NEW STATE BUILDING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 55, 2 September 1943, Page 6

NEW STATE BUILDING

OFFICE ACCOMMODATION

\A start has been, made with the -ground work for the erection of a twostorey Government building , at: the rear of Parliament House, in Sydney Street West, on a site adjoining that of the proposed: Broadcasting House. The building is intended to assist in meeting . the need of extra office, accommodation for; staffs .of Government Departments. During the last war the Government experienced difficulty in, obtaining sufficient accommodation for the staffs which necessarily had to be. increased.It was stated today that the.problem during , the - present war had been greatly accelerated because New Zealand's .. allies had' established offices in :the city, and had taken up much of the accommodation i which might otherwise have'been available for the New Zealand Government's use. The conditions under which some of the staffs were working would not allow of their ■remaining .to occupy .those' premises and some readjustment had become Inecessary. Accordingly, .it had- been decided to put up the building in Sydney Street West. The building had been , designed to form part of' the Gqvernment centre, and in its. architectural features would be in. keep-; ing, with the buildings in that vicinity.' - The building-is to be of'timber construction with \a plaster exterior. Each of the two floors will have an area, of 8120 square feet,, making a total of 16,240 square feet. The .height from the parapet to the roadway will be 29ft 6in. Subject to. supplies coming to hand as required, it is hoped to have the building completed in from three . and'a half to four months' time. ,