New Premises for Dominion Offices Sought in London

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26617, 13 November 1947, Page 7

New Premises for Dominion Offices Sought in London

N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent. Rec. 8 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 11. Although a sum of £ 500,000 has been set aside in the supplementary estimates for the purchase of new premises for the New Zealand Government in London, no purchase has yet been made and negotiations which have been proceeding in connection with a block of buildings near Pall Mall are officially stated to be “ still in the delicate stage.” It is understood in London that the amount set aside in the estimates is more in the nature of a provision for any possible purchase than a sum directly related to this specific deal. It is, however, sufficient to cover the purchase price of the site and building at present under discussion, with some provision for costs of reconditioning. New Zealand House emphasises, however, that the deal is still far from completed and may yet fall through.

The building in question, if it can be purchased, is sufficiently large to accommodate all the New Zealand Government offices in London under one roof and also to- make allowance for future expansion. For some time past the New Zealand authorities in London have been endeavouring to secure new accommodation to replace the present overcrowded premises in the Strand and bring all their scattered departments under one roof. They have encountered persistent difficulties. 1 owing to the acute shortage of office premises in central London and the many involved questions of title and tenure which inevitably arise in connection with any major property deals in this area. This shortage, has had a definite effect upon property values, which at present are generally agreed to have reached record heights. The New Zealand authorities are. moreover, restricted in their search, as it is felt that any new offices must be in the central area within reasonable reach of Whitehall and the offices of other dominions. With these considerations in view, a number of buildings and possible sites have been inspected, but in each case difficulties have arisen either as to the suitability of buildings or the nature of the title The overcrowding problem at New Zealand House has been increasing for a number of years, and has been accentuated first by the growth of service departments during the war and latterly by the development of immigration and other services.' At present, armed services departments, the scientific liaison office, the shipping section, and immigration offices are in Halifax House, on the other side of the Strand from New Zealand House, and the marketing departments are in Henrietta street, near Covent Garden. Owing to the expiration of the wartime requisition of Halifax House at the end of this year, they are all shortly to be transferred to new temporary premises in Adelphi House, between the Embankment and the Strand at the rear of Halifax House.

At present New Zealand is undoubtedly the worst served of any of the dominions with offices in London with the exception of Pakistan, which is entirely homeless. Australia House, in the Strand, had cost the Australian Government £829,000 when it was opened in 1918, and South Africa House, fronting Trafalgar Square, cost £750,000 when opened in 1933.