STATE BUILDINGS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 October 1938, Page 7

STATE BUILDINGS

THE PARLIAMENTARY BLOCK / LIKELY TO STAND SECOND TO OTHERS. HOUSES FOR THE PEOPLE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) 1 WELLINGTON, This Day. Difficulties in of the early completion of Parliament Buildings were pointed out by the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon M. J. Savage, when asked in an interview’ last evening if the Government contemplated proceeding with this work hr the near future. There were, he said, other more urgent building requirements demanding attention before a start could be made with the construction of the south wing of Parliament House. “Nothing definite has been decided about making a start with the completion of Parliament Buildings,” said Mr Savage. “At the same time it is obvious that the buildings cannot remain in their present uncompleted state for aver. The Government is anxious to jee a start made with the work, and, although the centennial would be a fitting occasion for the completion of the building in accordance with the original plans, first things must come first.’ “The Government has a big building programme in’ the way' of providing houses for the people. Accommodation will also have to be found for the staff required to administer the social security scheme. These things must naturally take precedence. We are anxious to see Parliament Buildings completed, but there is so much other important work to do first. Building houses for the community is the big thing today." AN ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRE. Reference to the proposed administrative and legislative area centring upon Parliament Buildings on modern town-planning lines was also made by Mr Savagei He said the completion of Parliament Buildings and the construction of the proposed’ Broadcasting Centre at the rear of the buildings would be part and parcel of the scheme. It was possible, because of the different type of construction involved, that there were certain classes af building work that could be undertaken without necessitating any curtailment of the housing scheme. The Broadcasting Centre was probably in this category. Mr Savage said it was estimated a good while ago that the Government was between £16,000,000 and £17,000,000 behind in the way of public buildings. “We have a departmental committee which advises the Government as to which buildings are most urgently required,” said Mr Savage. “No building is gone on with until it is considered from this aspect. The committee takes into consideration such questions as labour and materials available, and it is not likely to recommend the construction of any building that will be likely to militate against ihe rapid construction of houses. We cannot allow anything to stand in the way of urgency.”

At present the main block of Parliament Buildings is ,pnly about twothirds completed. The .foundationstone was laid in 1912, but the constructional work was frequently interrupted, and it was not until 1920 that the present building was officially opened. Only the central block and the north wing have been completed, the rest of the buildings comprising the old wooden structure, formerly Government House, which stands on the site to be occupied by the south wing, and the Gothic library block which adjoins the north wing of the main building. For the completion of the building the old wooden building will have to be demolished. According to the original olans, the main building will be in the form of a parallelogram, 395 ft in length and 243 feet in breadth. At present 226 ft of frontage is occupied.