THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 415

The Rules for the conduct of the proceedings and
for the despatch of the business of the Board, were
adopted at their second meeting, on March 4th, and
are contained in the Appendix A to this Report,
together with some further rules, subsequently
adopted, as to the authorizing and payment of Ac-
counts.

The Commissioners, at their first meeting, March
3rd, and their successive meetings (weekly) during
March, took into consideration the selection of the
sites, and the means for obtaining designs from
architects, in this and the neighbouring colonies, for
the buildings mentioned in their commission, in-
cluding the determination of the premiums to be
offered for the two best designs and the amount of
monies available for each building.

The accommodation required in the new buildings,
the form of advertisement, and the detailed instruc-
tions to the competing architects, also occupied the
careful attention of the Board. The results at which
they arrived in these various matters, will be seen in
detail, in the printed instructions annexed hereunto
as Appendix B.

On the important subject of the sites for the new
buildings, the Commissioners deem it desirable to
explain somewhat at large the reasons which have
influenced them in forming their decisions, as fol-
lows:-

First, The Post Office and Custom House (combined).

The objects to be kept in view in the selection of a
site for the Post Office were, in the Commissioners'
opinion,

1st. Accessibility by the greatest possible portion
of the public at large.

2nd. The greatest amount of convenience for the
receipt of arriving mails, at the earliest moment, and
of letters for mails to be despatched, at the latest
moment.

3rd. Ample space for the extension of the buildings
as the growing wants of the community might
require it.

A position, as near to the centre of the most
populous and commercial part of the city, as was
compatible with its being also near to the vessels
bringing and carrying away the mails, seemed accord-
ingly the best to choose. It was also necessary that
the site should be unconfined and not circumscribed
by buildings already existing, and which in such case
might at a future day, have to be purchased, (as well
as the ground occupied by them,) at an enormous
expense. If with these more important objects, such
a position for these buildings could be obtained as
would give them a handsome and effective appearance
and contribute to the general embellishment of the
town, the Commissioners considered this should also
be taken as one of the elements of their estimate of
the relative advantages of the sites at their disposal.

With respect to the "general accessibility," the
Commissioners were given to understand that this
was of less importance than it otherwise would have
been, because it was the intention of the Post Office
authorities to establish places for the receipt and
delivery of letters in various parts of the outskirts of
the town, so that the inhabitants would in most cases
be saved the trouble of coming in person with or for
their letters to the central or head office.

Sites available.

The only sites at all suitable for the Post Office, at
the command of the Commissioners, were,

1. The site of the present Custom House.
2. The site in Commerce Street.
3. And the reclaimable land seaward of Custom-
   house Street, either to the eastward or westward of
   the Queen Street Wharf.

The Commissioners considered that the combina-
tion of the Custom House with the Post Office, as
contiguous buildings on one site, would afford much
greater opportunity for producing an effective ap-
pearance as a whole, than the two buildings could
produce on separate sites. The site of the present
Custom House would not afford sufficient room for
the two buildings, and would, moreover, be too far
from the water for the purposes of the Customs.

The site in Commerce Street would partake of the
same objection as to size, though not to the same
extent as to distance from the water. It would,
moreover, present only an end Façade in the principal
front, towards the sea, northwards. The foundations
also on this site (Commerce Street) were said to be
of very objectionable character, similar, indeed, to
that of the land on the Eastern side of the Town
Wharf, which will be presently adverted to.

It was suggested that the land eastward of the
Town Wharf or Pier would in many respects be a
convenient site; but upon examination it was found
to be composed of soft mud to a very considerable
depth, under a thin crusted conglomerate or natural
concrete, which it would not be safe to build upon;
and would require such an additional outlay in piling
for foundations, which the sum at the disposal of the
Commissioners would not admit of.

It was also understood that the space to the east-
ward was required for a wet dock, to be dredged to
some depth, for the accommodation of coasting and
other smaller vessels—a work which the Provincial
Government have in contemplation.

The ground to the westward of the wharf, on a
careful examination, was found to have a substratum
of solid rock or stone, which crops out to the surface
in the part farthest from the wharf or pier, shelving
down towards the wharf, where there is a depth of
7 feet of mud over the rock.

The last named site, that is to the westward of the
Queen Street Wharf or Pier, appeared to the Com-
missioners to combine, in by far the highest degree,
all the objects mentioned above as those which should
be kept in view in the selection of the site.

Custom House.

It appears to be admitted on all hands that this
site is in every respect most suitable for the pur-
poses of the Customs Department; and it had
already been recommended by the Provincial au-
thorities.

The Commissioners having procured from the
Commissioner of Customs and the Postmaster Gen-
eral a definite and detailed statement of the actual
and probable future requirements as to accommoda-
tion, that is, as to the number, character, and relative
position of the rooms or offices required; caused the
same to be embodied in the printed Instructions to
the competing architects—See Appendix B.

Supreme Court House.

The Commissioners found two sites available for
this building—one, the piece of land in front of the
General Assembly house, and the other, the reserve
on which the present Government House stands,
together with the open land on the brow of the hill
on its western side.

The Commissioners selected the latter of these
sites for the following reasons. It is, in the first
place, more central than the other, and nearer the
most populous and commercial part of the town, and
therefore more readily accessible to persons having
business at the Court. It is also more commanding,
and if proper measures are taken to prevent its being
encroached upon by other buildings, will have a
larger space of open ground in its immediate vicinity.
This is requisite in order that the Buildings may be
extended whenever necessary: that a free circula-
tion of air may be insured around them, and that