GOVERNMENT ARCHITECTS

Hawera Star, Volume L, 13 February 1931, Page 5

GOVERNMENT ARCHITECTS

CRITICISM AT CONFERENCE ALLEGED INFERIOR WORK. (By Telegraph —Press Association..) WELLINGTON, Feb. 12. Criticism of the amount of architectural work done by the Public Works Department and of its quality were made in the presidential address of Air E. R. Wilson to the Institute of Architects to-day. “Notwithstanding our past protests and the favourable replies received from Alinistcrs and heads of departments, the Public Works Department continues to provide throughout the greater part of the Dominion and on every possible opportunity the requisite architectural services for schools, hostels and hospital buildings,” he said.

“Those of us who are experienced and wno have had opportunities of examining the work turned out realise its inferior nature and its greater cost and that the public blindly pays the piper with the Government departments holding the reins of finance,” continued Air Wilson. “There is no adequate criticism of such building projects, and_ public bodies mostly consider compliance with the Government demands and suggestions as the line of least resistance. Through acquiesence with Alinistcrs who are usually in office for but a comparatively short period the country is gradually drifting into a state of domination by civil servants. The position is to be the more regretted in such bad times as the present.” While dealing with civil servants and their architectural work, the president said that during the year the institute had reported to the Public Service Commissioner two cases of civil servants undertaking private architectural work. The Commissioner had previously given i an assurance that he would co-operate with the institute in putting a stop to such unfair practices. He replied that u|>on investigation he had found the complaints were fully justified. When the secretary of the institute {was discussing the matter with the Commissioner it was brought to his notice that architects in private practice were employing civil servants to, do certain architectural work. This statement was found to be correct and the executive of the institute circularised all members requesting that it should cease.