PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS FIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 19 December 1907, Page 4

PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS FIRE.

in regard to the Parliamentary Buildings just destroyed, it is not generally known that with the exception of the brick portion known as "Bellamy's''' Hie whole of them had Weil already condemned. Tile worm-eaten, rotten old structure which at one time was tile home of the Parliamentary library was to have been demdlished as soon as the building in process of construction in Sydney street, had been completed, and plans lor a new edifice to take its plan were already in existence. The demolition of the Legislative Chamber and tile apartments connected therewith ot Ine Lppcr House and their re-erection in brick, it appears, was to have followed, in eU'orts to ventilate the chamber of the House of Representatives thousands of pounds had been wasted. Xt was an inconvenient, draughty, evil-smelling place. It was only a question of a year or two when il would have lo go. The expenditure on reconstruction, which it was designed to spread over a number of years, will have to be made in a much briefer period, Imt against that there will lie no patchwork; the design will be more convenient. These are gains; not losses. The building now being erected in Sydney street will cost some £40,000 to complete. ilad that building been completed, or advanced to a stage near completion, the lire would have swept it away to a certainty. As long as the old building remained it would always have been in peril- Here again there is a gain. A distinct loss is the .inconvenience to which legislators will be subjected ill having 1o reconcile themselves to a new and temporary home that was never designed for their accommodation. This is much greater than a lirst glance would lead one to believe. The Spe:kers of both Houses resided during the session period in the buildings, and the dwellings of the olTicers were not far distant so that approach to them was at any time difficult. The very great convenience arising from the printing olliee being near to Parliament Buildings can only be appreciated by those who have in some degree a knowledge of how the business of tile houses was worked.

Whatever building is selected as a temporary home for Parliament a considerable expenditure must necessarily be entailed in rendering it suitable. Another loss is represented in the journals, records, appendices, and papers which have been destroyed. This may not lie so serious as it first appears. No doubt copies of the journals and appendices are in print standing on the shelves of some of the departments, so that the loss is to be measured by the cost of re-printing a further supply. Pome documents of historical value are no doubt for ever gone, and they represent all that is '-irreparable.' There be a doubt that the architect will profit by the lessons which the rcrent conflagration affords. Tile roof anil panels were burnt oil' the entrance hill and staircase. but. as the ceiling was a thick horizontal wall of cement no damage was done save that, which smoke and water could do. The whole of the new and "nobler" edifice should be built 011 the same lire-proof principle, so that another -mil fire may never occur again.