NOTES.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17939, 6 December 1923, Page 4

NOTES.

• A largo min)bcr of local builders apj pear to have completed tho works ! which havo been keeping them busy \ for the past few months and arc oom- ! meriting their new jobs before the holidays. The object of this is probably io keep 'their men employed, bub it has apparently created :i renewal of building activity in the city—-a, fact which has been demonstrated by tho large number of building permits which have been issued by the Christchureh City Council. since tho beginning of tho month. A notable feature about the class of I material handled in tho refuse collection campaign waged in Wellington during Health Week wa;s the quantity of plumbers' material which seemed to havo been stacked underneath houses in anticipation of tho annual clean-up. Commenting upon this fact in a report upon the Health Week activities, tho chairman of the Salutation Committee, Mr A. J. Paterson, stated that while it might bo advisable to have the stuff removed during the campaign, it would appear necessary that during the house-to-house inspection by the council's inspectors more of thia material should be'removed at tho cost of the owner or plumbing contractor. The total collection nuido during Health Week was 3308 cubic yards, an increase over tho 1922 campaign of 1223 cubic yards. A two-storey office building is about to be erected in Hereford street for the Liverpool Street Syndicate. C E. Pago and Sons are the builders, and England Bros, are tho architects. It is .significant that more building is going on at Greymouth at present than at any time since 1914. There is a boom in building operations, and this is obviously a sign of progress, bearing out the hopes of those who believed that tho opening of direct rail communication with Canterbury would replace with an era of prosperity the period of isolation the town had so long endured. In addition to £50,000 worth of building in hand, a great deal more is contemplated. This estimate is based on reliable information, and is exclusive of many comparatively small renovation and repair jobs being carried out all over the town. Some of the bis contracts in progress are tho Greymouth Trotting Club's new grandstand, the Bank of New Zealand, West Coast Cooperative Dairy Co.'s factory, and Marist Brothers School; additions in brick are being mad© to Harkcr's tea rooms in Mackay street, and many residences are going up. Projected buildings include new offices in concrete for the Grey County Council, new Convent of Mercy, and new premises for Messrs Dalgety"and Co., Ltd. "It is a difficult matter to find an empty shop in Greymouth, and nn idea of the rents ruling may bo gained from the fact that a very small shop on Mawhera Quay is let for £2 a week.

Pennieuick and Co. are remodelling and constructing a now shop-front and verandahs in Standish and Preece's premises in High street. J. S. and M. J. Guthrie are the architects.

The country is using more electric current, as is shown by the statements of power companies (says a New York paper). The North American Company's subsidiaries report that electric output during the twelve months ended last September was 2,038,179,097 kilowatt hours, and that 573,119 electric customers wore served. This is an increase over the previous year of 735,886,555 kilowatt hours, or 57 per cent., and of 110,450 electric customers, or 24 per cent.

Tho work of remodelling portion of Bowron's Buildings at the corner of Manchester and Hereford streets is now in hand. The upper portion of the building, which has been used for storage space, is being converted into suites or offices and tea rooms. J. W. Francis is tho builder, and England Bros, are tho architects.

An indication of tho increase in building costs was given at a recent meeting of the Wellington Hospital .and Charitable Aid Board. Several tenders were submitted for the construction of additions to the nurses' home, tho work involving the erection of a four-storoyed wing containing seventy rooms. Surprise was expressed that the lowest tender (£13,056) should be so much in excess of tho estimated cost, which was £4500 less. Tho successful tender> was for £19,445. Tho highest amounted to £26,256. The chairman of the Board remarked that building costs were at present higher than they had ever been.

Messrs England Bros, will shortly bu calling for tenders for tho erection of a branch of the Bank of New Zealand in Sydenlwni. Tho new structure will be 'built on the sit© of tho present building at the corner of Lawson and Colombo streets.

The Salvation Army has just had completed its new hall at the Main North road, North East Valley, Dunedin, at a cost of a little over £2OOO. The hall is built of brick, and cement plastered. The main hall will accommodate about 200 people.

Messers Hart and Reece arc inviting tenders for extensions to tho Essex Bakery, Linwood, for Messrs Stacey and Hawker.

Several builders appeared at the I>unedin Magistrate's Court recently charged with breaches of the Scaffolding Act. The cases were brought by Mr F. Barton (Inspector of Scaffolding) and tbo defoudants were charged with having commenced to do building work involving a fall of twelve feet or mora without notifying the inspector. Nominal penalties were inflicted in most cases, and some were dismissed.

Mr Win. Fcilding, Hie Wellington architect, is inviting Lenders for the erection of a new printing and publishing house for tho ''Evening Post" newspaper in Wellington.

Mr W. H. Winsor, at the meeung of the Canterbury Builders' Association on Tuesday night, stated that it might be

advisable for the Canterbury builders to have a. page devoted io building matters in. the. province included in the 'Janterbury Progress League".-? booklet advertising Canterbury :it the liritisli Kcip-rc Exhibition to be held in London 7ic-\i year, lie staled that ssich i'.iis_'ht ';>•' the means of a number of tradesmen from Homo eonmig to the Ikiminion. There was plenty of room for thcia, he concluded.