Sessional_Paper_1912 — Page 87

83.

11. The extras on the foundations arose out of the necessity of using piles of greater length than had been estimated for and of ensuring that mails stored in the basement should not be damaged by water penetrating through the floor, &c. : hence the item "concrete and asphalt floor of basement".

12. The foregoing amended estimate was submitted to Government in May 1905 and it was decided that tenders should be called for without modification of the drawings and specification.

13. The lowest tender received, which was accepted, amounted to $653,912.24 or fully $13,900 in excess of Messrs. Denison, Ram & Gibbs' estimate, so that the estimate then

became :--

As above,

Excess on tender for superstructure,.. Architects' fees,

Total,

$815,950

13,900

42,150

.$872,000

14. This sum appeared in the Estimates for 1906.

15. The tender for the Superstructure was accepted on the 26th July 1905, but, as the foundations were not completed until the 23rd January 1906, the Contractors were not let into possession of the site until that date.

16. In the meanwhile His Excellency Sir Matthew Nathan proposed that a Clock Tower should be added to the building and Messrs. Denison, Ram & Gibbs were instructed to prepare some sketch designs for such a tower. After one of their designs had been selected, they were asked to furnish an estimate of the extra cost involved and their estimate, dated 16.10.05, was $32,000. The addition of the tower having been sanctioned, Messrs. Denison, Ram & Gibbs' estimate was revised by the Public Works Department and, as it was con- sidered inadequate, a further sum of $23,150 was added to it. Architects' fees had again to be allowed for and a further sum of $2,100 was added to cover these, thus bringing the total estimated cost up to $929,250, or, as it appeared in the estimates for 1907 and succeeding years, $930,000.

17. The further increases which have occurred are set forth in considerable detail in the accompanying statement and it appears unnecessary to allude to them here further than to state that, owing to the large expenditure involved in the case of this building, it was deemed advisable to partly insure it against fire during construction and a sum of $3,672 was expended on this service. This is a new departure and, in accordance with the practice of the Government, the insurance has been discontinued since the building was completed. In Messrs. Denison, Ram & Gibbs' design, no protection was shown for the iron columns and girders, on which considerable portions of the building are supported and, as the conse- quences of a fire would doubtless have been most serious under such conditions, it was decided that all such columns and girders should be encased in cement concrete and an expenditure of $14,567 was incurred in carrying this out.

9th November, 1911.

W. CHATHAM, Director of Public Works.