PARLIAMENTARY BUILDINGS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 92, 4 September 1912, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY BUILDINGS

WHERE HAS THE MONEY GONE? By Telegraph—Own Correspondent. Wellington, Last Night. Tn the House this afternoon the Minister for Public Works laid before the House a return giving the details of the cost of the new Parliament Buildings, etc. The cost of the new Government House and land therefor was £57,544. The amount spent 011 the present Parliament House, not including recurrin» charges, was £15,094. The cost of tenfporary residences for his Excellencv at Palnierston North and elsewhere "was £4877. The cost of repairing and adding to that_ portion of the old Parliamentary Buildings not destroyed by fire contractor for the work on the old buildings in Sydney street and for the cancellation of his contract was £BB2B. The estimated cost of the present alterations now being made, including new foundations, was £03,000. The Hon. A. L. Herdman, in reply to a claim that the full details should be given, said that the return showed that the past administration had been absolutely careless and unbusinesslike, and had muddled the whole business since the destruction by fire of the old Parliament Buildings. The Hon. R. McKenzie declared that the present Government was in fault in not going on with the erection of the new Parliamentary Buildings. The present buildings could only last a few years and might go up in'smoke at anv moment. The Hon. W. Eraser (Minister for Public Works; said that he would be glad to presfent a further return giving the details of the various items. The Hon. R. McKenzie contended that the cost of the new Parliamentary Buildings included a very large sum for removal of debris, which would have had to be removed in any case.