D.-ll

1913. NEW ZEALAND.

PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS, OLD AND NEW: RETURNS RELATIVE TO EXPENDITURE, ETC.

Return to an Order of the House of Representatives dated the 12th September, 1912. Ordered, " That there be laid before this House a return showing in detail— (1.) (a) The amount paid on Frain's contract at the old Parliament Buildings ; (6) the value of plant and material taken over by the Government as an asset against such payment; (c) the actual cost of cancelling Frain's contract, after deducting the value of such plant and material from the total payment. (2.) (a) The cost of removing debris from old Parliament Buildings after the fire ; (b) the cost of removing, repairing, storing, and returning furniture saved from the fire ; (c) the cost of renovating the old Parliament Buildings, including the cost of providing the Committee-rooms at present in use in those buildings ; (d) the cost of erecting an additional story for departmental offices in the portion of old Parliament Buildings destroyed by fire; (c) the total cost of refurnishing the old Parliament Buildings, including the departmental offices located there ; (/) the total amount spent on the old Parliament Buildings since the fire, exclusive of ordinary maintenance charges since the fire ; (17) the amount spent on the old Parliament Buildings, after deducting the amounts referred to under headings (a), (b), (c), and (/); (h) the probable annual rental that would have to be paid in Wellington for the accommodation at present used in the old Parliament Buildings as Committee-rooms and departmental offices. (3.) (a) The total cost of alterations and additions to the present Parliament Buildings, the cost of the new Legislative Council Chamber and the tube to be shown separately; (b) the cost of furnishings and fittings in the present Parliament Buildings ; (c) the total amount spent on present Parliament Buildings exclusive of furniture, fittings, and ordinary maintenance charges (including painting and repairing); (d) the estimated annual rental that would have to be paid for suitable temporary accommodation for Parliament, and the total amount that would have had to be paid since the fire in December, 1907. (4.) (a) The estimated cost of acquiring Quinton's corner, widening Bowen Street and Charlotte Street, and the construction of new Museum Street, including the raising of a portion of Sydney Street, and also the footpath from Sydney Street to Hill Street. (5.) (a) The estimated cost of the first portion of the new Parliament Buildings to be erected, sent in by the Government Architect along with the prize competitive design for the Parliament Buildings, including foundations and alterations to the grounds ; (6) the total quantity of concrete and excavation in the foundation for the first section of the building to be erected, also the estimated quantity (i) of concrete, (ii) of excavation when finished, and (iii) the cost of roinforcing-steel used in this portion of the foundations; (c) the cost of alterations to the grounds, including reading within the grounds ; (d) any estimate submitted by the Government Architect subsequent to the estimate sent in with his competitive design and showing the total cost of the section of the Parliament Buildings proposed to be erected at present, including cost of foundations and alterations to grounds and cost of widening and forming streets ; (c) the value of land acquired by the Government in Sydney Street and old Museum Street. (6.) (a) The total expenditure on new Government House; (6) the cost and valuation of land acquired by the Government for Government House site ; (c) the cost of furnishing Government House and other buildings connected therewith; {d) the cost of other buildings connected with Government House; (c) the cost of Government House, exclusive of the items {a), (6), and (c) under heading (6). Also, that there be laid before this House the report of the Parliamentary Committee that took evidence on the subject of erecting new Parliament Buildings in 1908, printed on page ii of Paper 1.-14 of the session of 1908."—(Hon. Mr. R. McKbnzie.)

Return. 1. (a.) The amount paid on Frain's contract at the old Parliament Buildings .. £8,828 (6.) The value of plant and material taken over by the Government as an asset against such payment .. .. .. .. .. .. £2,036 (c.) The actual cost of cancelling Frain's contract, after deducting the value of such plant and material from the total payment .. .. .. £6,792 2. (a.) The cost of removing debris from old Parliament Buildings after the fire .. £453 (6.) The cost of removing, repairing, storing, and returning furniture saved from the fire.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £84 (0.) The cost of renovating the old Parliament Buildings, including the cost oi~) providing the Committee-rooms at present in use in those buildings I „, n „„- (d.) The cost of erecting an additional story for Departmental offices in the por- j tion of the old Parliament Buildings destroyed by fire .. J (c.) The total cost of refurnishing the old Parliament Buildings, in. luding the departmental offices located there .. .. .. .. £811