GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 January 1921, Page 4

GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.

, IMPROVEMENT WANTED. NEW CUSTOMS HOUSE PROPOSED. The necessity for providing more and better accommodation in the matter of Government buildings at New Plymouth was brought under the notice of the Minister of Public Works (Hpn. J. G. Coates) during his visit here on Saturday. A delegate from the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce (Mr. A. Goldwater) said that improvement was especially needed a» the post office, and also in regard to the housing of the Customs Department. He contended that the growing state of New Plymouth demanded more up-to-date facilities for the storage and handling of the vast amount of trust matter which was passing through the post office. The front portion of the building had been built in brick, but in the other part there was only the wooden structure. The Customs Department, the speaker said, was housed near the railway station in small offices, and considerable inconvenience arose on this account. There was a fairly large staff, who were all compelled to work in one room. There was a splendid building section in the street owned by the Harbor Board (between the Union Company’s buildings and the Express Company), and this would make an admirable site for the Government to acquire and erect a Customs House thereon. The business of the port was growing, the Customs figures showing considerable increases yearly, and the Department was an important one. “The reason we have been holding back in the erection of public buildings,” said Mr. Coates, “is that the country has been so short of houses, and the material was urgently wanted for that work.” When it became a matter of protecting the public interests, however, it was time to consider what ought to be done. With regard to the post office accommodation, he would look into the matter and have a report prepared The question of the Customs house he would bring under the notice of the Minister of Customs. Mr. Coates said he realised that any Chamber of Commerce, alive to the interests of its district, liked to see that public buildings were some semblance of credit to the town, and not behind the general progress that was being made.