FIFTY YEARS AGO

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6451, 24 February 1908, Page 7

FIFTY YEARS AGO

WELLINGTON'S OLD PROVINCIAL: COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

Half a. century, almost to the day, hna elapsed since tho first buildings designed and erected tor tho pa. iokc of .accommodating any legislative body in Wellington wore brought into service. Wo learn from the " U cllingtou Independent” of Saturday, I’obiuary IKith, lssß, that daring the week ended on that data tho various departments connected with the Provincial Government hud ei'dlted into their now abode, ana luui about got tilings into ship shape order for dispos* iug of the large volume of busiueus which oven in tlnwe far away days had aecuraulatod in olucial pigeon holes. ft is mumthing of a coincidence cat tlie eiiwriouco of filly yeans ago in now being almost repealed, for tin. Government luoailecfc is at present busied m 'traiimormiug Uovcrumiaut 'lionise rnuo a voui.pnratyt habitat for our Lugudauvo Counini -old House of UoprosonUhivus when Paruaincut is next suiuinoned togetuer lor tho transaction it public business. ft is fairly ovmmt turn tno go.ad pooplo of \V elimgton, ev;cu in tuosa aisti-ust-ful times when wars and lunioinu of wars Wore rile, and wnen nothing bull trials and difficulties seemed to bo found ou every side, appeared te ho uuindoui in a brighter tuturo. They must have booh tar-siguied us _ well os suif-reliunt. Their first iug.jsiiit.ivo inula were constructed not oiuy m such manucr that they suouid witusuind tuo kuuu of time, but care was also lakuu to laahiiun them so that they would readily load themselves to tho expansion which tue pioneers of the VvoUingtou seiuoniunt lorosaw must eomo about with the grow til of the colony. Too geographical lormation of New /.oalaau buusuod tnoiu taut U eiJiagtoa must eventually become tho seat of New Zealand’s Government, uad me serious inconvenience war on members oi the General rooembiy found in mailing their way to and man Auckland wnure the muoUugo of that body wore heid tenurmed them in that opinion. The Commission appointed by tho Governors of tho colonies of Now South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, in 1854, unanimously selected Wellington as tho goat of Now Zealand’s Government, and by so doing justified the shrewdness of '.the iWolUnguouiuiis who buiit thaii* Provincial exam ml Chambers leaving room and to spare for utilisation for tho purposes of the General Assembly. There is another circumstances in couueotkui, with this removal which is still well remembered. This was the loss of the steamer White Sw'on on the East Coast, whilst on her way' from Auckland to Wellington- With her went down a number of very valuable public records. By the recent ‘lire at Parliament House, which necessitated tho transformation, of the vioo-iegal residence into legislative buildings, a second serious loss of a similar oharaotor, although tho ounoums ounces are not quite parallel,. was sustained. ■ ' ■ - . The Provincial Council Chambers of fifty years ago termed quite an imposing block of buddings for oven s-uoh u progressive city as Wellington. Of oouree, tho dread of earthquakes, then so generally entertained, rendered tho erection of the building in any other material than wood out of tho question; but in order that assured stability might bo obtained, oaro .was taken that nothing but the best of totara and maitei woe, used for tl& main structure, and for Uic lighter fittings and adornments tho timber was specially selected. As a proof of tho excellence of the material and workmanship employed, it is only necessary to say that but for the recent lire fit Parliament House much of tho old building would still bo standing: for a great deal of the old Provincial Council Chamhore withstood the ravages of time, and only fell before the irresistibly fierce fire which took place early in last December. From the outset it was admitted'that the site chosen-for the Provincial Council Chambers could not well be bettered, and. . when,. in February, 1865, the seat of Government - was actually removed to Wellington these buikungs were put into commission as the quarters for the Central Parliament. Numerous alterations, and oven more numerous additions wore made from time to time, but quite a considerable portion of the structure which dated back to 1858 was of good service till tho last,. The design Of the old Council Chambers was of a mixed character, tho Gothic style of architecture predominating, the whole being made up of selections from tho drawings of three of tho competitors for the premium offered by. tho Provincial Government in 1857 for the best design .for the Provincial Government offices and House b£ Assembly. The judges who wore appointed to adjudicate upon the plans sent in and award the premiums, dfecided that no one design was altogether suitable! but it was eventually agreed that. Mr Single, who was one of the competing architects, should prepare a plan embodying tho leading features of some of the designs sent in. As a result, tha principal facade, with eomo alterations, was taken from the designs of Masts Iggleson and Mills: the north and west sides were from (he designs of Mr Single, and t-ho plan of the interior of t he building was from: tho drawings of Mr O. 11. Carter, as were the designs for the ceilings, galleries, cornices, and screens, as well as the Speakere* chairs in both. Houses. ' -i

The building consisted of tn o stories. It contained thirty-three rooms, tmd covered an. area of nboul 9000 ft, Tim Legislative Council Chamber, with its luatai fittings and scarlet-ground was regarded as a very luaukomo aiiarhr mont. The ceiling was divided by'moulded ribs into eight sections, and th«» ribs in three planes .intersected moulded circles from the centres of which donenried tastefully ornamented cliandellena, Tho Reporters’ Gallrcv was at one end and accommodation for strangers Was. provided at fho other. The Speaker’s chair was a fine piece of furniture, with a canopied screen having un ornamental fiutal. springing from a clnster-moaldins forming th© front edge of tho screen. the •‘Popular” Chamber measured 50ft in length by 25ft in width, having a height of 24ft. The ceiling was highly ornamented and divided by moulded ribs into forty-four compartments, J here wene thrr<» large oHti troTwl-carved centre-piece fitted for pendant chandeliers, the open Bides of the principle one having their grounds coloured blue, and red t alternately. The front of the Stranp. eve GaJdcry was divided, into thirteen panels, oaoh alternate one enclosing * neatly-carved wreath mirrotmclLng an illuminated circle, on which was ccagoraved in bluo and gold old English character* the aamifts of the six provinces, via, * Auckland, New Plymouth, Wellington,Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago, In the centre panel of the front of tho Reporters'' Galleries in both Houscb there vra» the Hoyal Coat of Arms, lacked by a scarlet-cloth- ground, and standing out in. high relief. The walls of this Chamber were covered with an oak paper, finished with a neat Elizabethan border. Offices wore provided in th© building* for practically ail of tho Provincial Government departments, and ample accommodation was left for General Assembly purposes. There w<rro required to complete th© buildings 250,000 ft of fciml*er, 30,f/00 slates, 80,000 bricks, and two and a half lons of iron. The contractor was Mr C. R, Carter, /who, when tho works were in. tbeda* preliminary stages, was put to consider* able inconvenience in the matter of obtaining workmen. Tin's was due to tho Jv'«v>kiTifr out of the cold diegir/rs. Tho total cost of the buildings, including tho purchase.of two acre/i of land and tho expense of levelling tho site, iras about X‘9ooo. :