PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 228, 14 June 1918, Page 5

PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

READY FOR NEXT SESSION. The progress of the new' Parliament Buildings has of. late been engaging the attention of the Minister of Public Works and other Ministers of the Crown. Sir William Fraser said yesterday that nil preparations were boing mado for the meeting of the House of Representatives noxt session in the new chamber. It is expected that Parliament will be called together again about the middle of October. By that time both tho chamber and the lobby will be ready for the accommodation of members. Also ■there will be provision for fcho accommodation of the Press, for Hansard' staff, for the Clerk of tho House and hie assistants, and for tho Chairman of Committees. There-will be temporary accommodation for Mr. Speaker, and his secretary. His residence will still bo the finite of rooms at present occupied by him, but ho will havo this other 1 retiring room in which, he may rest if the opportunity offers, and where he may Mbo or disrobe. Retiring rooms will also lie provided for Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward. It is part of the day'e work of both of these gentlemen to leave ■the House on occasion to meet members or their constituents, and as their offices will bo some distanco from the newchamber, this extra accommodation is an absolute necessity to them. The rooms which will bo tho Tegular offices of the Prinio Minister and hie colleagues, and also the rooms for the Speaker's euito, will not be completed in time for next session, as the roof above those ports of tho building will not by tbat time be completed. . ,

T.JIO furnishing of the Hous6 will be hnly temporary for tho. present, until Buclt time as the building is absolutely completed little or no now furniture will be purchased. Tn • the chamber, for inHtaiice, the old benches will bo used. The scats in the galleries will be much the panie as those in tho gallery ot Iho. Town Hall. A temporary entrance will have U> be made to lot the public havo access lo the public gallery, but this is going to be done, so that neopln who wish lo hear the debates wilj not have the difficulty, they have had in. rocont years in gaining admission to,the Hoiiso It is expected that Ihe whole building will be finished about April or May of next year. The eiiuso of :ho comparatively slow proprtvs with the external walls has bmi lln> difficulty of getting Iho largo blocks of marbl" needed for pillars and cuuings. Marblo in large enough pieces ifi now Iminrj obtained, so that this cause of delay does not now exist.