the Government in one large building, with room to add to if required. This would be a great boon to the public doing business with the Slate offices. It would also save a lot of valuable time to the State officers. I would like to suggest that the municipal authorities offer the Government as a site for Government Buildings either the small park opposite the tramway sheds or the town end of the Oval. These two sites, being on the tramway line, and close to i the centre of Dunedin, would be very convenient. Our Oity Fathers should require that I the Government Buildings shall be of strikI ing appearance and*surrounded by ornaj mental grounds, with a suitable memorial 1 to those who have fallen during the war : erected in the said grounds. Personally, I think a few acres of the City end of the ' Oval would be the most suitable, ns this ! large flat area could accommodate thnu- ' sands, who turn out to listen to public i men giving accounts of their stewardship, etc. i Now that our men,are coming back from | the war, it is up to us to provide work, i especially in the towns. The great majority of our soldiers are town bred, and have no wish to go into the country, and it is our duty to give them what they wish. There are hundreds of people who will be only too glad to go into the country, without forcing the soldiers to take up country work because there is nothing else offering. I might state that various Government departments are paying large sums of money in rent for premises rn Dunedin, and this. I think, you will agree with me. is false economy. The proposed Government Building should be capable of housing the following departments, viz. : Public Trust. State Fire. Insurance. Government Life, T.ands and Survey Department, Public Works Department, Defence Department. Police Department, Labor Department, Native Land, Deeds Office. Crown Law Offices. Patent Office, State Coal, Agricultural Department, Education Department, Land Tax arid Income Tax Department, Friendly Societies’ Depart-. ment, and the Land Transfer Office. Now, sir, a building of a sufficient size to accommodate all these _ departments , could be made both a credit and a con-1 venience to the people of Dunedin and ■ Otago in general. Wellington and Auck-1 lana both have their Government Build-1 ings. I hope that Dunedin will go notj only one better, but two, by providing; accommodation for all their Public Service Departments in one large building situated in the centre of beautiful ornamentalgrounds.—l am, etc., Advance Otago. March 18.