DEEDS OFFICE DUNGEON.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81892, 22 November 1906, Page 2

DEEDS OFFICE DUNGEON.

:- HOW GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ARE TREATED. d It was the misfortune of a NEWS a man the other day to visit the\ dark- -- ened dungeon which dots duty in New Plymouth for a Doeds Regis, d traiion Office. The same dismal I- corner of the Government buildings :s has to do duty as a Land Transfer, 0 Office, and a Stamps Office,' Coma paries Office, and Friendly Sociei- ties Office, Building- Societies and :s Industrial Societies Offic\J. The r atmosphere reeked with human exi halations, the sickly pungent odor of n burning gas( for there lis not enough s daylight to dispense with gas even on the brightest afternoon), the musty smell arising from tne hundreds of musty deeds and titles that have been stored there ever since the eidction of the building, and the consequent heavy dampness that is inseparable from the strong room, Heie the deeds and titles of all land in Taranaki are stored—in this c damp, darkened hole that would be d immediately condemned if it were t found in any factory, shop or office e owned by ft private individual 01 11 firm. But the old axiom "sauce -. for th(< goose," doesn't act here. s What's sauce for the private employc er's goose is not necessarily sauce fot c tiie Government's gander; so the e sanitary inspectors come not here. . just fancy a loom on the groulnd s floor occupied by counters and desks, t with the windows opening on to » s sort of court yard between two two. 2 storeyed buildings, with three or four t men permanently employed, and 1 generally half a. dozeln solicitors or ! their clerks searching- registers, t Ventilation seems conspicuous by its absence, and sunlight is a stranger e to the place. In a little booklet is- ; sued by the Government Department ■ uf Labor for distiibution among visf itors to the Clnistchurcli Exhibitio'.n - is a full-page illustration of a "typi- ! cal New Zealand workrsom." A , picture of the den under notice would J have, shown clearly that the GoVcrn. 1 ment was not nearly as considerate . with rrgard to its own workers. Th(j volumes in the stro'ng room ot 5 the local Deeds Registration Office. fc . >n<l other offices previously men ', tioiiecl, are stacked on shelf above ', shelf, so high that a step ladder has ' to be used in order to "search" the ', top of the shelves. The air at th» top of that ladder is positively poisonous. It is damp, stinking, vile; it catches the ure.ain of the unaccustomed, visitor, and makes him wonder how men can breathe in it and live. We havtf in mind .1 room 0! about forty feet by twenty feet owned by a private- company. Three employees, sometimes four, had this department {0 themselves. There were four windows, two doors, and a trap in the ceiling for ventilation It was on the firs> floor. But that was not sufficient. The Inspector of Factories put the owner to all sorts ol trouble and expense in brilngmg he in.om into " Compliance with the "requirements of the Act." Yet here, in tiie Government offices under no ■ tice, three or four men and an arm: of visitors arc herded together in a little room so dark that a few years' service i'n .llie place is sufficient to , sap the stamina and ruin the eyesigh' , ol any ordinary individual. Tne , p.iMiion may be somewhat improver l ',', whVi the redistribution of apart ments takes place on the opening of the mw pest and lelegtaph offices . If not, then—we will see what \v will-see. ,

I ; • The stwimrninc snarls to Tie 'he!.' M' the Municipal Baths this afternoon promise ts be of a most enlcrtainiii" nfii'urc. A larpe number of event 're to he held, ami irood entries havr been received. The proceeds wi'l "o to :well the Western Park funds. The prtr.o of adm-ssion is small and seats will be provided. The sports cqramjjnee et 3 o'clock, j