COSTLY BUILDING NEVER FINISHED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14835, 11 November 1911, Page 2 (Supplement)

COSTLY BUILDING NEVER FINISHED.

CARETAKER RESIGNS BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING TO DO. Tiiosk who grumble at the wastage in certain -of our public departments may find a little consolation in tho fact that other countries are similarly afflicted. The Paris Matin, for instance, tells an amusing story of how the French Government erected a building at a cost of £240,000 nine years ago, and after installing a caretaker took no further steps to utilise it on the ground that it was " not quite finished." In the year 1902, says the journal, tho Government decided to create a special Audit Department, and a list of nominations to the various posts was drawn up. An aged reservist, whose services to the country entitled him to fitting rewards, was appointed caretaker of a new building which was being erected for tho department in the Rue Cambon. He was told to take charge at once. Tho building was not quite finished, but within a month or two everything would be in order, and the members of the Ministry would take up their duties there. Proudly tho reservist took up his quarters in the vast but unfinished palace 1-or days lie walked through the immense building without seeing another human being, but at last the dispirited man began to beguile his time by learning a new variation of his favourite game of patience. Fortunately for the caretaker, ho had taken the precaution to bring with him to the empty building a kitten and a canaTy. For two years he saw no one and heard nothing, although he received his monthly salary with military punctuality. In 1905 the architect rushed in and breathlessly remarked that a little furniture would be brought into the building, and it would then immediately become a busy hive. The kitten had become a grey-haired and tired-lc ,ing cat when, in 1908, the caretaker, wearied by tho strain of waiting, complained to the departmental heads. He was soothed by a promise-that everything would soon bo right, Finally even the patience o£ the longsuffering caretaker came to an end, for last month he resigned his position. The empty palace, in the Rue Cambon, which was erected at a cost of £240,000, is still await-