NEW ZEALAND DEAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18597, 7 January 1935, Page 11

NEW ZEALAND DEAL

PROPERTY IN LONDON

STRAND PREMISES SOLD

SUM OF £140,000 MENTIONED

LONDON, Dec. 15. News comes from Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, that the Prime Minister of that colony has announced the purchase of premises in the Strand, London, to accommodate the High Commisioner and his staff. The message states that at their request tho name of the vendors is not disclosed. As, however, the message proceeds to mention the property as formerly belonging to the British Medical Association, and as the Times supplies a foot-note stating that the New Zealand Government bought the property iu 1926, there seems, little use for secrecy. In the years preceding 1926 the migration system was in full swing, and tlic staff in the New Zealand High Commisiouer’s Olfiee was a large one. Space was limited,, and the Government decided to buy new premises. They decided on the vacated British Medical Association’s building, on. a corner site, about 100 yards away from the premises then occupied by the High Commissioner and still occupied by him. RESULT OF DEPRESSION

There were difficulties in regard, to several leases which had a lew years to run, and it was arranged tliab.no general movement to the new premises would bu made until these leases ran out, but that certain branches of the High Commissioner’s department should bo Roused there. Then came the depression. Migration ceased, and the slau of New Zealand House was cut down very considerably—so much so Unit there ceased to bo any congestion. 'L lm now building was let in short leases, and when tho Prime Minister came over for 'tho Imperial Conference it was put on the market. For several years it has not attracted any buyer until recent months. Now it appears that the Government of Southern Rhodesia is prepared to purchase it for £140,000, a sum rather short of what was originally paid by tho New ZcaJanu Government.

The High Commissioner, Sir James Parr, when questioned on the subject, expressed surprise at the appearance of the cable message from Rhodesia, lie stated that no document has yet been signed, and that negotiations arc still proceeding on several points. This building has come into prominence owing to the fact that it is decorated on the outside with some of the early work of Epstein, the sculptor. _ At the’time these were incorporated into the outer walls there was a storm fit protest in the newspapers, but in a few weeks people; forgot about, them and became accustomed to tile .rather unusual work—but. far less unusual than that produced by the same artist, in recent times.

WRITE.R.’S AMUSING ERROR. A paragraph which appeared in certain New : Zealand newspapers a few weeks ago stated that, the statues had been removed from the building and that no one knew what had become of them. .It, was also suggested, that the High Commissioner should, be- questioned as to the whereabouts of the figures. The figures were, still to be seen on the building yesterday, ami avere clearly visible even through a very thick fog. Apparently the writer responsible for the paragraph had stood outside the present. New Zealand House, 415 Strand, and, seeing no Epstein figures, hau sensed a. first-class art scandal, to which ne immediately proceeded to give wings without taking the trouble to make further inquiries. The building with the Epsteins is No. 429 Strand.