page 97

The Gateway To The Capital
Continued from p. 25.)

Stairways from this floor lead respectively to a flat roof along the south side (where an excellent view is obtained of the city and surroundings) and to the staff tea and social rooms on the west and north sides.

The main office entrance, however, is the one near the Waterloo Quay side. Here the office of the Chief Messenger and the mail room are on the right while on the left a stairway and two lifts serve the floors above. On the first floor the Comptroller of Stores and his staff occupy the eastern half of the main front and the Mechanical and Workshops' Branch spread over the remainder. The Superintendent of Workshops and his production staff front Waterloo Quay and further on are the Locomotive Superintendent, Chief Clerk and Locomotive Drawing Office. The drawing office has natural light on three sides. Facing the station on the western side of this wing are the Locomotive Designing Engineer, Office Engineer, inspecting officers and records.

Along the north wall are the Electric Traction Engineer and staff and the typistes' room and rest room. On all floors similarly a small rest room is located handy to the typistes' room.

The second floor accommodates the Land Officer and his staff fronting Bunny Street with the Afforestation Officer just round the corner. The Chief Engineer's Branch occupies the whole Waterloo Quay wing on this floor, the Assistant Chief Engineer, Chief Engineer, Designing Engineer and Assistant Designing Engineer face the harbour, the drawing office occupies the north end and continuing round the station side are the plan room and the offices of the Inspecting Engineer, Chief Clerk and clerical staff. The District Engineer and staff occupy the site along the north wall overlooking the concourse roof.

On the third floor the Refreshment Branch and the Suggestions and Inventions Committee room extend along the south side and the General Manager's records and the General Manager's typistes occupy the balance of this floor on this side of the building.

The fourth floor has the General Manager's suite and the Transportation and Publicity Branches. Fronting Waterloo Quay is a large room for deputations and conferences, then the First Assistant General Manager's office and that of the General Manager's secretary. The General Manager's office is along the northern front with a waiting room adjoining and an office for his personal clerk. The Second Assistant General Manager's office is close at hand on the western wall facing the platforms, and further back on the same side are the Chief Clerk and the Secretarial Branch. The offices of the Publicity manager and his staff, including the staff of the magazine, are along the north wall, and the Transportation Superintendent and his staff on the south-east corner.

On the fifth floor is the photographic and plan printing department, with photostat room, dark rooms and helio-printing room. Outside is a flat roof over the General manager's suite and a plant nursery for the Afforestation Officer is being placed in this roof.

The sixth floor, in addition to the chldren's nursery already mentioned, contains the offices of the Correspondence School, which carries on the instruction of the clerical staff of all branches. Twice yearly examinations test them in the progress made.

A corridor through the latter offices gives access to a flat roof which will undoubtedly be visited by many for the view it affords over the railway yards, the city, the harbour and the Hutt Valley, all fenced about with hills.