NEW CUSTOMHOUSE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4311, 21 March 1901, Page 7

NEW CUSTOMHOUSE

SITE FINALLY DECIDED UPON. HANDSOME BUILDING TO BE * ERECTED. SOME INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE. The announcement that the Government has decided to erect a Customhouse on the reclaimed land between the wool wharf and the ferry jetty will be received with mixed feelings by the mercantile community. It is known that many of our business men regard the site as not sufficiently central and uns-uitahlo for other reasons. Others will he pleased to learn that a nexv and handsome building is to adorn the water front in that locality. Apropos of the resolution cf Cabinet the following correspondence is interesting: ‘‘Wellington, 28th February, 1901. 'Sir, —Many of my constituents have called my attention to the proposed purchase by the Government of the land and buildings behind the present General Post Office for the purpose, amongst othetr things, of providing a new Customhouse. “They represent to me that tho proposed purchase is preposterously costly, involving, on the whole, an expenditure of, say, £IOO,OOO for land, existing buildings and the erection of new buildings, and that, even then, the true purpose of such a purchase will not be accomplished, namely, the erection of a Customhouse in the capital city of the colony on its own site. “Grciat cogency is given to this argument by the fact that the colony already has a site of its own (to he reclaimed), which will cost, for reclamation, about £2OOO, while a new Customhouse to be erected on the site would cost not more than £20,000, say £22,000 in all, against tho £IOO,OOO which thd other site and buildings at the back of the present Post Office will cost.

“The Government site (to be reclaimed, and, by the way, the reclamation works are right up to the boundary of the site at the present moment) is situate 'between the two wharves, the Queen’s Wharf and the Railway Wharf, and in the neighbourhood will soon be erected a number _ of large mercantile houses. What I wish specially to impress upon you by writing this letter, is the fact that more attention is bding directed to this matter by the general public than the Government may suppose. A strong feeling appears to find expression that the Customhouse sKould stand upon a site of its own, as is the ease in the! capital of every colony of importance. Every circumstance lends itself appropriately to the fulfilment of this desire. “First, there is the distinctive site sitijatq in the very centre of the shipping and the shipping interest. Second, the Customhouse, being on a separate site, will he a striking addition to. the public buildings of the city; and, third, which will appeal most strongly to the promptings of the general taxpayer, the Customhouse! can be placed on the Government site between the wharves for one-fifth of the amount proposed to be spent in the purchase of the land and buildings and the new building to be erdeted at the rear of the General Post Office. I shall be glad to have an answer at your early convenience.—Your? truly, “ GEO. FISHER. “The Right Honourable R. J. Scdd'on, “Premier, Wellington.’’ '‘Premiers Office, “Wellington, Ist March, 1901. “Sir, —I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th ultima, respecting the proposed purchase of the site upon which Levin and Company’s warehouses are erected. In reply, I have to state that I have forwarded your letter on to the PostmilstarGeneral, as I understand fi»om him that the land is required for postal purposes. A site has alrdady been secured for the Customs buildings on the. land now being reclaimed by the Harbour' Board. I see no objection to your letter being published as soon as ,1 have received a reply from the Postmaster-Gclneral, to whom I have referred it. “I have the honour to be, sir, “ Your obedient servant. “R. J. SEDDON. “George Fisher, Esq., M.H.R., “ Wellington.” March 14th, 1901. “Right Hon. R. J. Seddon. “Dear Sir, —On February 28th I sent you a letter bearing on the intention of the Government to take all the land described jftid delineated on the plan marked P.W.D. 19208 for the purposes of the General Post Office. - “ On Ist March yon kindly replied that you had forivarded my letter to the Postmaster-General, and that as soon as yon had received a reply from him you would answer my letter. “The Postmastor-Geineral being new returned, will you please bring the subject of my .letter of February 28th to his recollection ? “I observe that the notice in the ‘Gazette’ of February 21st of the intention of the Government to take land for the purposes of the General Post Office makes no reference to the erection of a Customhouse, which subject forms an integral part of my letter. “Yours truly, " CEO. FISHER.” “March 20th, 1901. “Dear Mr Fisher, —Referring to your letter of the 13th inst., containing strong representations that the Customhouse for Wellington should be! on an independent site, and not in the block of buildings intended to be erected behind fhe Post Office, X desire to inform you that I submitted your letter to Cabinet; and it was decided, at last night’s meeting, that the Customhouse should be erected upon the Harbour Board site which, as you are aware, is to be reclaimed nearly opposite to Messrs Cable and Co.’s foundry. I feel sure that this decision of Cabinet will give general satisfaction.

“ Yours sincerely, “R. J. SEDDON.” ' “March 20tb, 1901. Dear Mr Seddon, —I have not tlie least doubt that the decision of Cabinet to erect the Customhouse on an independent site, and not in the block of buildings intended to be eirected behind the present General Rost Office, will give general satisfaction. I congratulate the Government cm its decision. “Yours truly, “GEO. FISHER.”