Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1901. OUR PUBLIC OFFICES.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 17 July 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1901. OUR PUBLIC OFFICES.

Sometime since when the Town Clerk applied to the Premier for the grant of a site for the new Town Hall on the block of land at present occupied by a portion of the public offices in Greymouth, Mr Seddon informed him that the whole of the land would shortly be required for Government offices. In consequence of this reply the Borough proceeded to select another site, but still no move has been made by the Government with regard to improvements. There is only one decent public office in Greymouth, and that is, the Customs, and that is small enough. With regard to the Post and Tele-;! graph Office it is in a state of shabby! dilapidation, while the accommodation] is something abominable—unhealthy; to the operators and unhealthy to the i clerks and the general public. It is true when the question of better accommodation was agitated some little time since improvement was promised but there has been no result, and to look at the building to-day externally, it seems as if it is suffering from a bad state of dry rot. Other towns without half the necessities of Greymouth have had now and suitable buildings erected with thousand-pound clocks, etc., but this district is allowed to suffer on, simply because those locally interested and our member are content " to suffer and be still." The Government Insurance office will "not; be able to accommodate the increasedbusiness, which may naturally be ex-, pected when the Accident Insurancej and new Fire Insurance Bill comes into operation, while the Public Trust' office is simply a patcbed-up barn Perhaps the Education Board's premises may not come under the head of a Government office, but it is so all the same, as it is only an administrative office of Government moneys. Here, again, the accommodation is as bad as it can possibly be, and it is a marvel how the secretary transacts his i business. Both the Government In-| surance and the Public Trust offices! are hired buildings. Why not agitate : to obtain a promise from the Government to erect a suitable block of

buildings on the ground now partially occupied by the Post and Telegraph ■' offices, and which is the best • site in town for such a purpose ? ; Alterations are also most urgently required in that portion of the block now occupied by the offices of the S.M. and District Court offices. The police quarters and lock-up should be brought into closer connection with each other. At present the two branches under the control of the Minister of Justice must suffer great inconvenience from their respective situations, while it is a positive disgrace and scandal to call upon persons charged with any offence, whether innocent or guilty, to be called upon to traverse half the town under police supervision, subject to the direct gaze of the public. It is almost essential thift the Clerk of the Court, who holds such a multiplicity of offices, some of them requiring instant attention, should be "a resident on the premises " as the Licensing Act phrases it. The same might be said of all the heads of the various departments. And now a few words as to the appearance of tho Courthouse itself. It is in a similar condition to the Post Office, but its appearance would be greatly improved and beautified if the Public Works Department would expend a few pounds in labor and materials in improving the grounds surrounding the building. It would certainly repay the outlay. Something ought to be done soon, but if no move is made nothing will be done as Government are only too prone to let sleeping dogs lie. The Premier is well aware of the requirements of the district in respect to its public offices, and it only wants his attention to be urgently directed to it for action to be taken.