WORK ON HOUSE PLANS

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31006, 11 March 1966, Page 1

WORK ON HOUSE PLANS

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, March 10.

Working drawings for the new Parliamentary building were being developed but they were not likely to be completed before 1968, the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) said today.

Mr Holyoake said in a statement, however, that the Government Architect was now in a position tp get ahead with the final stage of the plans for completion of the south wall of the present main building.

Mr Holyoake later said work on this would begin later this year when Parliament went into recess and again in the next recess.

Mr Holyoake said work on the new building would not begin until late in 1968. In his statement after a meeting of the Special Committee on Parliament Buildings, he said proposals of the Government Architect (Mr F. G. F. Sheppard) for the completion of the south wall and

attached accommodation had been reviewed. This work was an essential preliminary step to the construction of the new building according to the concept suggested by Sir Basil Spence and developed by Mr Sheppard. CLEARED UP “Today’s discussions have cleared up a number of the problems on which the Government Architect needed directions,” Mr Holyoake said.

“These affected the office accommodation of ministers, members of Parliament and officers of the legislative Department and the Law Drafting Office, as well as the temporary relocation of facilities, such as the Post Office during the building process. “Necessarily, we have had to look forward to the later stage when the main building (that designed by Sir Basil Spence) will be started. The working drawings for this are being developed but they are not likely to be completed before 1968.”

Mr Holyoake said Mr Sheppard was now in a position to get ahead with the final stage of the plans for the south wall.

Work on this would be carried out as far as possible in two Parliamentary recess periods. He expected the committee would meet again in the near future to review the revised proposals. The south wall of the present buildings is almost alongside the main steps. When the buildings were constructed earlier this century this was the point where the work stopped—with the building half-completed.

It is intended to complete this wall in the style of the rest of the building and pro vide more office accommoda tion in the process. The area faces the 98-year old wooden buildings which at present house four minis ters, a few members, the ban quet hall and the Parliamen tary catering establishment. Bellamy’s. The wooden building will be replaced by the new building, designed by Sir Basil Spence and generally known as “the beehive.”