THE PRIME MINISTER'S VIEW. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, December 16.

Otago Witness, Issue 2805, 18 December 1907, Page 33

THE PRIME MINISTER'S VIEW. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, December 16.

Sir Joseph Ward informs me that the idea of building a permanent House of Parliament on the Government House site is only conditional upon selling or leasing the site on which the present departmental buildings stand. The scheme would involve the demolition of Government House and the present departmental buildings, or in other words the ereotion of three large new buildings, viz., Parliament House, Government House, and departmental buildings, at a cost of about a quarter of a million sterling. Moreover, all three buildings would have to be gone on with at the 6ame time. It is considered doubtful if Parliament would ratify such a big building scheme. No doubt it would be a splendid thing for Wellington, but ■ even Wellington people have no desire to benefit unduly when railways and roads and bridges are still wanted for the baok-blook settlers. All things considered, Sir Joseph Ward's idea that the present building should be repaired for next session is no doubt the best one, and will meet with the general approval of members. Bellamys can be repaired at moderate cost; and even the ..main Lobby, if it is roofed in and painted and decorated, can b©" made available. Several of the committee -room* can also be made habitable. The faot that the nightwatchman (who is 73 years of age) did not give the alarm to the fire brigade, and that the Parliament House alarms are not connected -with the fire brigade station, have been a good deal commented upon here, and it is urged' that the late catastrophe should be 'a lesson to install the May-Oatway or some equally efficient automatic alarm in all the Government buildings and in the new Parliament House. Had such a system Been in use, no doubt the fire would have been suppressed. A departmental officer who knows the facts informs me that some few yean ago an offer was made to the Government upon exceptionally favourable terms to install the May-Oatway system, but that it was refused on the ground that the appliances already in the buildings were sufficient to cope with any fire that might break out. •*