The Dominion. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1907. THE INCITEMENT TO PLUNGE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 71, 17 December 1907, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1907. THE INCITEMENT TO PLUNGE.

Never, surely, was there such an extravagant pother over a simple busi-. ness as 'the current excitement and rage of opinion about the site for the new House of Parliament. One would imagine that the fire that swept away the finely-located pile in Molesworth Street had burnt down the whole structure of Society. The Premier,, while 'reserving the question of the new Parliament House for decision by Parliament itself, is agitating for a new departure of a quite extraordinary character. His idea is to erect the new ibuilding in the grounds of Government House, to keep the old site for new Departmental Buildings, and to move Governor to one of half a dozen different places. He does not claim, of course, that the fire has created a set of new, conditions rendering this wholesale readjustment necessary. He would have us believe that the fire has merely created a muchneeded opportunity to do all these things. Yet it is clear that nothing but a complete change in the conditions can justify a scheme which may or may not be better than any other, but which would assuredly be enormously more expensive than is neces? sary or than the country can afford. ' The strongest' argument which has been advanced in support of the Premier's proposition is the propriety of building with an eye to the future. To take the Government House site would certainly give the Premier wide room to meet in advance the most extreme needs of future development, but the area of the present Parliamentary Buildings site is quite large enough for a structure in which there will be no discomfort to those of our remote descendants who may be engaged in the work of law-making. ■There is room for a House twice as large as the one that has been destroyed. The Premier thinks that the cutting up of the Departmental Buildings site into building sections would yield a rental sufficient to wipe off in thirty years the cost of " new Parliamentary Buildings, new public offices, and a new residence for the Governor." His figures may or may not be sound; but we distrust all financial calculations based upon the assumption that the Government will provide, or, providing, can keep its fingers oif, a sinking fund. Moreover, the huge public debt and the number of public, necessities crying for financial attention, combine to fotiid indulgence in expensive luxuries, however attractive they may appear. In any event, the arguments of the Premier, so far as they are indictments of existing inconve-' niences, as indeed they all are, cannot be given any more weight than could be attached to tliem if Parliament House had not been destroyed. Were the old building still standing, would the Premier have proposed his vast scheme of reorganisation? Assuredly he would not. We trust that Parliament, while giving the matter careful consideration from all points of view, will not assist the Government to seize the opportunity for ik wild financial plunge. That the Premier's proposals are receiving hearty support in some quarters does not disturb our views. The late lire disclosed the risk attached to housing State records in wooden buildings, and the public mind_, naturally, is uneasy at the possibilities attached to the destruction by fire of the huge Departmental Buildings. Moreover, Sir Joseph Ward .has painted an alluring picture, 'and it is not surprising that the magnificence of his, proposals should have so dazzled many sober people as to blind their judgment for the moment. We venture to think, however, that there will be an awakening to the huge extravagance that is proposed—an extravagance thinlycloaked as a sacrifice due to the nation's dignity. It will be time enough to think of our dignity when our _debts are jjaid.