WHAT IS WRONG?

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 942, 8 October 1910, Page 7

WHAT IS WRONG?

I i RIGHTFROM GOVERNMENT HOUSE

IS IT THE DRAINS?

MSGUSSION IN PARLIAMENT.

./During 'the. discussion .of the Estijnates'ni. tho i. House of, Representatives yesterday ..Mr. /Herries (Tauranga) raised Me question of tie' efficiency of Ike. drainage at Government A House, Wellington...: Mr'. Herries saidtherewere many rumours, and it would bo 'advisable for the Minister to makb- a plam' statement, to ; allay"them. He (flsked/wbether it was the fault of -the 3?tiblic -Works Department or ..the archi-,!tect.V-'The Mayor had -stated that, the -Morks- Department the assistance, : of its jSvoliinowledgedSexperts;in drainage mat--Itorß.'.and the offer'had been refused:-'.""- •; /Sir/: Joseph "Ward}' said/';tliat/ Several members'of -Government;: House staff /jbad been indisposed about: a week ago, tand medical: men had been called in to lascertainthe catise of the' illness,.which, was' not ,«f■ a/serious; nature.-;, As.;a iresult/of .investigations ,a;d?ubt arose/ Whether,a ; particular Jdrain;;in. connection/with Government; House was- not responsible for the "■ illie'ss, as,a result. ,of ;a;smell 'from'.it ; 'having, reached., a .portion of the-house, where food; was. ■kept. --Sit-, was .not-.certain-, yet;that ihq drain; was the cause of the trouble. The drains, had been examined by officers of the Public Works Department, :the-Health Officer, and'tho'doctor who attended ..his -'.Excellency:; and ;.;staff.. '.Their - opinion had .. just; been' received, • land was being looked; into now./ All .;^e. ; '.wis; pure -but ..i-i'hV'.fact, that eleven., of ..his ■Excellency's staff 'out of .' iiirtyi-sis / had.. been : affected: caused a little:-iineasMess.^: ,The : ''work.^ : :as a. •^vhole.had been.excellently, done.: 7 ~ /

' His Excellency's statement. Mr. Massey: Ldo not think you should say that. Sir Joseph "Ward: "I want to say deliberately 1 \that his Excellency lias in-'foi-nied lne that the House is very comfortable, and is in every way a fino iouso.: Ido not want to mention the Governor's name, but I hear this morning of some busybody having said that the Governor made an opposite statement.-" Continuing, Sir Joseph Ward said;he knew his Excellency was exceedingly pleased with the arrange- ( ments, and it was.,to,bo.. regretted such stories had got about. He was surprised to see them drawn into a local paper, apparently for political purposes, to discredit the Government. It was idiotio to attempt to draw such matters into the political arena. Mr.- Hemes: Was it a new 'drain hat was suspected? . ; .

: •v;^Sir,.^JosepK{^ai'd:7v'^ere'is ; : no : :'siici ,'•■'; thing ": as ■•■ an-■•- old', drain;'■ in■; coimectioi -i} With>Government : -House;U' : AHvthe oh N v . ithW Prime'.' Minister -said'the Mayoro: !'?W!dlin'gtpri/had:' ! 'statia'. : -.tbat'.itheV.Git3 {'had;'.'nothing-, to do with / th< /..drainage,.' but:; 1 he';Miild:• assure 1 'th< ■■[ House: the work .had been": wellicafried ';'6ut^;; Jsorts■-: ; : oi : .ger^us/diseases, .but .there 1 : was l nothing ;' misfit; true :,«rnment-refused/the' ;: assistance'-:of-the : ..Wiinoil's;-staff ?3£V U . ; ; : i ■ ;■?&/ '■ >> "■ \,Shy > r (Wernment a do ', not I require ■ ./thejassistance:of;the municipal authori}r ties. At:-!vr: ; rrc'vSH: <ii\ M : ?';,K v. £' :■ •?>' .r.v:-.r. ; • ! ,i,''.Mrf ! |Ssh^.iiiTHa't'-is'\why '.the ". ,nappened.vjS fe' ''g&vM■'.'■:-:>'■ *f.:\,g-v-Qt S:Siry;Joseph^ in'the minds ;of:.;those/who. want .•to'inakev.: everything"'; a^'job."'v Sir v-Joseph>raddedtt]iat'!> tKe ; ."'Gbvernment -■V.staff;'<»tJld;"-fia'rry;-"''oirt.Vthe'"work i . ! 'as''well ..- as -the-City: Council ■; staff.. '• Ws,-* •'..'; ; (Wairarapa) :. it : : . would.,; never occur"to''-' anyone: to "om.■,:ploy,;th6; Public 'Worhs-Department in .^'.™s:dii«tion^ri''-'p;feiOT€h^''-ioHher rex- .;•; perts.,who: : had:carried : but'the'drainage ./so- weil<:y^-^■ (1^' Sir.JosephyWard said-it ; .'was ; 'ii'ot yet "-. :«efliutery'laiown that;the;drains: caused ./the .illness:. ;;They Were only a'possible « :^ e^^s:'^ey*rnight:/;be;t:it: Vwaa' ' -thought to Have them-all rer' ■ 'jammed;;;' examined :-the \plansf<, ; and declared .them^to'' bo . >■'- :- :: ; ■■<•.•..:-■. ';:■:■■/';-'.;. v :*-./.;'■' ■,■

; £?h.lv v;.; Suburbs) •S2? -H Engineer as -haying 'said that'the .drainage'work at Government House was: perfectly 'with/ ;«ie by-laws. defect ; connection yitlwthe-.sewer.:thafKwith' the-plumb-

:-:&~ : M Remarks by Mr; ■ Massoy.r •;":'' M^-'^f^fl "(Reader;:W'the ~4wn).^ said it was'/unfortunato ill"unerased ;. outside irepbrt. -not .be' ™*-?mrt, -: had. been- spent : m A;;house ; aid-grounds,: Rafter a-;f*w. weeks the: house; was>■unn^ Bpeakmg. to a man who .had visited , Bovernment: House, in.. a . semi-oteial ; been':in£eH . ilOn, v .H Al'Kenzie :■•,Be must, have ;been;;a ; strong Oppositionist; ;J" Y ° -'- $m : ~&*»W ■•: Ji::do not ■ inquire into of every ma.i X'S : 'X ■$Svi? 4 ? that some ~■"*;:«!§■. door; pane Is ;to-green;:woofekaving been' used and "ttftt, mantelpieces ~%Wof the-fire, below&g S ! on.' tbe green? wood. ■■' - '■'■: ' '■'•. <- - v -.-: :?■ Ward.: Ho/must havo'been ,* detective,.that clap; 1 ■.-. ' "^ 6 , Deen . :.-He; says, that Everybody :.who. is .resident. in.-;the : :building-I'am ;referrnig,,to'lis?-Escelloncy :' the , bovern;or-is extremely dissatisfied .with. uovernment Housb,.' ' ..-,- : ' .iUr/Massey. pointed to".the. large sum of,money .that; had-been expended on the -:- present "Parliamentary." buildings JNo.sensible man could come toany coil, .elusion; but that there .'was somethiiiW: wongvw.th.the.public Works'DeparC. ment, especially the part'that dealt with : public : buildings. ' '• ■ asked ■ the Frim© Minister : to; give; exact into.™?.™ 11 about the cost, of .the new buildings'and the acquisition of 'land. He .asked.; wherejlie,furniture .;taken from ..the old -house ,was,:.and'also' the -furiliture taken from Government House -at Auckland. ..■.,/■:,,: : ,'-

r :-''?op}« : ,S?me'of 4he ' furniture A from; Auckland is in: Bellamy's >: . . - Mr. Fisher: -Yes. .1 noticed the sideboard there. . ■ ■-.■■-.-■ • ';■■

';.. Jlr. .Forbes .(Hurunui), moved that a votei of £50 for Government House at Auckland the Estimates bo reduced by £1 as an indication that all preference to that house should bo struck out .of, the Civil List Act. Mr. Herries (Tauranga) said bo had a prior amendment to'the effect thatthe vote for, the salary of the-Govern-ment.;'architect be' reduced by £1, Mr Forbes !was trying to get away from'the subject/by', a flank attack. -Mr;.Herries pointed out. that there was a -largo building on the site at .Wellington, before Government House was built. Was it not a fact that microbes might lurk in the.ground? The sickness that had occurred must create a feeling! that everything, was:not all right..' . : :; '.■■■':' A Chbued Drain. v-..\ The Hon. R. M'Konzio said there was one. small..drain-.'that was choked up arid'burst, but that 'had been, cleared out... His Excellency was delighted with'

Government House:- Opinions in Wellington wero given according to.the localities in \v?hch people lived and there were some who objected to its boing shifted to Te'.-Aro. He had been all over Government Houso and had seen neither cracked doors nor warped mantelpieces. The statements to tho contrary had no doubt come from a Thorndon man.'; : ' •

)■' Mr. Fisher said that twice the Gov-: ornorls-' staff in _ the old Government House had typhoid while its drains woro Under control of tho:Public Works Do-' partment. .Mr. Herdman said tho country; was ehtitjed to : . know more about tho expenditure -in connection with Government House. The Minister had the information but refused to give it. The Hon. R. M'Kenzio said he would not give the information till' thePublio Works Statement came down. :. Mr. Herdman said the matter should bo considered -from the point of view of the Dominion. .' The .-whole thing had beon a characteristic muddle on the part of the Government. The present Government Houso looked like a glorified grain store from the outside. Thousands and thousands of pounds had been .frittered- away. There should have been no necessity for leaving the old site. Parliament House should have been erected on the .old site also. . Mr." Herdman strongly advocated that competitive, .designs.; should: bo called for such -buildings >as Government House and .Parliament House. .;' .' - Mr. Hardy asked why. should a Christr church afcllitcctbagiven a feeof-£ISOO for'designing a public building in Christchurch, when they had thoir own archi-' tept here.-->.•''.-'.■;'.'■'—•■ "--._..: . '■•'•■ '::-: The Hon. R. M'Kenzie.said the reason, the. work referred, 'to had been- given to;-;a. ..Christchurch .:arohiteot was- be-cause-of the rush, of work in the Government office.

V-Sir. Fisher:-Why not competitive designs then? i '■'■: The .Hon.- R. M'Kenzie: Well, I was not.in;the. Department when the matter was decided; but" I ani told the_ architect is'the; leading architect in, Christchurch.

: Mr.,Hafdy: Not-'by any means.(Mateura) ; .criticised ■severely the site and design of;the residence. On the north side one looked on, factories andbnsiness, premises when tho.'outlook was not obscured by, smoke. Tho"', .of:: .the..' building- ion,the north side put him in mind of a barn. He had'seen shearers' accommodationhouses that were of better design. ~'.'-.Mr." 'Hardy .(Selwyn);.; said; the: work was a creditable. one v - and in - good- taste.

• '■ Mr.l'Hogg. (Mastertbri),;Baid. ernment "had been going '■'■■in for;:.a cobbling policy in ■ the matter, of buildings lately.;: So asked how Jong .this'wisto : was '.to- go on; U;;,:-.:; 7:. : :-:-: ? - 'i •-■. i Sir:' Joseph ;Ward:,Did: yoiu-not. adj■'vise . : it?'.',".-. ''i- -■■ -■' ■.;'i-" jf .'. V- : - '■ • - ■■• :-.• -■ '~.'i '- ... Mr.- Hogg:,No;f !t advised. it;no< inore. than any other,maul iii. this House. -The! sum 0f.£6000 : spent:- in.-,; makingalterations' last yeai i; 'to.the old Government .House.-.Theii. this year it is in'tendedr to /spend:£4ooo,;;that, is.£lo,ooo i in two, years' in cob' Sling..u- the .wooden' ; building here. vr -il' :■• " ;,.; Mr.-T.-E: Taylor. (Christchurch North) ; said outside; designs should' have'' been called for the Departmental building.at . Christchurch. : He.intended 'later to .reduce'an item as ah' indication that. no : .work;:should : bo,,.takeri"'frora a State Department, and put into private hands ;without competition being invited -He .hid nothing againsTi -ttie. architeet who' had got: the commission,: or I his-' design, but--,'he, contended the principle wrong.;': ;:/:--..; :>.'; ■■:■-< ■>. '- -.The amendment;! was...>lost-;on the iyoices.;. -)•:>.'.■''■'■'•".''.■■;:'■' -,o :'•■■ ....';;'■;. ■■!'..; GqVERtaNT7 aWdXCITfY.^: '•?&[ : BY-LAWS I •■;:' ,-' CITY ENGINEER'S- PROTEST.^ ■ The ; *'following; official' correspondence throws'-light'urjari'the'-attitude.Vof-the Government towards', the requirements .of ■ -the. 'Wellington' ( City;-;CounciL, in ,the matter'-of' sanitation,'. and 'particularly with reference, t0..-the ', drainage of, Gpv.ernment'House:—;. '-- ; ; ', '■"'■''..'■ : . f/C^v'HP" l / 19^1910 :;;, ■ • Sir,—! have "'the' honour," by direction of!' his -Worship; ;the: Mayor, .: to bring under the'notice;'of■the-'Rt.Hon.'the Prime -Minister;that; it, is reported by City Engineer! that 'sanitary work is"beirig..and ;has ,been:'carried: out 'in ,the"oit'y ..by" tlie Defence '■ arid. gaol ail--'.thOrities*' without -any preference; whatf ever rtotlmt officer, to'see that there-, quitements of the city by-laws'are com-', plied; ;: with.;;'.:■','The. -City _ Engineer, iuiv ther: states 'that- he has; ajso ; .recently .written 1 :tq. tho : Government; : 'District Engineer concerning..';the",drainage .of theriew Governor's; residence,-; but that no planß of this have yet.' been'.submitted; to himvS-;Ih : -the .interest of public;health itjis of .the greatest im-i portance that all details, of connections with the w;ater and'sewerage..systems ■jfrthe city should ,be approved and registered at: the ; City : - office, thejresponsibility, resting .with that.de- , partme'nt. ; , This is the/absolute rule toMvhioh; every', licensed plumber in'! the city> must conform. ; The, .Corporation i 8 always, desirous. of', doing' all. in its power to 'facilitate Government work 'in the';city, and:would:gladly.:do so',in the instance, herein,deferred; to, and. will much appreciate:, the action: of. : .the Prime. Minister' if .he ; .will:,. be; "good enough to issue ■ such •',- instructions as 'will meet the circumstances above referred,to'.-' -.- ~ . :- . : v '.'- ■',';:: '...■■ J. : : '!;':,,; ,Town-Clerk. .. ;■ The Private- Secretary to the Rt. ;-. Hon. the Prime Minister., . yThe above: letter, was. acknowledged under date April 25 by .the "Prime Min- - ister, .who stated .that' inquiries were being made. /;:,'--, - V- ''■ Public Works Department, ' .•r'■:, ''"'"■:■ \ :.'■ : -'-'" ; ''''''''May''3 J 'l9lb.' '/'Sir,—The Right Hon.'the Prime Minister has referred to this Department your letter of'the 25th. ultimo' on,the subject of, drainage connection from public buildings,; which it is'stated are carried; out. without, reference to, the ! city; engineer.,; Iri reply,. Lam directed by the ' Minister, fpr Public Works to state that, on' inquiry, ho'is. advised by . the: Government architect'■ that"it! is tho rule to submit 1 to V ; your". officers: plans i of all proposed "connections '.with' the city sewers., 111. tho. case, of. the vice-regal -residence rid alteration' was being made to'existing, connections, nor any : new ones, made, so'that it ; was. hardly considered necessary to submit plans of the. .drainage work befort the work was taken in hand. The Minister, understands, hoWover, that plans were forwarded, last week to!the. city engineer for his information., '.;.:.: ;"■:.'.' .'V ' _ w.-s. short, .Assistant Under-Secretary. :. The" Town Clerk.; ./''';;, . .:' ; . May 11, 1910. ; .'Sir,—in. reply .to your letter of. the, 3rd instant, I have to inform you that the city engineer reports that tho drains in ttie now vice-regal : rcsidonce were praoiically completed before any information reached him and then only after a roquost had been made to tho district engineer. Drainage work had also been carried out previously by the Defence Department and gaol authorities, an.d water-pipes connected and extended ..without reference to the. city engineer, The city engineor states that ho is aware that many of the officials in tho Gov-" ernmont desire that this class of work shoulcl.be done in strict, accordance with the oity's requirements, but in other, cases a ready compliance' with tho bylaws of tho city is difficult to obtain. In the : case of the vice-regal residence none of-the drains laid have been tested by the corporation's officials. They have been joined to old'.connection off the public 1 sewers, which were laid in trosition many years ago, and it is not known whether the plumbers employed

werolicensed plumbers, .nor whether tho j work has been carried out generally in accordance with tho city by-laws. . JNO. R. PALMER, , Town Clork. ' The Assistant Under-Secretary, Public Works Department. Publio Works Department, May 19, 1910. Sir, —I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of-youi' letter of the 11th instant with reference to drainago works to public buildings carried out by tho Government', and in. reply to state that as regards the works at the -Defence Depot and the gaol- this Department has no; responsibility, as these works were carried out by the Departments concernpdj that at tho gaol being.dono by prison labour. The district engineer, who has principal chargo of most of the.works in Wellington carried out by.' this .Department, has ■ instructions to meet your council's 'requirements and comply with its by-laws wherever. possible, and he reports that he has always endeavoured to do-so. W. S. SHORT,: Assistant Under-Secretary. The^Town:Clerk, ' '."•'■:• ■ ';■. Wellington. , Prime Minister's Office, • •[ ■■■■•'':■ .' June 58,-1910.' His' Worship the Mayor.. ■'.' .'■ /'City. .'..: ":'; Sir,—ln reference to the letter from the Town '. Clerk, dated April :25,' on the subject of the report submitted by, the City Engineer to your council ■that'-the sanitary work in Wellington is beiug carried out by various Government Departments'without reference to that officer, I have to inform you that in regard to the. Defence-Depart-ment,-".! have, ascertained that n6:-sani-tary .'work is now carried out by that Department, and that all work for: it is now done by the Department of Pub* lie:-Works. So" far as it is known, no sanitary work of any- 'importance, has been carried -out by the Prisons' • Department without reference to the City Engineer. -"'lt.'-is', the Case that some drain, extensions' and' a - few" alterations in water service wero made at the gaol by prison' labour, but the work was done under the supervision of- an experienced officer. ; If yon-will be good enough to 'name any particular -work 'to wkioh. objection is taken, I shall be iglad, to have further'inquiry' made. '■/-. j.-g. ward, /// -•-..Prime Minister. -''" ■■■ //.- : >- ; 'A July 8, 1910. ' Sir,—Referring .to 'the letter of the Right : Hon. the" Prime .Minister. of the ,28th ultimo, addressed'to."his Worship the.May or; on .tho subject of the, City : Engineer's report'ori sanitary work cari ried out by the various , Government :Departments. Without reference to l; 'the •council, 1 1 have the honour to request ■ • that.the Right Hon. the. Prime Minis;tier'vwill.be good .enough, to authorise ;that all work iii connection with.either, i water supply or drainage shall be !ried .but in,.strict;accordance with the ■City .By-laws, and thus, enable the City; Engineer to: be cognisant of the work being :done. i , JNO. R.; PALMER, .■".' ..." ,■';■ Town' Clerk./ .:' The Private Secretary, to the Right ''■;.. '■' Hon.. the Prime 'Minister.'..'. Priuio-Minister's Office* :>' ,-i- :;;..;; "August, 3,:i9i0. ; ,,::: ■ ;'■ Sir,—•! bave tlio honour to acknowledge the receipt of your, letter:.of the Bth'ultimo, in which you.request that all water, supply or drainage work within the xity.of Wellington shair.be carried out in strict accordance with tho City' By-laws, and thus.'enable : the,City. Engineer to; bei cognisant ''-'of the work that is being-.done.-' As.this'.is. a mat-. ter-4^at ? comes'.ffithin,.tli.o'. i pi'oyinceiof my'Viiloague/'tho for. : Public Works) I'have-roferred your,letter to the Hon. Mr. M'Kenzio for consideration.;:.-- '•'.-, -'-.'/i .":■"'"'•-■ ..'■."■'■,■ '.'.•;.■■.'.'' ..■:,)i ; ''.:v/;,i ; ;■:;■::' -J. G. WARD,;',,;,;. ■'.■■•.■■•: : .v v :.-;.:..'',' -i ■■■■■ Prime 'Minister.. -' "The: Town Clerk, i >'',': ■ y;-.-.: ' . - Wellington; - : o>. '-■; ' ;;', '■■ .No. further.communication V was ■ rei ceived;.by. the'corporation,. ; . ' ,;',';