REPLY BY MINISTER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 November 1939, Page 5

REPLY BY MINISTER

UNSUITABILITY OF PRESENT BUILDING. "NO ESCAPE FROM THIS COURSE." (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day

Reasons why the Government had decided to erect a new building in Auckland to house the commercial broadcasting station there were given last evening by the Acting-Minister in Charge of Broadcasting . Mr Jones, when his attention was drawn to criticism of the project by the Leader of the Opposition. Mr Hamilton. : The Health Department, said Mr Jones, had been persistent in its representations that the building at pres-ent-occupied by IZB was unsuitable and unfit for occupation. Various improvements had been made from a health point of view, but even with these the building was not up to the standard required by the Health Department. The broadcasting authorities were therefore compelled to rent a suitable building, or to purchase or erect a new one. There was no escape from this course.

Every endeavour was first made to find suitable alternative accommodation without success. The site on which the new building was to be erected was valuable, and it had been decided to erect a four-story structure. The two top stories, however, would be used by other State departments, “It is interesting," remarked Mr Jones, "to find the Leader of the Opposition is a new convert to the Governments policy of erecting houses for* the people."