THE PROPOSED PROVINCIAL BUILDINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 621, 24 October 1863, Page 6

THE PROPOSED PROVINCIAL BUILDINGS.

In accordance with the recommendations of the Felect Committee appointed to inquire into the office aocomniolation necessary for the various departments of the Civil Service, and for the halls of the Provincial ( ouncil and General Assembly, a plan has been pre • pared by Mr C. R. Swyer, the Provincial Engineer and Aichifcect, de-igned to comprise the whole in one block of buildings. The front elevation, as shown in fthe .draning, lacks the stateiy grandeur usually associated with the idea of Houses of Legislature; but it is chaste in design, nn.) the effect is exceedingly pretty. The style of architecture may nob inappropriately be designated Italimised Roman. Along tho whole line of frontage (a distance of 420 feet), on each aide of the portico i 3 a range of double autoe and intermediate pilasters, surmounted by columns of the Corinthian order ■ not pres^niiuK a dead uniformity but broken into symmetrical masses. Thewings are connected with the c nfre by piazzas, and the whole range of buildings appropriated to offices, encloses an extensive quadrangular court, in the central portion of which are placed the Halls of Assembly and Provin- [ cull Council. The principal cntnnco to both Halls is by a pirtico ornamented with six columns of the Corinthian order raised on psdestab, with coupled columns at the angle?, and surmount d by a liirht architrave and entablature. Access is obtiined to the Vestibule by a flight of steps. The Vestibule lt^elt is intended to be 54 feet wide by 33 feet deep. From each side of it branch pis^r.ges leal to the various offices on the ground floor of the principal building, which am intended to be appropriated on the one side to the Department of Public Works, nnd on the other to the Gold Fields Departinci.t. Itising from ths Vest-bule by a moderate flight of step?, of eiw gm-iient, are the entrances to the Legislative H ills of tho General Assembly and Provincial Council, each of which is to be sixty feeb in length, by fort) in width. The necessary division I»bbie3 on-l Committee rooms are conveniently attached to these, ani apartments will be provided for the Superintendent and Speaker, aud offices for the C'erks of* Assembly and (huncil. At the back of these, on the same flojr, it is -intended to place the Library, the area of wh'ch is propossd to bo 80 feet by 30. Baneath the legislative Halls will be the refreshment rooms, with their app-irtenances On the Hot: of the upper story wi I be placed the offices cf tho Superintendent of the Province and .hose of the Provincial Secretary; the rooms of the former being proposed to be over tbe o/fia» of the G.ld Fields Department, and the latter over those occupied by the oßice=i of the Department of Publio Works. The principal building 13 .separated from each wing by spacious quadrangular courts; the lower flour of the right wing being intended to be appropriated to fie Road JJapartmant. ovor which will be tbe office of the Provincial Bigineer. On the first floor of the If ft wing will bj the offices of the Provincial Treasurer, ' and above them those of the P oviaciai Solicitor and the Lind Department. Lastly, provision has been made for offices connected -with the Survey Department, by plaaiug them at the bade of the building under the library, as well as for tiie Education, Immigration, and Lithographic offices. The estimated cost of this beamifuf and convenient edifice is about L70,00i), anl its arranges cuts are such that if, at a future time, fu:ther accommoJation is required, additions can be maie without detracting from its appearance. The site has not yet been determined upon. Two or three *itu tious have been suggested, but the most commanding, and that most gtnerally approved, is the cne suggestei by Mr Millar, ■ the City Engineer, viz., the giound at Bell Hill, arpropriate.l to the Scotch thurch. Placed there, the eflict would be striking: and imposing, ami worthy of the Metropolitan City of the Middle Island.

The papers offer an encouragement to their readers to persevere m getting through their work, by stating that "an old lady in Holland, whose sole occupation was housewifery, scrubbed her sitting-room floor she fell throuah into the cellar."