NEW GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 18

NEW GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

THE FURNITURE CONTRACTS. WELLINGTON, May 24. Some days since it was announced that tenders had been accented by Cabinet for the supply of furniture to the new Government House. The names of the successful tenderers were withheld, pending the signing oj the contracts. In the meantime the suggestion has been made that the statement by the Government that the furniture would be made in New Zealand was not strictly in accordance with fact. The Minister of Public I Works (the Hon. R. M'Kenzie). speaking on the subiect to a reporter to-day said that since the tenders were ar-cented several of the contracts had heer. : ~ned, and the amounts could now he -ide public. The quantity of furniture required, however, was not so largo as some people imagined. When the Governor took up his residence at Palmerston North at the time the old Government House at Wellington was taken for parliamentary purposes, the furniture was moved up there, and most of that would be used in furnishing the new residence. Some of the furniture at Government House at Auckland could also be utilised. That was the reason why the quantity required from New Zealand manufacturers was not so large as had been expected. No tenders had yet been accepted for carpets and curtains, ae they had not yet been reported on. but the" following' tenders for the supoly of furniture had been accented. and the. contracts signed : —W. Strange and. Co. (Christchuroh), £440 15s; ScouHar and Co. (Wellington). £363 3s 2d: M. and M. A. Alcorn (Wellington). 5314 12s 6d: D.I.C. (Wellington). £229 ss; E. W. Mills, and Co. (Wellington) £l4O 10s; C. and A. Odlin and Co! (Wellington), £B3 lis; Briscoe and Co (Wellington). £45 10s; Kirkcaldie and Stains. £33 12s; C. H. Harris and Co., £37: J. Duthio and Co. (Wellington), £2l; H. Fielder (Wellington). £9; Stewart Timber Co. ( Wellington), £6 16s;—total. £1729 15s Bd.