, 1892-06-22

money Dill 20 Do LOC....'...4 A,1O0.""
consisting only Of the End item.
The Governor: As the Committee states
that the expenses for repairs of buildings are
excessively high. he had examined what
amounts had been expended for public
buildings for a number of years back, especial.
w for the 10 years 1~871-l880, in which all
efforts were made to effect retrenchments OF
the public expenditure, and which turned out
SO disastrous for the Island. He found that
the yearly average for those 10 years was
1925 spent on repairs to public buildings
consequently the amount now proposed,
$4,000 for this year, as also the amount TOT
last year, as far rs he remembered Sz,iOO, Is
below that average, and he was prepared 10
show that at the time when SO much more
was expended for those repairs, still tbs
public buildings were not in as good condl-
ton as at present. AS regards the proposal
for a Building Commission to control puOhc
works. the result Of that system would be
8ccordingt to the experience from the perlodmen-
toned here, that the public buildings would
very soon fall into decay. Nothing but What
could not be avoided would then be carried
out in the way Of repairs to public buildings.
But then again no Building Inspector under
standing his work from having received
technical education could be expected to
accept EuCu a COnITOl O1 D. OOlIA44AGbOO3 AOA0SA
ly it might have been otherwise, when the
Inspector was a former NOncommIssloned
Officer. The result was then also bad, as
already stated he hoped that the public
buildings are in a better state now, although
there is much yet left to be done. From
these remarks it will be seen that he is not
in tav ur Of this proposal from the Committee,
and he hoped the Council would not adopt 1t.
The Committee is under a wrong supposltlon,
the expenses are less now than formerly ana
as the figures he had given today had not been
before the Committee at the time, he thought
that the Council would see the correctness OF
his statement and adopt the proposal IN the
bin. The other system now proposed Is one
which no real building Inspector can submit
to.
Bird Crown Mcmber (DitIevsenl: In look
ing over the different items Of repairs he had
found the Barracks entered with SOL, the
Depot buildings with S66, the Military bake
yard with S36, and in he face Of this, and
loo ing at the state the respective buildings
are in, as they are Of course old and very eX-
tensive, it appeared to him, that these amounts
so far from being excessively high, 1t Is q Won
der to him how the buildings can be kept III
repair for so little. Taking the barracks, the
daily wear and tear on floors, steps, partitions
etc, is enormous WIN lAJ men SOihS a. am
forwards every day. The barracks itself is q
big building: next to the Government House
it is the biggest; and looking at the great
number of out buildings. and when consider
ing that il is not one family, not even 4 num-
Der Of families. occupying and using them. but
a number Of young, lively men that have to he
up and down, in and out, by day and night
really it is astonishing that higher amounts
are not requisite barely to keep them in a con
dition fit for use. If this is the same case with
other buildings, there can be no cause OF
complaint, if we are to have public buildings
at all in the Island.
The Speaker: AS for His Excellency's re-
marks about the amounts expended for build
ing repairs in those 10 years he named, he
would not doubt the correctness Of the state
meuts but then he must add, that If he as
apractical man had spent SO much money for
such q length Of time on buildings, they would
now require no repairs, no money would be
needed for further repairs but instead OF
that. we hear His Excellency saying now
that the buildings are in good condition,
but in the remarks to Governments bill 1t
is said that the amounts proposed are requlr-
ed merely for the purpose of preserving the
buildings from ruin; now, how IA this :?
When the Committee proposes 4 Building
Commission, it is because it is necessary to
have practical men, who can judge Of the real
49, ~onN