A NEW GOVERNMENT BUILDING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1748, 6 September 1905, Page 67

A NEW GOVERNMENT BUILDING.

NEW PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE. PROVISION FOR A STATE SAFE DEPOSIT BUSINESS. The plans for the new Public TrustOffice to be erected in Wellington are on the eve of completion, and the Government Architect (Mr John Campbell) hopes to be in the position to call for tenders within the next two or three weeks. The building will occupy that fine city section having a frontage of 53ft to Lambton quay and 15Gft to StGut street. It will have a rounded coiner, surmounted by a high dome, the apex of which will be 79ft above the level of the ground. The building will consist of four stories and a basement, to be erected in stone and pressed brick. The upper story will be contained in the Mansard, roof {which will form a very fine elevated promenade), and will be lighted by dormer windows. Though the building will be erected in stone and brick, the latter will be altogether subservient- to tihe stone or granite facings in the general design, which may be described as classical Renaissance. The base and lower story will probably be erected in Tonga Bay (Nelson) granite, said to be the best stone in New Zealand, and as hard to work as Aberdeen granite. Special machinery for working the stone has been imported, and the proprietors of the quarry are prepared to go as far as executing intricate carving in the heavy flint-like granite, which has a pepper-and-salt colour, and should take- a high polish. If it is finally decided to use this granite, it will be the first of it to be used to any extent in Wellington. The main entrance, set in the rounded corner of the building, will be flanked by pillars of polished Aberdeen granite, and the general design of the two tions will be enhanced by handsomelydesigned segmental-headed gables, enriched by scroll-work carved in stone, supported on large double columns, with handsome lonic capitals. The height from the ground to the parapet will be 52ft 6in, and to the Mansard roof 62ft. The public office will be on the ground floor (98ft by 31ft), about double the length of the office at present used, and off this will be offices for the Public Trustee, the Deputy-Public Trustee, the chief clerk, and solicitor. A private doorway leads to a corridor, in which will be provided two rooms for the typists, and offices for the intestate, wills, native, and other branches of the department. At the end of the main office, opposite the public counter, will be a large strong room (29ft by 19ft), in which will be erected another strong room for a specific purpose. A staircase leads from the outer strong room into the basement below (100 ft by 30ft), which is practically another great strong room. It has been suggested that the Public Trustee might conduct a State safe-deposit business in connection with his department, and if the idea materialises, this basement will be utilised as the Government safe-deposit. There is room, the Government Architect suggests, for 10,000 clients, if the place is fitted with metal boxes something on the lines of a private Letter-hox lobby in a post office. There is ample room for such an enterprise in Wellington, and the Government may give the matter attention, so that the place can be fitted up as the building is being erected. The ground floor only will be occupied by the Public Trustee, leaving the three upper floors available for other Government departments or private letting. The building is to have no fireplaces, but will be heated throughout with hot-water radiators.

The total cost of the new Public Trust Office will be about £20,000.