RED TAPE.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 508, 14 April 1880, Page 2

RED TAPE.

“ How not to do it” is an axiom with Government authorities. Those excellent officials who manage the Colony's business at Wellington have just succeeded beyond their wont in showing how not to do it. The city Corporation have a bye-law, approved by the Government, prohibiting the erection of wooden buildings within the business area of the city, in"order to check the spread of fire. But Governments are never afraid of fire. The Railway Department have prepared plans for a new station on the reclaimed land near the Government offices, and their estimate is for a wooden building. Other persons have to build of brick or stone. It would thus seem that a Government department is above the city bye-laws, those laws which they sanctioned quite recently with a special desire to avert risk of fire to Government property. Wellington has had one railway station destroyed hy fire ; but even that is not lesson enough for officials who are above the law, :Mr Premier Hall might do the Colony some service by disestablishing the red-tape routine of his administration. Just go round with a besom.