THE NEW PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 493, 28 April 1909, Page 8

THE NEW PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

INTERIOR ! ; DEPARTMENTAL ARRANGEMENTS. Tho Electoral Department and tho Public Health Department havo already moved into their now quarters in tho handsoino building that has been erected on Lambton Quay, but tho Eublic Trust Department, which owns tho. promises, will not. establish itself there for another five or six weeks.- Tho outside of th 6 building is finished,'and it. forms, with its dome, its'great pillars and rounded 'pediments,. its plentiful facings of light Tonga granite and its enrichments of carving and moulding, one. of the finest architectural ornaments of tho-city. ' J..' Entering by the Van Kannol revolving doors, which are to keep out the wind and dust of Lambton Quay, one finds oneself in "a circular vestibule. ; . Swing doors open towards the counter of .tho'Publio Trust Office; a. passenger olovator is almost ready for its perpendicular journeys at one...sideiTof .the vestibule, and a marble staircase, which still awaits its handrail, takes' its spiral ; course around the walls_ and above tho 'rerolviug doors. The vestibulo is 20ft, in diameter, and the floor and .walls are entirely covered with tiles. Those on the walls aro disposed in a" harmonious arrangement; of palo green and cream colour, and liavo-what is technically called an eggshell surface, which means that they'are not highly glazed; The, ceiling of Carrara fibrous plaster, with a design ' in'■ relief, ■; is coloured to.suit the Avails.: •;; : '-- ".

The Largest Room. . : ; :': •'' Beyond the counter, tho main room of the Public Trust Office extends for. 92 feet,; and < is 48 feet' wide,-boing lighted• chiefly by a, row of. windows looking oh.Stout Street. !A: portion of tho room,, 16 feet wide and running' tho whole length is" lighted froni tfoo roof, tho ,-spaco above .it, being', reserved, give'light to, the windows in. the. upper ,stories of the■' building. This part;'of ,tho main room,is divided off .from'•■the!other, by piers and wide arches. 'The walls of tho : room are colourod a pale buff, and the ornamental ceiling.is of fibrous'plaster.. Tho snouldings 'and enrichments about tbo_walls are white. The entrance doors ; arb very handsome, being of, jarrah. timber, with rimu, and', mottled, kauri, panels. The rimu hero , and' throughout the building is oiled; and slightly. darkened with stain, giving it a rich appearance. The desksj. which afo long and wide, are.built of jarrah,; wth, of Australian ,cedar, . which takes a. very, high: polish.!".Tho, space for the public in front of tho counter measures 14 feet by 20 _fect, : aiid the floor is-covered'with rubber.tiles', to ■'deaden the noise , of footfalls; Opening! out of- this spaco are rooms for the Deputy Trustee and ,tho' accountant;' arid. a waiting'.room. ,; . ..;'; '■> The cellars" below extend under the. wliolo of-the floor,.and are 7 foet.high. J.They will be used ■ for the storage of documents, and records. Some, day,' perhaps; they:.', may, ..bo: used.-in' part. as:, safe 1 , deposit, stores' for the. use.'ofi the,public on ; tlie. locker Bystom;. :. . i;. Tho first -floor, like'the, ground:floor,.will .be .occupied, entirely:.by' .the-.Public ' Trust Office;/' There is another large/room, 90, feet by 31 s feet, : and .the rooms,,of the.., Public. Trustee'and.inemberi of his'staff. The.Publio' ■Trustee's room is' a handsome! apartment 1 with /a dark "wainscot having.; mottled kattn but most of the, woodwork .on 1 this floor and. those', above Vis of,,darkened rimu, and the style|]of ,'the. interior.;is";plainer ', in.;' every way. :'■;•'[- ' '■'■''' '".■: :/:'- : ;,.;; : ■■'■ j'' ' '.■'.-':.

Other Departments. :, ' \v ■£- •■■■ The Tourist' Department, has taketti a lease of the second floor, b\it lias not yot moved in. There are. 16 rooms, and if .tho iTourist : DeA partment in its diminished glory.as a part/of the 'Department of Agriculture; doesnot,-; require- them all, some, bther ; : branbh : of tho public.service will doubtless be glad to have them; Tho Public -Health.Department (head office ,an;i distrjejt. is!in .occupation ■;; of, the third floor/ which is , divided into ' rodms ,'similafito'<tlltf6ef'6'f p the A fltf6'r'"BeSt !ll be]oW'it. Each'story r iup.to;tho'tbird has a set of strong- rooms at the end-furthestifroni , ., the street)entrance: and '.dome.;-V .-.i r' ',Ch:> !.,''; Finally, one climbs up! tor the fourth: Story. i which ia a 'true attic story; .boing: actually i in the mansard-r00f , ,.. Some of 1 the; rooms strike onefas;being very, oddly/ : :shaped,■ : but /the greater wonder is that the whole of the. roof space hasbeen-utilised. are no empty: places between ceilings androofs.; ; In the ' largest room, (30ft.. x 23ft.) alj the : district electoral rcgistprs of the Dominion,.which aroi kept on the card system, jar©'ranged in cabinets. ;The're'is ample .-working:space for. a largO | staff of clerks,' and room: for .storage.of ma-' torial. The room for the.; accountant and f6r further 'storage is\3oft. : x 23ft.. - .'Mr. 'F-vW:: Mansfield,, the. Registrar,,of /£lectoi:s,;!has his own office in circular room;; 20ft., in; diameter/'just tinder the dome, and three, other rooms for. members of his staff: are close by. To be Opsned by tho , ; Handsome as the is',' itis, claimed that it is,cheap at its/price., The .contractors, Messrs. A. and ; J. iWilson, receive '£40,000,. and.their contract;includes: all the ■work,and material. The economy of thebuilding lies in. tho utilisation .;,of ■aU available space'. ; When -the, price* ia being considercd.it should be romombßred that the floorsjare'fireproof, being all of irad.. that the building'is of steel-frame construction.■-•-■> ■:■ It is expected: that;by; tho.end.of 25 years the Public Trust Office, :the business, of iwhich has increased rtuch faster;.;,than;the';popula-. tionof' the Dominion, tho whole of.tlie buildinp." After: that, a-partial: decentralisation, of its work may mako. any further extension of, the liejd officouhnecessary. : The building will bo formallyj'opened by* Sir Joseph ,Ward afew weeks 'henceiliut the date has'yetto be,. Sxed. ..... -\ -,'' : ;' •:,■'.'.'.'..-•■:■,, ■•-.'■':•;■.;•''. ■