THE STATE'S BUILDING SCHEMES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 302, 23 December 1907, Page 2

THE STATE'S BUILDING SCHEMES

\\ lieu lirsl tilts white man entered upon the task of colonising .New Zcalanu, a number ol' buildings were crceteu lor the purpose of carrying out the work of government. a'he required structures were erected in wood, and from time to time they were added to as the pressure of increasing business seemed to demand. Having ,U1 been built auout tiie same lime, so about the same time they W ere all discovered to be decayed, unsafe, unworthy. So far as I I lie capital city is concerned, the liovcrnmeiit finds itself in tiie position of a man who has issued a number of bills lor large amounts on (lie same day 1 now, all falling due on the same day, he has to raise a huge BU m or face the crisis in his alfairs. Inference has already been made to tli e fact that the portion of the Parliamentary Tsmldim's destroyed by lire had been condemned, I and that by the erection of the new wing now in process in Sydney street the work of the demolition of the old and construction of new buildings had been initiated. ' Some six months ago, the Hon. W. Hail-Jones, minister of , ~ }l mkß ' '" "I' 1? t0 a I'i-otost [>}• the Uty Council against the erection m wood of an addition to one of the wings of the Government Buildings in violation of the by-laws, stated thai the whole mass had served its time, and would shortly have to b e pulled down to make room for a more substaniai and lasting edifice. Now the same language, with a groat deal more reason is found to be applicable to another ptibi lie edifice—Government House. The life of a wooden building lias been put by authorities at forty years. Government House is older'than forty years It is worm-eaten, it is unhealthy,' it is unsafe. Like the late Parliament Buildings, it is liable to disappear in llaime and smoke at any time. The time for the erection ol a new Government House has arrived—so it has been declared.

All tins may be freely granted; nevertheless, the building policy dictated the other day by the Premier was such as to make tile boldest fairly gasp. It is true the whole policy was not distinctly stated; there was uo attempt at detail, but given the leading and cardinal points what follows is a matter of course. The lirst cardinal point was that the Government House should be removed and the site appropriated to the erection of new Parliament Buildings. To adopt this suggestion involves an expenditure of at least .£300,000, if the buildings to be erected are to be in any degree worthy of the Dominion. A site for the Government House will have to be obtained by purchase, for the Government has no land in Wellington, or its neighborhood suitable for a vice-regal residence. The new wing at present in course of construe tion in Sydney street will cost the country some £40,000 or .€50,000 I before it is completed, and what is left of the old Parliament Buildings (the library) cannot be allowed to remain in its present condition. It is manifest that, in any case, another £30,000 at the very lowest computation will be required for expenditure on the site of the destroyed buildings. Sir Joseph Ward had caused designs to bo prepared and tenders were about to be invited for the erection of very extensive additions to the General Past Office, the estimated expenditure upon which approximated to £IOO,OOO. On top of all this comes the expenditure on new Government Buildings, the Hon. W. Hall-Jones having declared that the present edifice cannot be expected to last for more than two or three years longer. It will be seen that to carry to fruition this

great building policy some seven or eight hundred thousand pounds will be required for expenditure on the capital.

Parliament Buildings have gone, Government Buildings and Government House must soon go, and it is not denied here that if the State must build it should build well. No doubt it would be convenient to sec the new Dominion tricked out in handsome, if not gav, new dresses, but clearly the carrying out of such a policy as has been indicated should be spread over a great number of years. To begin .with, Sir Joseph Ward, in view of. what has happened, will do well lo postpone proceeding with the erection of the contemplated magnificent additions to the Genera) Post Uilice- The money is now imperatively required for building purposes in other directions. A young country the producing interests of which are greatly hampered by the absence of necessary roads and bridges must be content to "go slow" in the matter ofpalati.il edifices. _ Like his post ollice designs, the Premier's ideas generally partake of the magnificent. It is satisfactory to iind that his colleagues liave shown themselves possessed of more modest ideas.

It has been decided to p utup a temporary wooden structure on the site of llw buildings recently destroyed in which to hold next session and remit to the decision of Parliament the whole question of future building. It is therefore now a question for the consideration of the country. Every elector has to weigh it and make his judgment) felt. It is a safe thing to assert thai! the temporary structure now about to be proceeded with will have to .serve for great many more sessions than one.^