NEW BUILDINGS AT THE PORT.

Press, Volume XXXII, Issue 4416, 25 September 1879, Page 3

NEW BUILDINGS AT THE PORT.

It is not an uncommon thing to hear an old resident of the port say of Lyttelton that "it is not the lively place it used to be," and it might be inferred from such expressions that the port had declined. Such, however, is well known to be contrary to fact, and the port, if not as "lively" as it once war, is a more attractive place in all that goes to make up the requirements of an important town. The progress made in respect to the class of building*, both business establishments and private residences, at the port will be apparent at onoe to those who know Lyttleton as it is to-day and who remember it before the great fire of 1870. Under the existing condition of things a repetition of such a disaster as that is scarcely possible, a superior class of buildings being one of the best safe* guards against such calamities. In considering the progress Lyttelton has made it should not bo overlooked that its growth has been stimulated greatly by the admirable management of its harbor works, and that its progress as a town may be said to be but the necessary outcome of those works. To the exoellent administration of the harbor trust by the Lyttelton Harbor Board the port undoubtedly owes much of its present prosperity, and in that sense it will be admitted that the importance of Lyttelton has as yet not been initiated. It is true that Nature haa favored the place among the ports of the colony. Tho approaching vessel has no fearful bar to cross in making the harbor. It is a port sasy of access at all times, and affords fine shelter for shipping. But without the artificial improvements which have been made in establishing the inner harbor, Lyttelton could not claim to rank nearly so high among the safe and commodious harbors of the world.

With respect to tbe advancement (hat has been made in permanent buildings at the port, it may not be out of place to advert to the contemplated public buildings. Among these latter there is the Harbor Board's building, to include the Board room and harbor offices. The construction of this is already determined on, and tenders wul be called for the work in a few days. It is expected also that the Government wQI rery shortly move in the matter of a new Besident Magistrate's Court (not before it is needed}, and the erection of new Police Barracks v among the promised improvements. The inoonvenienoes of the old building now used as a Council Chamber and town clerk's office, have been much commented upon, and it is only a question of a little time when substantial Municipal offices shall be substituted. Of the better class of structures to be found at the port, the Government buildings, including the Customs, Post Ofßee, and Telegraph department, is perhaps the most valuable. There are, however, the various buildings representing the railway departments, the depot or station, to which has been recently added a la?ge engine shed, and one of the ponderous American turn-tables to accommodate the largest sized locomotives. Did space permit, the progress made in the buildings of the town might also be well illustrated by a comparison of its present hotels with those of former times. It will, however, fee sufficient hereto refer to two buildings of more than ordinary value and prominence, which have recently been erected.

The firstof these is the newßank of New Zealand on the north side of Norwich quay and west of Messrs H. Hawkins and Co.'s establishment. An edifice of both beauty and utility, it is undoubtedly one of the most complete business structures in the town, and Messrs Sutton and Weastell, the contractors, are to be complimented for their workmanship upon it, not forgetting the efficient clerk of works, Mr Weyburn. The design of the edifice was tbe work of Mr W. B. Armson, architect, to whom very great credit is due. The contract was entered upon in August, 1878, and the work would hare been completed some time ago but for the difficulties met with in making a satisfactory foundation, together with other circumstances beyond tbe control Of the contractors. The building as it stands is, both in appearance and finish, a perfect specimen of the type of New Zealand basking [establish* meats. The style is Italian, the plaster work in relief being very tastefully executed. The building, which is a two-storey one, is of brick, finished with stucco work, and ornamooted on the front and west side elevations with figures in relief and columns terminated by lonic caps. Its dimensions are 35ft, frontage to Norwich quay by 51ft. deep. The lower floor is divided between the public backing chamber, the manager's room, the strong room, and in the back part into two or three rooms, forming a portion of the house accommodation for the occupation of the manager. The banking chamber is well lighted, lofty, and substantially fitted. The woodwork portion of the fittings consists of c prettily designed counter in concave form, made of highly polished cedar. Upon either side are the mis, or partitions, which divide that part of the room to he occupied by tbo Bank officers from that reserved for the public. The wood used for these divisions is also cedar, and the workmanship of a very unique and delicate order. The rest of the woodwork in this room is finished in oak, the graining being excellently done. It is said that in this room alone upwards of £200 worth of cedar has been used. In the back part of the room there is a doorway opening directly into the strong room, a wonderfully substantial department, lift. 9in. by 6ft. Sin., and divided in the centre by an iron railing. To the right oftihe strong room a passage leads off connecting with the side door or private entrance to the Bank. On the opposite side is the manager's room. It is nicely pannelled and stained, its dimensions being 12ft. by 13ft. The measurements of the banking chamber are 32ft. by 25ft., affording a very spacious department for the transaction of public business. Its height is the same as that of the whole of the lower portion of the buildicg, namely 15ft. There are also the stationery room and the lavatory on tha floor. The whole of the upstairs portion of the structure is devoted to house accommodation for the manager. There is a drawing-room 18ft. by 14ft, a dining-room 13ft. by 18ft., and four very large bedrooms, besides ante-rooms and bathrooms. The whole connect with a good wide corridor and staircase with the first floor. The floors in the upner storey are all thoroughly deadened with hair and mortar, and the necessity for very much use of the staircase has been obviated by introducing a rather formidable lift or elevator from the floor below to the upper one. Everywhere throughout the building the evidence of good workmanship may be seen; not the least so in reference to the painting work, the whole of which was performed by Messrs W. B. Allwright and Bros. The edifice, as it stands, rest* upon a foundation wall ISin. thick, and 27ft. Sin. in depth on the west side. The wall is of concrete, built with cement and ifcbble to level with the ground, and for 18in- above with stone. The kind of workmanship put into the building must be : ft!"*-**"? to the bank, and a decided

source of comforras compared with the old shanty which h» dene service in the put. The brickwork of the new building was done by Mr J. Stinson, a local builder. The preliminary movement into the building was made on Tuesday, so that the public may expect to transact business there within a day or two at most. Almost directly opposite another large and well finished building has been erected, namely, an immense warehouse for Messrs P. Cunningham and Co. This establishment has a frontage to Norwich quay of 267 ft. It was started, that is _ the foundation, in November last. This latter was made unusually heavy, namely, 12ft. deep by 2ft. in thickness, a retaining wall of 14ft. by 3ft requiring to be built for the frontage to Norwich quay. During the pressure of the wool and grain season, this firm, with their two large iron warehouses, had experienced such repra'ei inconvenience in accommodating the annual increase of business, as to render the erection of a structure such as they have just built an absolute necessity. In place of having it constructed of corrugated iron, it was determined to mace a more permanent as well as a much stronger structure, and, to this end, the solid brick warehouse has been | finished. As a more certain means of securing the best workmanship, and having the building more faithfully put together, the firm divided the work, doing it as nearly as practicable on the principle of day labor. The same builder that executed the brickwork of the Bank, Mr J. Stinson, was entrusted to perform the same part in this work, Messrs Sutton and Weastell doing the carpentering portion of the building, the whole being diaectly under the superintendence and direction of Mr Thomas Thornley. The result of their efforts is that a building has been put together adapted in all its details for the purposes for which it is to be used. The great desiderata were abundance of room for storage purposes, and immense strength to correspond, and there can be no doubt that these are fully attained in the new warehouse. The style is plain but solid. On the Norwich Quay side the frontage is one storey, thus giving two full storeys at the back, which iron's the railway track, and which is in reality the business front of the building. As has been stated the whole length of the warehouse is 267 ft, width 60ft., height of lower storey 16ft., upper storey 12ft. These measurements afford a storage capacity of quite 100,000 sacks of grain for instance, sufficient to load several big ships. The lower or ground floor is formed of concrete, into which blocks of stone 3ft. square are let, forming the supports for the storey posts, which are iron bark 12in. by 12in. The upper floor is of l.in. kauri, and the storey pasts on this floor correspond in size and number to those below. The sills and cap pieces are iron bark 12in. by 12in., no flaw being overlooked in the fastenings. The walls are 18 in. thick for the first storey up, and 14in. above, the brick being of the best clay from the Talley, supplied by Messrs Boyse, Stead and Co. Included within the building, and at the western end, are two very commodious and well-finished offices—one for transacting the business of the establishment, and one for the use of the captains whose vessels are consigned or chartered by the firm. In the former, an alphabetical telegraph apparatus is fitted, besides one of Edison's latest improved telephones. These are in constant use, communicating with the heid office in Ohristohurch. The captains' office is in process of finishing. The labor-saving appliances for transferring the grain or merchandize from the railway trucks have not yet been fitted into position, but the principal one, called a patent elevator, will be ready in a few days. It is being made in Ohristohurch at Messrs Anderson's foundry, and will, it is said, when completed, be the most perfect elevator in the colony, working with immense power and great rapidity. It will probably be worked with a gas engine. The clearing and fanning machines are also to be added at onoe, and two weighbridges. In the upper storey eight windows, with stone facings, provide the necessary light, and in the lower storey the ventilators and doorways afferd all the necessary air and- light. The warehouse, as a whole, reflects much credit upon the builders, and is an undertaking worthy the enterprise of the firm by whom it is owned. As one of the permanent buildings at the Port it is decidedly among the most superior in finish, and is undoubtedly the largest in point of sise..