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

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NEW ZEALAND HOUSE WAR-TIME CENTRE FOR SERVICEMEN A sum of £500,000 for the purchase of a property in London fer the High Commissioner’s Office was included in the supplementary estimates presented in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The figure was part of the vote in the Public Works Account for public buildings. For many years New Zealand House at 415 The Strand has been the Dominion’s headquarters in London. It is within easy distance of the City, Whitehall and the West End. and inside the comparatively narrow circle containing the. other Dominion Houses. Before the war it served as an information centre for New Zealand and as a rendezvous for visitors from the Dominion. During the war, with windows blocked in, it survived many air raids. Some damage was caused during the blitz when a bomb fell on the opposite, side of the street, but no structural fault resulted. Members of the staff, including the High Commissioner, Mr W. J. Jordan, frequently spent the entire night in the building during this period. To thousands of New Zealand servicemen New Zealand House became a strong link with home during the war years—a link fostered by Mr Jordan’s constant concern for their welfare. In spite of the convenient location of the building and of its fine record of service, the office, says the New Zealand Herald, has been compared unfavourably with the Houses of the larger dominions, both in outside appearance and in facilities. It has been pointed out that little scope is given for the dsplay of New Zealand’s attractions. and that many of the rooms in the three floors used for official business are cramped and poorly lighted. Earlier this year the house was decorated for the first time for 15 years, at a cost of £4500.