WORK HALTED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18961, 11 March 1936, Page 15

WORK HALTED

GOVERNMENT OFFICES

BIGGER SC HEM E PL ANN ED

Instructions were issued ou Saturday morning to the contractors for the erection of the eight-storev -block of departmental buildings in Stout street, Wellington, to cease operations. The sub-contractors for the removal of spoil from the foundation excavations at once suspended operations, and a few men will be employed this week cleaning up and making things safe, after which there will be a pause until fresh iiltnis extending over a larger area of ground are prepared bv the Government architect \s department. It is understood that the new Government has decided to adopt a proposal made to the last Government by its responsible officers when considering the departmental block proposal over a year ago- —namely, to take over two adjoining properties—th.e threestorey brick warehouse of J. E. Butler, Limited, on the corner of Stout and Ballance streets, and the brick garage, facing Ballance street, between Butler’s and the Wellesley Club. This will mean that the new Government building will occupy the whole of this valuable central block northward from the Hotel Arcadia, with the exception of tiie Wellesley Club premises, on the corner of Ballance and Maginnitv streets.

, The present block over which excavation, operations have been in progress for the last four months has u frontage to Stout street of 148 ft. by one of 99ft. to Magi unity street while the depth between those two streets is 197 ft. lOin.

The building of J. E. Butler, Limited, has a frontage to Stout street of 50ft. by one to Ballance street ol ,80ft., while the garage property is roughly about 50l'l. by 65ft. H has been estimated that by extending the proposed eight storeys over these eontinguons properties, between -seven anil eight acres of office space will be provided. It is said that, following on an early proposal the late Government did proceed some distance with negotiations for the acquisition of these properties, but; ultimately decided on the minor proposal, on the score of cost. i This decision on the part of the Government to re.vort to the major scheme follows on the statement, made ,on Thursday, when it was reported filial a Minister of the Crown had said that a good deal more accommodation was required for Government departments than would be made available bv the Stout street buildihg.