HEARTH AND "HOME"

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17985, 31 January 1924, Page 4

HEARTH AND "HOME"

''■Blinder'' inv.tcs contnbu- j •ions from rcad-er.v on any mat- | 'er of interest which ibcy ! might 11kto j iropo.se. Cor- ! i '.'-[;mu!oiici; on subjects of j interest will also bo accepted. | NOTES, | Amongst, the buildings which have been commenced during the present month in Christehurch are the following:—Three shops in avenue (Aluirson 15 rut hers. builders), extensions to the Richmond AVorkingmen's Club (Watson and Home, builders), the Nugget Hoot -Polish Factory (•!. Beaulaiul, builder), additions to a building ,in llereforil street for tho trustees of Airs Ji. Bergh's estate; 1.0.0.1''. llall. St. Asaph street ill cad and \\ ebb. huildersi, and a building a.t the corner of Madras and Soul.hwai'k streets for Aliss Woods (T. I'. Bagley, builder.; > An ingenious plan for housing a large number 'of motors in a smad area is put forward by Mr AV. Richardson, a . nmiing engineer. The new garage consists of a steel lower of any convenient , height, divided vertically into two : shafts of equal dimensions. ICach shaft would be of a superficial area sufficient to accommodate a large car, and the total area required for a complete "tower garage" would be about 10ft. by JJOl't. (.iearing is installed in each shaft, both :tL top aiVJ bottom, to rotate a sy.itcm of endless chains, which themselves support a number of moving platforms oil which the cars stand. By means of an electric motor and mechanism of special design, all platforms iii one shaft may he raised or lowered independently. In operation there 'will always bo a vacant platform in each shaft —at the top in one shaft and at the bottom in the other. This is necessary in order that a ear can he traversed from one shaft to the other to facilitate packing and unpacking the vehicles. A car gar&ged on one of the. top platforms call be placet! on the road in two minutes, whilst others, according to their position in the garage, can bo withdrawn in a. few seconds. The idea seems practical, and the height could ho as great as the Building Acts allow.

Messrs Greenstfeet arid Anderson uro inviting tenders for tho erection of a shop, dwelling house, stores, ete., at the corner of Page's and Rudd's roads for Mr C. H. Schumacher. Tenders will close on February 20th.

A writer in tho ' "Aberdeen Press" notes that granite setts aro fast disappearing from London sereets. Aberdeen is particularly interested in granite, and the news is, therefore, nob particularly cheering for tho citizens of what is 'often called the nrumte city. But the change to wood blocks, which is now going on, is inevitable. Tho noise of citv traffic orer cobbled roads is almost unendurable, and lor the motor traffic and pneumatic tyres of the present clay wood is every way preferable. The granite merchant s loss is-tho wood merchant's gain.

Tho present year is beginning with promise lor builders in Chnstehurch. Up till i p.m. yesterday closo on 100 building potrniis wero isr.ued by the City Council, and of these several wero tor big business places costing largo sums.

Ono of the puzzles of history is fcho exact part played by the Romans during their four and a-half centuries of occupation of Britain. They established a great civilisation, undoubtedly, and tuilt a network of roads. Tho roads remain as their great legacy to posterity, but how few in comparison are tho remains of their buildings. They were wont to build durably—far more durably than most modern builders—their drainage systems wero scarcely inferior and their baths wero fiir superior to those of modern towns. Th<> comparative scarcity of relics of their great works in Britain is a testimony to tho fierceness of the invading hordes of SnxohS and Danes who overvan the land after tho Uotnans left. But roads the invaders coti'd not and presumably had no wish to destroy. A map of Roman roads published in tho December number of ''Garden Cities -and Town Planning" shows what an amazing network it "was, traversing tho land in all directions <uid extending from Lund's End to John o' Groats, thou2ll, of course, that is an expression which would have beech meaningless to the Romans. Tenders will close to-dar for tho erection of a, sub-station in brick for the Municipal Electricity Department at Caual Reserve, Limvood. The Auckland city housing scheme is progressing satisfactorily. The contractors for the 50 houses, Messrs .). T. Jul inn and Sons, have a team of 50 men at work, and '2O houses aro simultaneously in hand and will bo ready for occupation by i-he end of this mouth. Tho outer walls' aro being built of clemi brickwork, as ore all partitions, while the inside finishing is of cement oldster. The interior arrangements of the houses are well planned, tho best use being made of the available snucc. T'Jach house lias five rooms, with the usual convenience''. All will be equinned with electric light, gas. iind modern drainage. It is expected to complete the contract by tho end of this year. The contract price for the lift"- houses is £38,850. Tenders arc being invited by Messrs Greenstreet and Anderson, for "the erection of shops and business premises in Manchester street for the "Wiltield Buildings, Ltd. Tenders will close on Monday, February 18th. This year will sec a big "jump" in all btii'ding trades in Dunedin. Already several contracts have been signed for the erertion of largo buildings, in addition to which a start will bo mado with the Imildiug of tho big Exhibition on Logan Park, tho erection of which will take woll aver twelve months. Next to this comes tho now Medical School, for which a, further grant of about £BOOO has boon mado by tho Government above tho £75,000 Already granted. Tenders aro now being called for tho erection of the building. A. building just completed is tho new telephone exchange, by tho Fletcher Construction Company. One of tho most interesting and historic landmarks in connexion with the City of "Wellington is being removed. The Terrace Gaol, tho old building, which has housed many unwilling inmates in tho past, is being demolished, and in its place will bo erected a school for children of that part of tho city.