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Q-You were asked a little time ago about the hours you have you worked during the past seven days?
worke I. What hours
A-I have been here till nine or ten o'clock every evening and also on Sundays, but that has been special work, and it had to be done.
Q-You have had a heavy spell ?
A-Yes.
By Mr. Master.-Are there any plans preparing for the Law Courts?
A-No, the designs were prepared in England by Messrs. ASTON WEBB & E. INGRESS BELL, the consulting architects.
Q -You are merely carrying them out?
A-Yes.
By the Chairman.-Is there any difficulty in carrying out designs prepared by another architect? My attention has been called to an article in The Times referring to the First Commissioner of Works, Mr. AKERS DOUGLAS, having decided to carry out departmentally a design prepared by Mr. BRYDON, a well-known architect who has just died, and I see there is a good deal of discussion with regard to that.
A-I have not seen the article in question, but that may be only with regard to the merits of the design.
Q-No, it was not in regard to the merits of the design. It was in regard to the Government carrying out the design of an architect who is dead. Do you think there would be any difficulty in the Government carrying out a design fully prepared by an architect in private business?
A--No. It is simply a matter of carrying out the other man's ideas, which, I take it have all been placed on paper.
By Mr. Master. With regard to the new Post Office, have any plans been prepared ?
A--Not that I am aware of.
Q-Supposing the plans for the Post Office were offered for competition, could not the architects be induced to compete by the payment of a premium ?
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A-Oh, certainly.
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Q-The work to be carried out by Government ?
A-Quite so.
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Q-No difficulty about that?
A-I suppose you refer to the local architects, Sir?
Q-It is a question of offering a certain premium to anyone who chooses to send in a fairly good plan.
A-That would be stipulated in the conditions.
Q-Would that idea not be more likely to produce a better building than if it was simply kept in the Department?
A-You would get other person's ideas and there would be variety.
Q-And there would be no difficulty?
A-None. Of course drawings in connection with a competition are usually pre- pared in a different way to contract drawings, and it would be an easy matter to make contract drawings from competition drawings.
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