PROMINENT CITIZENS INTERVIEWED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13414, 16 February 1907, Page 6

PROMINENT CITIZENS INTERVIEWED.

MR. MASSEY'S OPINION.

Mr. W. F. Massey, M.H.R. (Leader of the Opposition) was asked for his opinion, and replied that while he did not envy the people in other centres- their fine public buildings, he considered the public buildings in Auckland, such as the post office, railway station, and Magistrate's Court, were a disgrace to the city, and to all concerned. He felt certain that no private employer in the colony would be allowed to work his employees in such miserable «md insanitary quarters as the unfortunate Civil servants had to put up with in Auckland public buildings. He would be pleased to co-operate with the ;Auckland city and other Auckland members of the House, to bring about a better state of affairs. The fact, that the Telegraph Department had to extend is quarters to another building, and that the various Government offices were scattered all over the city, the Public Trust office in one place, the Agricultural Department offices in another part of the city, and so on, showed how miserably inadequate the public buildings aci commodation in this city was. Auckland j had been neglected for very many years in this respect, and it should not rest until i it hud received justice. Till-: .MAYO VIEWS. The Mayor of Auckland (Mr. A. M. Myers), in speaking of the office accommodation generally, said,, " Having regard to the fact that this building was erected many years ago, and also to the fact that statistics prove that the development of Auckland lias .been, during recent years, greater than that of the Empire City, it certainly does seem to me that the Government is pursuing a short-sighted policy us regards the Auckland Post Office, seeing that they have displayed such forethought and confidence in'the future as to justify thorn in the erection of a thoroughly modern office at Wellington. The time has now fully arrived when either extensive alterations and additions must be made to the Auckland Post Office, or another and equally accessible site 'must be secured, and sufficient to allow for future development, otherwise, I. fear the problem will be much more difficult of solution when necessity compels further extension. Without trespassing upon the political aspect of the question, I venture the opinion that the housing of the Government offices in Auckland under one roof considering the ground is already available for the purpose, should, at anyrate. be entitled to receive higher consideration. Building operations, one hears, are to begin; but they do not actually begin. That's the trouble-of it*. It's all in the air* all

going to be; but nothing is done again, I think." The Mayor paid a warm compliment to the staff of the Post Office, and expressed his sympathy with them in the cramped condition of the offices, where such a vast amount of public business had to be transacted. Referring to the "eggs-and-bacon" scheme of decoration, and the outside appearance generally of the Post Office, the Mayor said, '"The appearance of the present Poet Office is not worthy of the leading city of New Zealand, and this will be more marked,'' he continued, "when the new Town Hall is erected, designs for which arc now coming to the City Council. It would be advisable to have an authoritative statement that having regard to the future there is already sufficient space for all future requirements, otherwise the opportunity should be taken at the present time for securing another site, with sufficiently amplo space."

SYMPATHY FUR THE STAFF. Mr. J'.'. Anderson, stockbroker, and one having a largo quantity of postal business to attend to, said: "Considering the size of Auckland, and the magnitude and growth of its business, the Post Office building is certainly no longer suitable. It compares very unfavourably with other cities of equal size with which I am acquainted in Australia. It seems to me that the money order office and 1 savings bank portion of the Post- Office is ridiculously cramped, occasioning great inconvenience to lie public, and also to the staff. lam certain of this, that the bother and vexation caused by the congestion in this particular portion of the Post Office would not be tolerated for a. moment in a private business house. 1 express the fullest sympathy with the Post Office staff, who try to do their best under extremely unsatisfactory conditions.*'

" ENTIRELY INADEQUATE." Mr. C. J. Parr expressed the opinion, with some emphasis, that the building of the Auckland Post Office was " entirely inadequate for the needs of a city of the size and character of Auckland. I venture to say," he continued, "that nowhere in the world has a. city of 80,000 people so mean a structure, and such miserable accommodation for a. post office. I was in Hobart two years ago, and there, in a, city of 50,000 people, they have a much more elaborate an.d much more commodious building for their post office. It seems to me that, owing to lack of room space, the business, enormous as it is in Auckland, not only the ordinary postal work, but the .savings bank and money order business as well, is being carried on marvellously well, considering how great are the disadvantages and how congested the conditions are generally. Not only are the staff greatly inconvenienced, but the general public suiters, and that severely, by the existing state of affairs. It is wonderful to me how the postal and telegraph officials are able to fulfil their duties so well under the present arrangements. As a lawyer, I have a great deal to do with Civil servants, but I find none more obliging, more intelligent, or more trustworthy than those of the post and telegraphs. 'The present building cannot be enlarged, except in an upward direction, and I do not know that the public would care about going upstairs at all. The site as a site is central enough, but the only way out of the difficulty that I can see is for'the Government to acquire this building (the Victoria Arcade), and so carry their Post Office on to front Queen-street. In any case, the reproach of such an antiquated and inadequate building as the Chief Post Office of Auckland city and district should be removed, and' the Government should be made .o realise that the people of Auckland are in earnest in this matter. '

Mr. P. ('heal writes: Sir,—You have persistently pointed out the neglect, of the Government relative to giving this city its due share of public buildings of such a character as to be commensurate in a small degree with tin? importance of the city, and a small recognition of he fact that this part of the colony iinds a quarter of the revenue to help pay the bondholders and to cany on the public works of the colony. But since the erection of a. building like the Supreme Court, and later the Custom-house Buildings, the other Government offices are behind the third and fourth rate towns of the colony. Putting down an up-to-date Post Office and a decent railway station as outside practical politics, inasmuch as no appropriations have yet been made for these buildings, a. circumstance which docs not add lustre to the names of the three Ministers of the Crown who represent the Auckland provincial district, I would ask the aid of your pen to assist us in obtaining money for one public building, which lias been placed on the Estimates for the past two or three years, and is now on the Estimates, for increasing accommodation of the Lands and. Survey Department, as well as that of bringing the Public Works, Land Transfer, and other Government Departments under one roof. The position of the Lands and Survey Department, with the Roads Department, is simply deplorable, whether from the status of health or elbowroom. Over 30 officials, outside surveyors and the general public, who are constantly seeking information, have to live, move, and have their being in some 15 rooms, if we exempt, the two or three rooms that hold the chief surveyor and chief draughtsman, who must have, as far as possible, rooms for themselves. It means that accommodation is found in the lobbies, in the strongrooms, sacred only to the safekeeping of plans and other records, in the Ministers' rooms, and in the Board room. In these latter cases the loom of the Minister anil of the Waste Lands Board are more agreeable than their company. Even the turret above the roof of the building is full of draughtsmen. This does not make for health or efficiency, and it would be thought that this state of affairs would lead to prompt measures l>eing taken to remedy the evil. Some £6000 or £10,000 have been placed on the Estimates as usual for increasing accommodation, but there the matter rests, and the pjospeet of a lapsed vote on March 31 next, stares us in the face. This is no party question, but, is purely an M.H.R. question, and I hope to see a united party on the subject, which will move the Minister for Public Works to take some action that will save this year's vote, and make it a reality instead of a farce, as in years gone by.