NOTES.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18347, 2 April 1925, Page 4

NOTES.

(By Builder.) "Builder'' invites contributions from readers on any matters oi' interest which they might like to propose. Correspondence on subjects of interest will also be accepted.

Mr F. "Williamson is at present erecting a reinforced concrete buildino- in Ivaikouia for Dalgetv and Co., Ltd. England Bros, are the architects.

The erection of the new grandstand at Monica Park, Ferry road, is proceeding apace, and should be completed before the Faster holidays. The architect, Mr 11. St. A. Murray, has deiiyiion u:e struciuio iu seal- jvjmj pie. ' iuo stand will DC ot wow v.nfi concrete piers ana a tiat iron root. Jt wul column two dressing rooms at the rear, eali oemg cquippeu witli hoi, ana cold sliowcrs, ueaiuea a lauies' ctoaKrooni and mrcsnmenb stall. There will be -10 chains oi ccrrugatcd iron fencing round tlic area, and ornate entrance gates will also be constructed. 'J.'he contractor is All- I*\ \7illiamsou. Mr H. Harrison lias secured the contract far alterations, which are being effected to the National Chambers m Hereford street for the Hereford Investment Co. The architects arc Messrs Collins and Harman. Tenders are being invited until. 4 p.m. to-morrow for the erection of a :esidence on the Cashmere Hiils. England Brothers arc the architects. Hannier and Barker, surveyors, arc calling for tenders for the construction of a reinforced concrete, arched and brick bridge over the river Avon, at Riccarton. Tenders will close at noon on Tuesday, April 7th. Tenders arc being called until "Wednesday, April Bth, by Mr G. WHaines for the erection of a war memorial in fcrro-eoncrete at "Waikari. Ellis and Hall are calling for tenders until Thursday, April 9th for the erection of a doctor's residence at Cheviot. Tenders are being invited until 4 p.m. on "Wednesday, April Bth, for the construction of a brick cottage at tho Ivaritanc Hospital, Cashmere. Mr G. T. Lucas is the architect.

AVork is progressing satisfactorily at tlvj Exhibition Buildings at Logan Park, Dunedin. Some of the buildings era rapidly approaching completion. Tho walls and roof are done, the flooring is laid ready for nailing, and all that remains after tho nailing is to hang the doors, etc. The nailing of the flooring boards has been purposely delayed so as to make sure that they are perfectly dry. They are having a second drying. Another reason is that it will serve as a stand-by if wet weather sets in. A start -is being made with tlic concert- hall, and work has been resumed on the monster motor building. It is probable that this will be finished in about four weeks' time. Tlm-e lias been ho trouble about the supply of materials; a large stock of timber is held so a v s to ensure that it will be sufficiently dry. The staff consists _of 80 carpenters, 81 labourers, 8 painters, and ten machinists, a total of 188.

There are signs that the steel age in house building is near at hand. In England, both Government and private enterprise have taken the matter up seriously, and foundries are now at work turning out exterior and interior walling sheets, roofing iron and even joists and rafters x of steel. American manufacturers for once have turned to the Mother Country for a lead in a constructive revolution, and the plans of tho British Ministry for Housing are being closely studied by several of tho biq; building corporations in the United States. The peril of a timber famine through the devastation of softwood forests for the production of printing paper prompts the desire fr steel houses in both countries. Ta England, however, a still greater incentive is the continued shortage of dwellings for the people, and tho rising costs of bricklaying, carpentry, and other building handicrafts.

In modern England th,e beautiful art of woodearving is.sadly neglected. This is not merely a matter of necessary post-war economy. It arises from a lack of knowledge and appreciation by the general public of the aesthetic and practical value of woodearving—in which term we do not, of coui se, include the liorrible machincrWrougJit stuff which is applied to cheap furniture. The School of "Woodearving is doing something to remedy our national shortcoming in this respect. The works of its students, which have lately been "on view at the school, show that distinguished and interesting work is still being produced. Carving in low relief of a somewhat conventional design is more suited to most modern needs than tho elaborate deeply undercut carving of tho Grinling Gibbons',school. It is a form of decoration that deserves to be more widely used. At the School of "Woodearving there are classes for apprentices and craftsmen and also for those who study woodearving as an artistic interest. The school is aided by the London County Council and the Board of Education.,

A very large number of houses in London suburbs and in most large towns are occupied, more or less uncomfortably, by two or more families. Practically all these people would prefer to live in self-contained flats or small houses; but such accommodation doesn't exist in anything like adequate amount, and where it exists tho rent is too high for most tenants of the class concerned. Here would seem to be a call to landlords and builders to meet a real need. To a small extent they have responded, and some have burnt their fingers in the process. Lncal authorities, unwisely rapacious for increased rates, have penalised the property-owners—and also the tenants, who share the burden in their rents — by greatly raising the assessment. One example given by a Croydon correspondent of the "Times" is tyDical. A house assessed at £2B was Tet in two floors without any structural 'alteration whatever being made; at cnce the assessment was raised to £64.

Hillsborough Castle, Co. Down, whose ancient gate-lodge has succumbed to a modern gas explosion, was erected in the reign of Charles 1., on a plan of medieval strength, .is l-cfittiup; a Royal port. It was occupied in 1691) l>y""William 111., while his army lay encamped on Bkris Moor: and that seems to have been its last hour of greatness in romantic times.