OLD BUILDINGS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24775, 24 December 1943, Page 8

OLD BUILDINGS

STATE BLOCK AT NELSON

historic relic doomed Investigations by the Works Department have made it clear that the historic and picturesque old Government Buildings at Nelson, erected in 1859-60, cannot be preserved very much longer. At a recent conference with a committee of the Nelson City Council the district engineer stated that an expenditure of £12,000 would be necessary to give them a further, though comparatively short, term of usefulness. The buildings are among the very few remaining that were associated with the Government in the early colonial period. Others are Government House, Auckland, which dates from 1856, and the older portion of the Provincial Buildings at Christchurch, built a year or two later. The Residency at Waitangi, erected in 1833, is in a slightly different category. Features ol Buildings

The Nelson buildings are of wood, designed rather in the style of an Elizabethan manor house, and stand among trees on an ample site near the Queen's Gardens and the Maitai River. They were erected by the Nelson Provincial Council to contain its meeting hall, offices and a courthouse, which forms an annexe at the rear of the main building. The hall, which has four lofty windpws, overlooks the forecourt, formed by two wings, each with a low tower. The architect was Mr. Maxwell Bury. The foundation-stone, laid by the Superintendent of the Province, Air. John Perry Robinson, hears the brief Latin inscription: "Fiat justitia, mat coolurn, 1859." ("Let justice be done, though the heavens fall.") The Provincial Council was in occupation until the provinces were abolished in 1876, when the buildings passed to the General Government. The courthouse was used by the Supreme, District and Magistrate's Courts, and the four notorious murderers, Richard Burgess and his companions, were tried there in 1866. It is still the Magistrate's Court for Nelson.

Suggestion for Future When the council vacated it the hall was used for the quarterly sittings of the Supreme Court and a variety of other purposes, including public halls, the last, of which was held in 1920, when the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII. visited Nelson. It is now reserved for the Court's use, and various Government departments occupy other parts of the buildings. The City Council hopes to submit a scheme to the Government whereby it will provide a more central site for a new office block in exchange for part of the present site, which would be added to the gardens adjoining.

NEW TUGBOAT

SUCCESSFUL TRIALS WELDED STEEL TYPE Successful trials were carried out during the week with the first of a number bf 75ft. welded steel tugboats to be built by Steel Ships, Limited, for the United States Army. The vessel was taken to Whangarei and back for trials, and behaved splendidly in a heavy beam sea on the return journey. The new vessel is named Coatesvjlle, and is the first of five now in the launching stage. All the work has been done by Auckland labour. The Vessels have a straight stem, with a raised forecastle head and squat funnel set amidships between two slightly raked masts. Accommodation for six men is provided forward and for two officers aft. The galley is immediately behind the forecastle, and the engineroom is set amidships. The engine is a powerful Diesel type, which can give the vessel a speed of about 10 knots. The beam is 18ft.

ROAD GOODS SERVICES AUTHORITY TO RECOMMENCE (■O.C.) WHANGAREI, Thursday 'Authority to recommence the road goods services between the railhead at Okaihau and the Hokianga and Mangonui counties, in conjunction with the railway community truck rate system, has been given by the No. 1 Transport Licensing Authority, Mr. E. J. Phelan, in a reserve decision.

Before the war, Wilson, .Moore. Motors, of Kaitaia, S. H. Julian, of Broadwood, and J. G. Richmond, of Kqhukohu, were operating road transport goods services in conjunction with railway community trucks, Wilson, Moore Motors to Mangonui county and the two others to the Hokianga county. To save petrol and tyres the authority revoked these licences, although the operators were still permitted to run the services in conjunction with the ordinary railway freight rates. This entailed a higher freight charge than under the community truck system.

At the last sittings of the authority at Kaitaia and Kaikohe the firms applied for the reinstatement of the licences. These applications were strongly opposed by the shipping companies concerned in the sea transport to the two counties, as well as by- the Kaitaia Dairy Company. in his written decision, the authority stated that so long as the community truck rate system was authorised by the Railway Department it was impracticable to distinguish between community truck goods_ and ordinary freighted goods. While the facility existed, the residents of those isolated counties should be permitted to enjov the best possible services. He appreciated the position of the shipping companies, but the continuance of the community truck rate system or otherwise was a matter over which the authorities had no control.

LOANS TO SERVICEMEN (P.A.) CHRIST,CHURCH, Thursday A total of 141 residential loans valued at £134,000 have been granted to returned servicemen by the Christchurch Rehabilitation Committee up to November 30. The committee has granted also 192 furniture loans valued at £16,174, eight farm loans valued at £15,410. 23 business loans valued at £5395 and 34 loans for tools of trade valued at £714.