THE HOUSING OF PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2297, 16 September 1908, Page 2

THE HOUSING OF PARLIAMENT.

BIG BUILDING SCHEME INVOLVED. CHANGE OF SITE RECOMMENDED. [Special to “Times.”] WELLINGTON, Sept. 10. In the House this afternoon Sir William Steward brought up .the report of the committee that has been considering the question of re-building Parliament House. Tlie report states that tlie evidence taken by the committee clearly shows that the 6ite at present occupied by Government House and now temporarily used by the Legislature lias great advantages over the site bounded by Hill Street, Molesworth Street, and Sydney Street, on which were erected the recently-des-troyed Parliamentary Buildings, and that no other available site in the city of Wellington is equally suitable. The evidence also shows that further accommodation for the various depart-, ments of the pftblic service, mid also for the Parliamentary Library and the Museum is urgently required, the building in Lambton Quay being already fully occupied and affording barely _ sufficient accommodation for the officers (numbering 769) employed therein, although to relieve the pressure a. number of suites of offices, scattered over various parts of the city, are rented by the GovernmeSit at a cost, of £3117 per annum.. The committee find that to extend the building on Lambton Quay would be to increase the already serious risk of destruction by fire to which not only the building itself but also the valuable and irreplaceable public records stored therein are now exposed. The committee regard, it as imperatively necessary to make provision for suitable fire-proof buildings, and theyfind that this can best be effected by erecting such buildings on the Molesworth Street site where the remains of the old Parliament House still stand. They recommend that this be done, and that -as soon as possible all the departments now accommodated on Lambton Quay be gradually transferred to buildings to be erected on f;he Molesworth Street site. So soon as this is carried' into effect, the block bounded by Lambton Quay, Featherston Street, Bunny Street," and Whitmore Street, on which the present wooden buildings stand, could be leased to the public in building allotments for a total rental which would provide interest on a large capital sum. The present value of the land being estimated by the Valuation Department at £264,000,. the committee therefore report that in their opinion the new Parliament Houses, including , a new Library Building, should be erected on the Government House site, and that the Molesworth Street site, including those portions of the old Parliamentary Buildings not destroyed by fire, should be utilised for departmental buildings and offices and tlie old Parliamentary lawn tennis ground as a. site for a building for the museum, the Lambton Quiiv block to be eventually dealt with as" above in dicated, the sections and intersecting street lines .being laid off as shown bv Ilian as prepared by the Public Works Department, always provided that satisfactory arrangements can bo ?? a «.? s optweii the Government and the City Council. Tlie comniitteo desire to point out that- the arrangements thus proposed will entail the necessity of providing a new sito for Government. House, the selection of which does not conio within the order of reference. The • minutes attached to tlie report show that it was resolved at one meeting that the ball-room and drawing-room in the new Governincut House should be widened to 40 feet, and that the dining-room in the now Government House should be extended m length to 41 feet. Mr. Massey „ asked that members should be given time to peruse the ovidonco. Ho said a tremendous scheme, was involved in the report. Sir Joseph Ward agreed to 'rive time. He pointed out that, the report of the committee was a. unanimous one.

-Air. Massey: On the part of those who were there.

i , Joseph Ward said members should have done their duty and attended tlie meeting. Mr. Massey: It was not worth while going to. Jhe committee was too onesided from tho first). AVhile it is a large proposal, so far as the Government is concerned, we do not in.W fP ru sli matters in connection " r lt,h R or to commit the country to any unnecessary expenditure. Mr, Laurenson again expressed the opinion that if this matter were submitted to the people they would decide for a new capital site. He desired that plenty of time be taken to consider tho matter. Parliament could well continue in their present surroundings for another four or five years.

Davey advocated that New Zealand- (architects should be given, a chance to competo in the designs Tor the buildings. Designs should now also bo invited from other parts of the world, since it was important the Th« bC T»r.- od " lfi x O r- sl '^ l,l<l 1,0 weeted. rho 1 rune said the Goconsidered 'Til v° P res ? Ht 1«& not consulted tho matter raised by Mr Davey. llioy had proposed after committee kU rcKXfVgqiSc

tho whole question, but until the report had como down they had not been able to do anything. Tho point raised by Mr. Havcy would bo fully consider-' od.

Mr F. M. B. Fisher said the designs might be considerably affected by the site. He spoke against any haste in the matter, and agreed with the suggestion of the member for Christchurch. It might even be found desirable to send a commissioner, abroad to sec designs of Parliamentary Buildings elsewhere. In any case there was no hurry, and the matter should not be rushed through. He incidentally expressed a poor opinion of the frontal elevation of tlie Parliamentary Building on tho old sito. It was decided to' give Parliament an opportunity of discussing tho report on another day.