The Government's Building Programme for 1914-5

Progress, Volume X, Issue 3, 1 November 1914, Page 104

The Government's Building Programme for 1914-5

The Minister of Public Works in his Public Works Statement announced last month that it was proposed to expend £3,402,758 on public works for the current year, provided conditions are satisfactory for raising the proposed new loan of £3,000,000. Of this sum £538,000 are to be spent on new buildings. The most important building provided for under this heading is the new Parliament Buildings, for the first and major portion of which the tender of Messrs. Hansford, Mills, and Hardie, for £151,639, was accepted on December 12th last. The principal item on the current year’s vote is for the continuation of this work, but substantial sums are also provided for the completion of the Gisborne building and the Public Works workshop and store in Wellington. Smaller items are for a new fireproof departmental building in Wellington, for a new building at Tauranga, for new magazines at Dunedin, for the acquisition of much needed additional land at Blenheim, for additions to the Government Printing Office, and for new Public Works stores at Auckland and Dunedin.. JUDICIAL For the current year votes are proposed for new courthouses at Waipu, Te Puke, Wairoa, Waipukurau, Raetihi, Motueka, Kumara, Amberley, Baidu tha, Wyndham, and Chatham Islands; and for additions at Whangarei, Hikurangi, Wellington, and Lawrence. —Appropriations are provided this year for new buildings at Auckland, Waikeria, Wellington, Picton, Templeton, and Invercargill: for additions at Addington, and sundry minor works. Police Stations. the current year votes are provided for new stations at Freeman Bay, Tuakau, Hamilton, Ohura, Putaruru, Waikare, Wairoa, Waipukurau, Hawera, Inglewood, Kaponga, Marton, Martinborough, Riccarton, Geraldine, Hokitika, Port Chalmers, Roslyn, St. Clair, St. Kilda, Woodhaugh, Portobello, Queenstown, and Stewart Island. In addition to the above, votes are renewed (and in some cases increased in amount) for stations at Herekino, Houhora, Patutahi, Auckland,'Epsom, Ponsonby, Devonport, Northcote, Ngaruawahia, Hamilton, Raurinm, Opotiki, Tokomaru Bay, Motu, Whangamomona, Wanganui, Wellington, Brooklyn, Eastbourne, Island Bay, Karori, Wellington (Mount Cook), Wellington (Taranaki Street), Charleston, Ahaura, Stafford, Fendalton, Darfield, Coalgate, Clyde, Middlemarch, Waitati, Dunedin (King Street), Caversham, Mornington, North-East Valley, Kaitangata, Gladstone, and Invercargill North. Votes are also provided for the purchase of properties at Mount Eden road (Auckland), Mount Roskill, and Nightcaps; and for additions at Dunedin, and minor works at other places. POST AND TELEGRAPH Under this head the vote of £115,000 provides for quite a large number of buildings, of which the following are the more important Dargaville, Auckland (Wellesley Street), Gisborne (additions),

Napier, Christchurch (alterations and additions), and Dunedin. New buildings are also provided for at Hikurangi, Ponsonby, (telephone exchange), Mount Eden, Northcote, Remuera, Stratford, Ross, St. Albans, Alexandra, and Milton; and last year’s votes are renewed and some cases are considerably increased for the following: Mount Albert, Takapuna, Papatoetoe, Raglan, Hamilton, Raurimu, Owhango, Patea, Raetihi, Kimbolton, Palmerston North, Havelock North, Ormondville, Masterton (exchange), Island Bay, Nelson (Port), Blenheim, Reefton, Seddon, Papanui, -Oxford, Akaroa, Methven, Timaru, South Dunedin, Anderson Bay, Mataura, Edendale, Orepuki, and Riversdale. There are also numerous other items of smaller magnitude. MENTAL HOSPITALS The erection of one substantial auxiliary building at Auckland is just completed, and a second similar building is now well in hand. At Tokanui electriclighting plant is being installed, and a mess-room provided. Minor improvements have been effected at Porirua, Seaeliff, and Waitati, and the damage caused by fire at Sunnyside has been repaired. Works in progress or contemplated include two separate blocks of buildings at Tokanui, each of which will accommodate 50 persons; day rooms for male and female patients at Porirua; dormitory and single rooms, and an annexe with quarters at Sunnyside. A male admission block is in progress at Seacliff, and additional accommodation for female patients is proposed. HOSPITALS On the current year’s vote provision is made for the St. Helens Hospitals at Auckland and Christchurch, and one or two other minor works. AGRICULTURAL Better accommodation is to be provided at the live stock quarantine stations at Auckland, Wellington, and Lyttelton, the present buildings being more or less out of date. Improved accommodation is specially needed in view of the probable influx of live stock from Great Britain as soon as the present embargo on account of foot-and-mouth disease can be removed. SCHOOL BUILDINGS New buildings are being provided for the Auckland Grammar School, and a grant has been made towards the cost. An extension to the Medical School buildings at Otago University is being erected, and in this case, too, a grant towards the cost has been made. By reason of the increase in the number of children at industrial schools additional accommodation is necessary. At the Special School, Otekaike, the buildings for which preparations have been made must be put in hand, and this will require considerable expenditure. WORKERS’ DWELLINGS The expenditure under this head during the past year amounted to £41,741, as compared with £46,455 expended during the preceding year. The demand for dwellings is increasing, and in order to meet the requirements an authorisation of £IOO,OOO and a vote on account of same of £92,000, is proposed for the acquisition of land, road formation, and erection of dwellings.