TO MOVE OR NOT?

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16485, 26 February 1914, Page 11

TO MOVE OR NOT?

LOCATION OF THE LANDS OFFICE. NEW GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS OR IN THE CITY. MINISTERS AT VARIANCE. For many weeks the Christchurch office of tho Lands Department has been in the throes of uncertainty as to whether or not it will stay in the. old Provincial Council buildings or will move over to the new Government buildings in Worcester Street. TWO MINISTERS INTERESTED. It was at first reported that the Hon F. H. D. Bell, Minister of Internal Affairs, had decided that the office should go to Worcester Street, where the big new building contained ample room for the housing of the Department. This view, it is said, was supported by the Public Service Commissioners, and it was fully expected that the office would move. Before the change of quarters took place, however, the Hon F. _M. B. Fisher, Minister of Marine, visited the offices, and on hearing that a move was to be made, said that the Department was to remain in its old quarters. He communicated with Wellington, and although it was stated in the Government newspapers on the day after Mr Fisher was in Christchurch on February 6 that the office would not move, a reporter who saw Mr Fisher while he was in last Saturday was informed by bim that the question was not definitely settled. "It is not in my department," he said; " but is under the control of the Minister of Internal Affairs. I think they will stay, but he will give the. information. It has been published that the offices will hot move, but you cannot believe all you read in newspapers." ARGUMENTS AGAINST REMOVAL. The question of the removal of the offices has been freely discussed in tha city,, and one of the chief arguments used : against the proposal is that the Lands Office should not be separated, from the Stamp Office, which is. handy to the Supreme Court in its present position. The Deeds Office, it is said, could not find safe accommodation in the new buildings as good as it has at present. '. At present the opinion is that the, Land Offices will remain as they are,, but no official announcement other than the opinion of the Minister of Marine has been made. . The cost of altering the new Government buildings so thatadequate safe accommodation could be provided for the Stamp Office would be between £3OO and £4OO. If the Stamp Office is moved, it has been argued that the Lands Office should go with it, because their wor.k is., closely connected. The whole matter is one of considerable interest to the city, because if the Government does not move the departments into the buildings provided for them, any hope Christchurch \ has of recovering the Provincial Buildings will be irrevocably lost. '". OTHER DEPARTMENTS ' -,".",--■.' 'AFFECTED. ...,, J . The hold-up in connection, with the ; future 'of the Lands office has had'a far-reaching effect on the' occupation, of the new-Government Buildings and ori, the general development of Government activities in the city. Owing to: the Uncertainty existing/the linoleums: cannot ba laid down, because if the; Lands Office is moved to Worcester! Street, alterations will have to be made in certain rooms. This is delaying the removal of the Public Works Department and the Customs, which should be out of tho Post Office, so that extensions for the postal work can be.effected, there, and until the location of tho Lands. Office is settled nothing can bo- done. '•'■ , . • ■'.■ CABINET TO DECIDE. It is six months since the Government Buildings were handed over by the contractor, and the Prime Ministor has stated that he will officially open the buildings, but his visit has been delayed by the difficulties that, have been met with. It is stated that tho matter is to be decided at the next meeting"of Cabinet, which is to be in Wellington on Sunday, March 1. Although, nothing definite is known, it is reported l that Cabinet is divided on the subject, .'the Hon W. Eraser, the Hou R.'H. Rhodes and tho Hon F. M. B. Fisher opposing the removal of the' Lands ■ Office . into the new buildings,while • the Hon F. H. D. Bell, supported .by the Public Service Commissioners, is in support of it. THE PRESENT OFFICES. Although the commodious. Government buildings in Worcester Street have been finished and in use for six months, the offices are bv ho means,fully.occupied, and many Christchurch offices of ' Government departments are still scattered about the city. The big buildings at present provide accommodation for:'— ; Labour Department. Machinery Inspection. - , Defence Office (part). Registrar of births, deaths and marriages. \ State, Coal Office. , State Fire Insurance. State-guaranteed Advances. . Valuation Department. The following centres of Government activity are placed in various parts of Christchurch:— Public Works, Customs Department. v| Defence Office. '■-■'•■' " ; Life Insurance. . Deeds: Office. , : ' '. ; v /, • _:! Lands Office. Pensions Office. \ Public Trust Office. Stamp Office. : . CARDBOARD SIGNS IN WINDOWS. The "shingles'' of the departments' which are. in the new buildings have also been the subject of remark. Most of the offices are identified -by means of mean-looking cardboard, .signs stuck in windows, or Dy cards. placed outside; the doors. One or two departments hav.» utilised window screens with their titlei affixed. They were taken from the buildings previously occupied by-the offices, but do not fit the windows in the new quarters. The whole aspect of the buildings, with bare boards in the hallways, empty offices, and no brass plates, it has been urged, suggests a hurried occttpancy and a slow settling down. It has been remarked that the penurious condition of the Government quarters in Worcester Street- is a disgrace to the city and a bad advertisement for Government activities. - ■■■