THE WELLINGTON FIRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14087, 16 December 1907, Page 5

THE WELLINGTON FIRE

A HOME FOR PARLIAMENT.

EXTRAVAGANT EXPENDITURE DEPRECATED. (From "Cub Own Coßw.srosDEXT.) WELLINGTON, December 14. Sir Joseph Ward's suggestion about building a new Parliament House on the site of Government Houso and the demolition of the present Government House and the building of a new one olscwhero docs not find favour hero. Tho Post, dealing with tho matter to-night, goes exhaustively into the whole question, and Ul tho course of a, leading article says: " Taking more positive ground, we may point out that there are larger assets at stake than the mere sito values. Tho library wing of the Parliamentary Buildings still stands, and is as good as new. The Government Buildings, old as they are, should last for many years longer if managed with care, and indeed two of tho wings are recent additions. How could purchasers or tenants be found for theso buildings if their present occupants wcro transferred en masse to, new quarters at the other end of tho town? Tlio Government Printing Office, with its new and roomy buildings and its up-to-date equipment, presents another problem of necessity, liic Printing Olfico must be in tho immediate neighbourhood of Parliament. House, and all that ha 3 been crected oil tho'present sito would havo to he abandoned and a. fresh start made in tho now neighbourhood if the chango wcro decided on. Altogether it is clear that the Mount Cook scheme would at once involve an enormous expenditure, which the country cannot f° i further, until the centralisation of the departments could be effected by a process that must lw spread over many years the public sen-ices would he carried on at great inconvenience, entailing a considerable addition to the coat of administration. Public buildings on an adequate scale are, of course, a necessity, but wo should make shift with what'we havo got as long as possible, instead of borrowing hugo sums for work thai would bo for the most part unproductive. To orcet publio building in the capital on tho 6cale of tho Dunodin Railway Station, for instance, would Iks absolutely indefensible, although to somo swelled heads among 113 the change from colony to Dominion appears to justify a disregard of all the ordinary standards of prudence and economy for present needs. Lot a new Parliament House, not necessarily an imposing and eostlv atrnclnrn, bo erected on the old site, anil when the time comes for a further expansion Jet a new homo lie provided for the Governor and his present domain be allocated to new public offices. Ihe utmost requirements of the future can he provided for in this way. while the scandal 6f an extravagant and vaingiorioire expenditure far in excess of present needs will 'also bo avoided. Since the above was written we note, that the Primo Minister, in his spoecli at Dunedin yester•v\, !l 'Inn appreciation of tlio possibilities of the Government Houso site, but he talks of building "something that would be for all time a credit to tlio Dominion." A dominion with a big "D" of course requires a big house, and ft big noikso will require big salaries for its members. and all these things .will require more mg loans to end in a big smash eome day. Surely such « time as tho present, when we arc beginning to feel tlm back wash of the financial crisis in the United States and our wool sala< aro telling their tale to the most, thoughtless, is the worst possible J ime for the extravaganco which Sir Joseph Ward appears to contemplate." Some local members wero interviewed on the question. Mr Barber wants the new building erected at the Mount Cook site (within his own constituency), but this is too ridicilous a suggestion to be taken at all seriously.

Mr Wilford does not regard the Prime Minister 3 suggestion favourably. Ho says it will be quite enough for the' country to foot the bill for tlio now wing now in proc<S3 of erection and to rebuild that part of the old buildings destroyed by fire. Neither does he favour a particularly ornate structure. Parliament should bo satisfied with a substantial building, and arrangements should he made to go on with iho work at once. The Mount Cook suggestion was, in his opinion, absurd.

Mr Fisher suggests a conference of members to settle tile whole question. Tlio Dominion states that it is estimated that with the new Parliamentary Buildings, fli'iipral Post Office, and Public Trust Office in rouwe of erection at the fame time the (Jovernment will be involved in building in Wellington next year to the extent of £200,000. If it is decided to put

in hand the proposed now Railway Station and the addition to the now Drill Hill at Buckle street that gum wijl easily amount to a quarter of a million sterling. MINISTERS' LOSSES. So far a 6 can lie ascertained here Ministors losses in connection with the recent fire At Pftrljuucnf, Buildings ars not grcnt. Almost everything was takon out of Sir J. 0. Ward g room, which fronts tho main entrance. Mosara Fowkfe,' M'Gowan, and Millar had shifted to their oflioea in tho Departmental Buildings, Mr Carroll is one of the principal losers, as ha lost somo valuable Maori curios and cash, probably £100 worth in all. Dr Findky loses a numown law "I" 1 books, and Mr M Nab, as already stated, ifl a loser in the matter of somo historical wort.

AN OFFER REFUSED. (Psb United Pejss Association-.)

OHIIISTCHtTRCII, December 14. A meeting of citizens was held to-day, in response to a circular issued by the Maw, to consider a proposal to placo before the ± rune Minister tho adviaableness of holding next sessioii of Parliament in Christohuroh, 111 view of tho destruction of Parliament Bmldings. The Mayor, who presided, said thoro wero many difficulties, but ho thought Christchurch oould supply tho neodful acoammocation if it could not bo foicntf in Wellington. p e Canterbury Hall and annexes would be suitable, and tho Provincial Council Buildings were also availablo. The proposal was supportod by tho Hop. C. Louisson, M.L.C., Messrs Grey M P rn Taimer . Rr - P - and tho Hon. "• digram, M.Ii.C.. Mr Gapes, and otneru.

A resolution was carried—" Tlut tho 1 y u r '. on "'is mooting, wait on the Prime Minister and inform him that "'ore is a strong wish on the part of the people of Christohuroh that next session be held in this city, and if tho Government consider it, we aro prepared (o submit a definite offer in regard to buildings,". Tho Mayor handed Kir Joseph Ward iv <x>py of tho resolution this aftornoon, ami tho Prime Minister explained at once that it would bo impossible to accodo to such a proposal. Parliament could not sit away from the Government departments and (lie Govornmont printing office, and ho had no doubt that_ suitable arrangements could bo made in Wellington.

LOSS OF EXAMINATION PATERS, (Peb Ukitkd Press Associmion.)

WELLINGTON, December 15. With reference to the complaints of tlm matriculation students about' tho dates arranged for the socond examination, the Hon. G. Fowlds (Minister of Education) intends to consult, Sir Robort Stout (Chancellor of the University) on the matter tomorrow. Mr Fowlds fhinks it would be very difficult to get tho necossary pßpprs ready Christmas.

On Friday Mr J. F. Arnold, M.P., dospatohed the fallowing messago to Mr Joynt, Registrar of tho University of New Zealand:—"Tho information that tho fresh examination made necessary in consequence of the loss of paners by lire at Parliament Buildings'will take placo at the end of January has caused considerable unrost and disappointment, hero. . I have keen requested to ast you to havo it fixed for somo date boforp Christmas. I am sure that I need not point, out to you wl-at this means, both to students and friend,;, and also as to the lato period of making results known."

On Saturday Mr Arnold received the following reply: —"Absolutely impossible. Exaniination will tako four or' five weeks to organise. Papers must ho set by examiners in different, parts of tho colony and teach me and get printed, nine different papers, by one confidential printer. Wo arrungo centres for 303 candidate?, a r ran go schedule for supervisors, and otlior details. Public have no knowledge of what has to bo-dono in such eases. Would eave me much trouble if yoil would communicate this telegram to the press. University officials have their troubles as well as candidates.".

Tho rector of tho Boys' High School docs not share the view taken by somo persons, as expressed in our issue of Saturday last, that the postponement of there-examination of the candidates for tho University Junior scholarship in Latin, German, chemistry, and algebra until a into in January is objectionable. Mr Morroll informs us that one or two of the Dunodin candidates, an<l probably several -candidates in other parts of New Zealand, for junior scholarships are also Bitting for tho civil service examinations, which will not be concluded until the 20th, or possibly even the 21st. Apart from this, however, he thinks it is certainly preferable that the re-examination should take placo after the candidates have bad a. reasonable rest than that it should be'held when t|ioy aro in all probability—in soma' instances unquestionably—jaded with [tho work of the year. The only objection to tho dates that were proposed—tho 20th and 21st January—was that, tho 20th prox. being a Monday, the effect of tho adoption of theso dates would lie that candidates from, country districts would be oomnelled to spond a week-ond in town in ordor to attend the examinations, and this view ho represented on Friday last to tho Registrar of the New Zealand University, who has sineo informed him that, tho datos now proposed ate the 22u - l and 23rd January. Mr Morrell personally thinks that it should have boon sufficient if the Wellington candidates only, whoso papers were dostrovcnl by fire, wore required to sit for re-examina-tion, for ho is of opinion that the oxnminora would havo no difficulty in preparing fresh sets of questions of a standard corresponding very closely to those set by them last week. 1 i