CO129-573-15 Rebuilding of Government House 11-7-1938 - 30-9-1938 — Page 2

b.l. G.

1. Gov. Conf (3)

41.7.382

(Subento obsons. on furmirance

work shall be started on preparation te scheme. Was given insting. hat of site at magazine Cap racks for Concurrence.

Asho

for bus

bermin 65

pum comes. to open series with

transfer comes. to open view to future purciin.)

هست

See 92688/32

See 13842/33 for discussion of the Gov's country resi- dence.

In 1932 we approved a scheme for rebuilding

Government House and generally for replanning and

rebuilding all Government offices etc. on the site

of the present Government House. It now appears

that that scheme was not proceeded with owing to

the objections of Sir A. Caldecott.

The present Governor now proposes to proceed

with part of the scheme and build a new Government

House at Magazine Gap. The reasons for this appear

to be sound in that it is no longer economically

sound to maintain the present building. It would

also enable Mountain Lodge to be given up, thus

saving the cost of maintaining a third house for the

Governor. The cost ofthe new house would be met

by funds from the sale of the sites referred to on

page 4 of the despatch, but it is proposed in the

first instance that it should be met from surplus

balances which will be replenished by the sale

of the sites in due course.

I fear that we have not sufficient information

to judge of the merits or demerits of the scheme

here, as it is essentially a matter which needs

lecal knowledge. The Governor has already given

instructions for the commencement of the work on

the assumption that approval of the scheme six years

ago