THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1907. THE REAL OBJECT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 9016, 30 December 1907, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1907. THE REAL OBJECT.

His Excellency the Governor has been graciously pleased to permit the Government to take possession of Government House as a temporary habitat for Parliament. This is a courtesy which will doubtless add to the popularity of His Excellency. 'lt is understood that His Majesty's representative is to be provided with a mansion in Hobson street, which he will occupy upon his occasional visits to the metropolis during the recess. Meanwhile circumstances have enabled the Premier to get a "leg in" with regard to his proposal to shift the locale of Parliament Buildings, and to erect a new gubernatorial residence elsewhere. The present House will, of course, have to be so altered to suit the business of the Legislature that it will be hereafter totally unfitted for residential purposes; and having got possession of the site there is little doubt Sir Joseph Ward will have a less difficult task to convince members next session that the new Parliamentary Building should be erected upon it. Seeing that it will take at least a couple of years to erect the new buildings, wherever they are to be located, it would be desirable to allow the whole question to remain in abeyance until after the general election. A more rational view of the subject would he likely to be taken by the new Parliament, and it is more than probable, we think, that the old site would be retained. The Premier, however*, appears to be wedded to the Government House site. He states that for temporary purposes it will cost less by some £IO,OOO or

£12,000 to make the premises suitable for Parliament than the putting up of temporary buildings on the old site. This is not in accord with a previous estimate; but as it can doubtless be used with eifect as a justification for utilising Government House it has its advantages from the Premier's point of view. The temporary is likely to be accepted in the end as the permanent, and that is what the Government is aiming at.