AUCKLAND'S PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13491, 18 May 1907, Page 3

AUCKLAND'S PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

Sir,ln reference to th© abovo heading, a stranger might well ask,. " Where: are they?" This certainly was my questioning on arrival in Auckland nearly a year ago. Having hoard this spot designated " the Queen City" of New Zealand, perhaps - I looked for something beyond queonliness, but on being shown your post office, r with its artistic (?); colouring, and its entire absence of anV recognised stylo of arehit&otai'o, and wlien continuing my wanderings I came to your railway station"— the mark!—l decided that the post office was like nothing so much as a fourth-rate aecommodation-houte mustard-pot, and tho railway shed—l moan station—wag a sanctuary for the architect who wanted to escape from the infuriated officials who had to spend their days in that gruesome post office . j ator»-meutioned. • Seriously, - v both buildings would be a disgrace to a. twentieth-rate town at Home, and for a city they would be an absolute impossibility. Certainly, 'the public buildings of Capetown. Adelaide,, Melbourne, Sydney, Christehurch, and Dunedin are miles ahead of Auckland. Alas, our Queen City is dethroned Even "Wanganui, with a population of only 8000, can show a post office, an opera house, and railway station that might well make Auckland, mourn. The public library. here, quite apart from \ its valuable contents, is. as a building, V a credit to the city, although I understand it was built with funds philanthropic. You have one good monument' in the statue of Sir George Grey, but this cannot come under the category of public buildings, nor has it, I. think, any connection with . the Government Public Works Department.' 1 The subject of public; buildings was before the Chamber of Commerce' this "week, and was ably commented upon in your leader of to-day's issue, and from the character of the Auckland , press generally, I feel t sure they will back up all reasonable demands," and assist in putting - before • the Council • what • is due to the city from the Government. Your simple rights need no jealous war-cry of North ,versus South, and the Hon. Mr. Millar,- M.H.R., should have this impressed upon him. All this is not a question of "Much Ado about Nothing," lor- you axe asking only "Measure for Measure," having obtained • which, • everything will surely be "As You Like It." „ V. , TOUCHSTONE. May 10. *