NEW BUILDING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 31, 7 February 1939, Page 9

NEW BUILDING.

SOCIAL SECURITY BLOCK. fire risks reduced. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. It, was announced yesterday by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, that as a result of collaboration between his engineers, Government architects and the engineers of the Fletcher Construction Company, the whole of the constructional details ol the new social security building have been completed. This had necessitated the continuous working since Friday ot a very large staff and reflected great credit on those concerned. "One of the lessons we learned from the destruction of the previous building was the danger of fire, and in the construction of the new building fire hazard will be reduced to an absolute minimum," he said. "The three blocks are so designed as to be entirely separate with fire walls between each W rrhe whole of the outer walls will be lined with fire resisting materials and the plaster will be placed on top of these material*. The inner walls will be similarly lined, while to prevent the spread of fire from one block to the other it is proposed in use steel sashes and wired glass. The roof will be constructed of corrugated asbestos. Even ' fri th<* remote case oT fire there will be no possibility of the outbreak spreading as there will be no adjacent building."