J. CAMI'BELL.j

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55. The new buildings seem to go right up to the old portion?— There is 40 ft. space. Those are future buildings. The pink colouring shows the buildings that could be erected, leaving the old building standing. . This plan proposes that there should be buildings erected both ways. 56. Mr. It. McKenzie.] Would there not be a lot of waste space? —That is for air-space. 57. Mr. Barclay.] Are those arcades drawn only on the assumption that the building is removed altogether I—Yes.1 —Yes. 58. Mr. W . Fraser.] Supposing the time came when you removed the building, would you not get much more if you put a street right through the building ?—I do not think so, because the distance between these two streets is now only 423 ft. If you put a street through there you would necessarily have narrower buildings, and you would have a narrower space for light than I have shown here. 59. Would not the wells be liable to become courtyards, and be liable to become receptacles for dirt and rubbish?— Not necessarily. You must have wells in every city. 60. Hon. Dr. Findlay.] Is the proposed scheme as good as you could devise if there were no buildings on the block at all? —I think so. Ido not think you could get a larger number of shops in any other scheme, and it seems to me that for revenue purposes shops would be suitable. It would mean that the arcade would attract attendance more than open streets would. People coming from the railway-station would go through and get shelter, and pass through the shops in preference to going up Bunny Street. 62. Right lion. Sir J .■(}. Ward.] However, it is quite certain, apart from the question of the suggested arcade, that there are four frontages to the streets available for leasing purposes now — the portions coloured pink I —Yes. 63. And by eliminating the two front wings of the present Government Buildings it would allow the rest of the Government Buildings to remain intact for departmental purposes if required ? —Yes. 64. The Chairman.] What is the suggested width of the arcade? —Thirty feet. 65. Whether we have a street through, as some members think advisable, we ought to have a space there at any rate of a chain wide? —It is not proposed that there should be vehicles going through, or other than foot-passenger traffic. 66. Hon. Mr. Carncross.] What is the width of these frontages? —50ft. to Lambton Quay, and 45 ft. [Plan marked " C " produced.] 67. The Chairman.] What is this plan?— This is a sketch-plan of an outline of a new Government House. It is only a plan with no elevation sketched out, because this depends very much upon the site. 68. Eight lion. Sir J. G. Hard.] We require to have before us what is the suggested cost?— That is the only value of this plan, but it applies to no site at all. 69. The Chairman.] Taking this plan which you have roughly sketched, what expenditure do you contemplate under ordinary circumstances? —We aimed at planning a building which would cost £25,000, but I find this would cost about £30,000. The building expenditure could easily be reduced. We provided for twenty bedrooms, without servants' accommodation. 70. Mr. II . Fraser.] How many are there in the old building?— Very close on that number. The accommodation here, shown together with the bedrooms, is about the size of the present house. 71. The Chairman.] In connection with the Governor's residence, what is the area you have provided for the public room—the ballroom? —I have provided an area a great deal in excess of the present. 72. Eight Hon. Sir J. G. Ward.] What is the area you suggest now?—3,2ooft. of floor-space for the ballroom and two drawing-rooms. 73. The Chairman.] What is the space at present occupied by the two Chambers of the Legislature?—2,2oo ft., as against 3,200 ft. . 74. It is just about a half more?— Yes. 75. Would you give us the size of the new drawing-room as compared with the existing draw-ing-room—the ballroom?— 67 ft. by 25 ft., as against 43 ft. by 24 ft. It is a half longer and one foot wider than the present ballroom. 76. Right Hon. Sir J. G. Ward.] My own idea is .£25,000 for a house for the Governor: according to the estimate suggested, would that be in brick, concrete, or stone?— Brick and stone. 77. In comparison with the present building, it would be fireproof? —Yes. 78. You think you could build that for £25,000? —As sketched here it would be £30,000, but 1 could curtail some of the bedrooms. 79. Well, now, Mr. Campbell, will you look at plan DB, sheet No. 3. What do you estimate would be the cost of the alterations on the old Parliamentary Buildings site as per sketch-plan?— £165,000 to restore the old buildings and erect the proposed new buildings. 80. Would you indicate to the Committee what the colourings on this plan signify?— The portion coloured yellow denotes the library building that was practically untouched by fire. The portion coloured blue denotes the buildings that were partially destroyed by fire—the brick portions— and the portions coloured pink are clearly new buildings. 81. Now, if the buildings are erected on the old Parliamentary Buildings site according to this plan, could the present brick buildings be utilised safely?—No, I do not think they could. I have examined the walls caiefully, and I find that the mortar has suffered very much by the fire. They would not be reliable. 82. So that in building on that site the old building would require to be pulled down? —Yes. 83. Now, in regard to the library, which is marked yellow, that I understand is intact?— Yes, perfectly intact.