DOMINION HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1844, 2 September 1913, Page 9

DOMINION HOUSE.

—-t ... NEW LONDON PROJECT. An important project, with Lord Grey, Lord Plymouth, and Sit Loander Jameson among its active supporters, .. .is already.far,advanced to acquire tho central site: of,the island ibetweonuthe Strand .and Aldwych .for a.'great-Do-minion House where tho Governments |of the self-governing colonies and ;of thoir various' States and provinces could ("concentrate on one central site their -ollice3 that are now widely distributed ;in different parts of London. It is felt {that with a building of appropriate dig--1 nity on such a sito (says the "Manchester Guardian") the roal importance of tho Dominions in tho Empiro would bo forced upon tho public eye as it lias never'been before. St. Paul's Cathedral, it is pointed out, flashos upon tho ' . jeye the great message of Christianity, tho Houses of Parliament recite the long Btory of constitutional freedom, the Law 1 Courts lift their testimony to England's heritage of justice. The hopo of thoso' who havo framed the present proposals is that an equally commanding voice in tho architecture of tho capital may be given to the Empire itself. Certainly the Aldwych sito is one of tho great sites of tho world. Tho,Commonwealth , of Australia's new building will be im- : mediately west of it.- One side will ' front the Strand, whero five out of eight '. Englishmen pass at one time or other. l»f their livos. Oil its crescent side it [will face up Kingsway, and be plain ini [the sight of every person who comes jtlown that spacious boulevard, that is to ]ibe more and moro a centre of London's 'activity. Tho now building would; bo iabout four times the size of the Gaiety [Tlioatre and Marconi Company _ block. ffTho various Dominion offices which aro pow scattered' all over London would, (when concentrated together, all contri- ; buto to increase the importance of each ■ Wither. They would have a central exhibition of thoir products, and much time ; would be saved to tho Dominion officials aud to manufacturers and others doing business with them by tho proximity of the various offices and showrooms. Lord Grey has secured an option upon the sito for thrco years at tho cost 'of £3000 a year. ' The London County ' Council havo agreed) to grant a- 99 years? Hease at a rental graduated up till t'ho fifth year, when it will reach the permanent rate of £50,000. Tho further,pro-

gress of tho schome- must depend upon the reception it receives from tho public ( of the Dominions themselves. I have, of course, only outlined the main alspect of the sohomo, which will foous much piiblio attention hero and in the Dominions for a long time to come;