GOVERNMENT BUILDING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18193, 14 September 1933, Page 4

GOVERNMENT BUILDING

TRIBUTE TO N.Z. KAURI WONDERFUL PRESERVATION PAINTING CONTRACT ( Special to the Herald.) WELLINGTON, this day. Contractors’ scaffoldings are beginning to cover the outside ot Government Building, and the famous old structure, largest wooden building in the world, exeept for one American seaside hotel, is to receive a- washing-down and two Coats of paint. The Government is setting a good example to Wellington citizens in smartening up its premises, tor the buildings surrounding the main block are also to be renovated and painted in due course. When it is realised that a commodious six-roomed dwelling presents on its outside surfaces not more than 2200 square yards of painted area, arid that Government Building has a gross superficial area of 12,000 yards, the record size ot the painting contract can be appreciated. But the figure quoted docs not include the roof, which has an area ot another 5000 square yards, lhere are 10 years’ accumulations of dust and "rime on the woodwork, but the actual paint is still in sufficiently good condition to preserve the wood. B°w e ycr, for appearance sake, the great building has to be painted, and the first process is to scrub it down, and subject it to high-pressure hosing. Then two coats of paint will be applied. Scarcely any burning-off is needed in connection with the job. ' ' Before the painting contractors started the Public Works Department's staff carefully overhauled the whole structure, most of which was built 58 years ago. Some additions to the nortn end were made in 1907. The weatherboards are of kauri, and they were so perfectly preserved that the only renewal needed was one piece of l-pn. weatherboarding, 18in. long. On the roof similar testimony to the splendid material of the old days was presented. Though put on in 1875, the ironwork ot the main building was found to be in excellent order. However, the north end, roofed in 1907, needed fairly extensive renewals. EARTHQUAKE PRECAUTIONS After the Napier earthquake ? the Government flociued to reduce risk of damage to Government Building by taking down below roof level all the massive chimneys. There were 21 ot them, and the brickwork _ removed averaged about 10 tons per chimney. A complete system of central heating from two independent boilers was substituted for the old open fireplaces, which had been regarded as a great risk so far back as 1908, following the Parliament Building fire. On that occasion Sir Joseph Ward,, then Prime Minister, called attention to the lining of the corridors with valuable files, winch if destroyed could not be replaced. Precautions against fire were redoubled, and although there have been some scares at times, the old building has very successfully run the risk. ' At this time, the Prime Munster presented to Parliament a scheme for utilising the extensive frontages to four streets as leaseholds for shops, but this proposal was not adopted, and the great wooden building stands in a beautiful and dignified setting of greensward and flower beds. Sir Joseph Ward’s scheme was to realise, from the leaseholds, sufficient revenue to pay the cost of interest and sinking fund of the new Parliament Building. _ i The painting contract is expected to| provide employment for three months for at least 25 workmen,, and tenders close this week for the painting of large buildings surrounding tho main blocks, housing the school dental clinic, tho Inland Revenue Department, and tho Pensions and Native Departments. All these records were “temporary” erections provided for Base Records and other activities during the war.