MARKETING STORE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 50, 28 February 1940, Page 14

MARKETING STORE.

GOVERNMENT SCHEME

AUCKLAND DEVELOPMENT.

TENDERS FOB SECOND STAGE.

Construction work on the second stage, of the Internal Marketing Division's building scheme in Auckland, at the corner of Nelson Street and Fanshawe Street, ie expected to commence within a few weeks. The first stage, which involved excavations, the building of a reinforced concrete retaining wall, and the laying of the foundations, was completed last week, after nearly five months' activity. The building will have a total of over 70,000 square feet of floor space on its five floors. Facilities will be provided for the efficient and hygienic handling of foodstuffs in large quantities for distribution in the Auckland district, and the requirements of the butter trade will be met by the provision of ample refrigerated space. The accommodation for honey will enable the Department to handle up "to 1000 tons of this product alone. Other pror ducts which will be distributed by the use of the new building will be lemons, grain and fruit. At present the Government is handicapped by having to use a number of stores in different parts of the city, there', being two stores for honey, two for butter, throe for grain, one for apples, and one for lemons.: The centralisation of these sections at one point close to the heart of the city is expected to result in important econoI mies and smoother marketing.

Aβ the, scheme •Sβ co.n>idered to be of an -urgent nature' an endeavour will be made to have the building ready and equipped for use by next spring. Tender* have been called and are in the hands of the Public Works Department in Wellington.

An important feature from the point of view of economical handling of produce ie the provision made for loading docks to four floor*. This has been feasible as a result of the characteristics of the site, which has a fairly steep incline on one side.

A goods lift will provide for intercommunication 'between the various floor*. Generally, in its design and facilities the store will be the largest and most up to date of ite kind in the Dominion. - ■