DL—No. 2.

I also propose to raise another storey over the refreshment and smoking rooms, whereby the accommodation of two more committee rooms, a spare room, and an upper smoking room, will be obtained. In the present four committee rooms, which are inconveniently small, I propose taking down the partitions, and throwing them into two good sized rooms. And the principal staircase in the old building being dark and awkwardly placed, I should remove to the back of the main building, opposite the principal entrance, where it would be more accessible and better lighted, and by so removing, it would enable the rooms now occupied by the Under Secretary, and room above, being enlarged. In constructing the new buildings, I propose for the foundations to drive piles of heart of Totara through the made earth to the natural ground, at regular intervals, and frame on them balks of timber, on which the walls of the building will be reared. The internal framing of the entire building would be of red pine. The walls outside should be covered with, and all framing exposed to the weather, be, heart of Totara. The ordinary lining of the walls and floors would be wrought, grooved, and tongued imported boarding; and the panelling and finishing of the House of Representatives, and other rooms, which would not be papered, be finished with red pine, intermixed with kauri. (I should abstain from plastering the walls altogether, on account of the effect which earthquakes might have upon them.) The outside of the building should be painted and sanded and jointed, to correspond witli the finishing of the old building, which should also be painted to make the whole uniform. "With reference to the roofs, I consider that slates are the best covering: although they may appear too heavy for a wooden building, I am of opinion, that in a place like Wellington, where the wind has great effect, a heavy covering, such as slates, if properly put on, is far preferable and more serviceable, and is not so much affected by the influence of the wind as any lighter material, such as zinc, tin plates, or iron. I, therefore, should certainly advise the use of slates, even if it should require the walls to be a little stronger to support the extra pressure. I have carefully gone into an estimate of the cost, and taking into consideration the price of material and labour at the present time, I consider, the new portion of the building, which consists of the entire block, including the House of Representatives up to the extent of the new portion of the library, as coloured black on the plans, would amount to £9,500 ; and the extra expense in raising another storey on the refreshment room, and the various alterations as suggested to be done in the old buildings, with alterations in some of the external details to make it harmonise with the new buildings, and strengthening the roofs throughout the old buildings, by inserting principals and rafters at intervals, and purlins, to give greater support to the common rafters and a longitudinal tie in the roof, of which, I consider, they are greatly in need, would cost a further £2,000 I have, &c. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Edwakd Rithset.

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REPORT ON NEW CHAMBER EOR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.