"ARIKI-TOA”

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12434, 30 April 1926, Page 5

"ARIKI-TOA”

HISTORIC HOUSE RENOVATED WHERE MRS COATES ENTERTAINS YOUNGEST OF LONG LINE (Written for the “N.Z. Times.”) Because “Ariki-toa” -is the official dwelling place of New Zealand’s Prime Minister, it is a satisfaction to ns to know that it is worthy of the honour. Before the Hon. J. G. Coates and Mrs Coates moved in, the whole place was thoroughly renovated and • made suitable to modern ideas; for it was very behind the times in many ways. As the Prime Minister’s wife andthe mother of five small children, Mrs Coates leads a very busy life. But when she heard of the interest taken by other women—she courteously- made time to show the writer oyer the big house and explain what was being done. “If you really think any one wants to know?” she says, rather doubtfully. The first thing to notice is the new flight of concrete steps that replaces the old decrepit wooden erection up which so many distinguished people—from Sir Julius Vogel onwards—have made their way. The house was built about that time and so much entertaining went on that it became jokingly known as “The Casino.” Much-needed shelter is now given by a big glassed-in porch at the top. A picture in the hall of Anzae Cove is a reminder of the Great War in which the Prime Minister distinguished himself as a fighting man. * * * *

The first room on the left is the drawing-room, nobly planned as for space and the scene of much hospitality. The carpet, of the Persian type, is grey and eerie, with faint amethyst, hazy blue and pale coral .in its depths. Each of these colours is carried on by chair covers, cushions, or curtains. Walls and ceilings are of ivorv hue, and character is given by a deep frieze of black • and gold in a Chinese design, and by a lovely circular mirror framed in black and gold. There are long portieres too, where, on a dull gold background, there is a bold pattern of black shot with blue. In the big alcove, with its many long windows of finest plate glass, blue is the predominating colour, which frames a delightful view, where, through the green boughs of a ■splendid Norfolk pine one sees a vista of the sea and the misty purple hills beyond Lowry Bay. The transparent curtains rlvi of parcih-ment-coloured linen filet lace. “The room is not really finished,” says Mrs Coates, “and there is some, thing it wants. Of course we’ve not got our own things about it yet, or our pictures. But there’s a some, thing? It wants living in, of course. “You should have come a little later oh, when we have really settled in.”

“But you might be off to England anv moment,” is the protest. Mrs Coates smiles enigmatically, and says nothing! Perhaps it is (lie fireplace. . . ? Certainly the proportions of the room do seem to demand a large open fire, hut - modern domestic conditions necessitate electric-heating, and the present radiator is small. “Rue when Mangrt’iao comes.” predicts Mrs Coates hopefully, “it will he better.” The old conservatory is now re. placed by a lounge with sunny windows. • w * • Through the big folding doors we reach the dining-room, where the ivory, black, gold scheme is continued, but the carpet is of autumn tones, russet, orange, crimson, and the electrics are shaded too. Just, across the hall is Mrs Coates’s own sitting-room, rose-curtained in chenille and net that casts a pink glow oa the oala walla a small

picture of the charming children in pretty gay frocks is to be seen. Over morning tea there is a discussion about workmen and their ways. “Always there seems something to be done,” sighs Mrs Coate3. (Every woman knows this well!) “And some of the men have been here five months.” But of course it is a very big place and needs a great deal of doing up. Also there is a problem of the furniture—rather a heterogeneous mass accumulated through successive regimes, which has to be happily combined. Here loose covers are a great help. There is no extravagance about tbs Government methods ‘of furnishing. “Buy a good thing and make it last,” is their motto, evidently. It seems a fact that the last draw-ing-room carpet was down something like twenty years! Now, reduced in size and remade, but still good in colour —thick in pile, it does duty in a smaller room.

Conventional warmth and comfort can be found in the big billiard-room, where the rich brown leather chesterfields and chairs go with the lighter brown walls, and look well with the glowing Turkey reds and deep blues of the carpet. • • * •

Upstairs the children’s quarters aru delightful; a big sun room has been added; and there is a day nursery with a gramophone, rocking-toys, and

small chairs; and an enchanting wallpaper, where, on an ecru ground', small groups of children playing are done in black and bright colours. Next door is the night nursery, where two babies are having their morning sleep. Close-to a room in soft greys and blue where, side by side, lin their little white beds at night, Sheila and Barbara have delightful dreams. Blue butterflies border the flowery paper, and on the white dress.I ing table one of the little ones has j left a treasured Noah’s ark. Additional bathrooms have been ! added—there were not nearly enough I —the bedrooms brought up-to-date , with hot and cold water laid on. The taps are of white china to save continual polishing. • In the biggest bedroom Mrs Coates’s favourite rose r coloured curtains appear again, and the carpet is black with a fose and blpe design; the furniture is light oak. Mr Coates’s dressingroom was meant to match, but here the paperhangers went wrong. A curious compnrtment of one of the spare rooms (the blue one) is where the lift rnn-de to carry Sir Julius Vogel in his wheel-chair came up. Now it makes a most satisfactory retreat for the visitors’ boxes. Once again on the ground floor there is a glimpse of the Prime Minister’s offices, a suite of rooms with a separate entrance very plainly but comI fortably furnished in browns and reds. A nearly “life-size” spade, in ebony and silver, is one of tile mnny souvenirs of Mr Coates’s public life, which threaten to overflow his Parliamentary rooms. There is nothing left now to visit but the kitchen quarters, so vitally important to evorrnnW*

Here there is plenty of light and air space; white walls; and cheerful coloured rugs on the floor. A wonderful white-tiled range catches the eye. But surprising to relate, it is gas not electric ! •' “If we could only get the power,”says Mrs Coates. For the household staff there is t special sitting-room—a corner roon with windows looking out on the garden—a sofa and seagrass chairs give comfort, and the electric light shade is of copper silk to match the pretty carpet. i A long line of ladies has reigned in succession as mistress of this old house. And here a suggestion may be made that photographs of each should , be obtained to hang on the walls. It I would make a collection increasing in lustoric interest as the years roll on. ! Mrs Coates musi surely he the youngest of all the chatelaines, and it is to be hoped that her sojourn will be a long -and happy one. I.A.E.