HEARTH And HOME

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19806, 19 December 1929, Page 4

HEARTH And HOME

(By "Builder.") "Builder" invites contributions from readers on any matters of interest which they might like to propose. Correspondence on various subjects pertaining to building will also be accepted. NOTES. Mr S. H. Clothier is the builder of a brick parsonage in Manchester street for the Cambridge Terrace Methodist Church. Mr E. G. Boniface, builder, has taken out a permit for additions to the factory of Messrs Duckworth and Turner, in brick, in Carlvle street. Mr F. E. Shaw, the builder of the new laboratory block at Lincoln College, was complimented on his work at the opening on Tuesday. Unquestionably the tribute was thoroughly deserved. The new block is really a handsome addition to the college structure's. Pressed brick was tne principal material used, while the building has concrete facings and a slate roof. It is steel-framed, with the first floor resting on Innes-Bell blocks. A cavity in the walls keeps the fire risks down to a minimum. Delays were occasioned to the construction of the block by the decision to include parquetry flooring, for which an additional grant was required from the Government. The new warehouse in Tuam street for Messrs E. W. Pidgeon and Co., under construction by Mr F. E. Shaw, contractor, will have four storeys and a concrete basement. The first two floors will be of concrete and the other two of brick. The frontage of the new building is 37 feet long, and it has a depth of 120 feet. Outside, the warehouse will have a compo finish, with a front of rather pleasing design in sand snd cement. The flat roof will be constituted of reinforced malthoid, and the floors will be of heavy timber on rolled steel and Oregon joisting. Women who are afraid of attempting a picture design will be delighted with results which can be obtained by working with squares and strips of •tinfoil, while some extremely artistic items can be made simply by roughly tearing the tinfoil and sticking it on more or less haphazardly. Old pots can be covered in this and made into attractive looking silvery pieces. A new lease of life was given to a discarded and dilapidated old tray, from which all the paint had nearly vanished, by covering it with irregular pieces of green, gold, and silver tinfoil, smoothly pasted on but with no attempt at design. Finally it was given a coat of thin varnish to make it wear better.—"Christian Science Monitor." Damage to the extent of thousands of pounds annually is done by the wood borer in New Zealand, and much thought has been given by architects, builders, and others to methods of treating timber in order to keep it free from the ravages of this pest. The following data on the subject will therefore be of interest to those who wish to deal effectively with the borer: —The heat generated during the ordinary dry kiln operation is sufficient to kill certain borers infesting wood. Even temperatures which range from lOodeg to 135deg F. are fatal to them. The subjecting of infested material to a temperature of 116deg F. for 45 hours resulted in 100 per cent, deaths of the larvae. A temperature of about 125deg to 130deg F will kill them within an hour after the wood becomes heated through. Dry heat is fatal to the larvae at a lower temperature than hot water for the same period.

"There is danger of seven years' work, which has cost the community £22,000, being lost if a Town Planning Act is not passed by Parliament immediately," said the Town Clerk of Melbourne (Mr W. V. McCall), recently. Mr McCall referred with appreciation to the work of the Town Planning Commission, which has completed its work, and has prepared its final report for printing. "The commission has evolved a complete plan for the development of the metropolitan area on sound lines," he said. "Action by anv one of the many public authorities within the area, taken without reference to the Town Planning Commission's report, may upset the whole of these carefully considered plans. Even if the suggested permanent town planning authority be not appointed immediatelv, action should be taken to prevent municipal councils from interfering with the complete, plans for metropolitan Melbourne. If no authority 's appointed the plans and reports of the commission will be placed in charge of the Minister for Public Works (Hon. Mr Chandler). It should be made compulsory for plans for municipal works to be submitted to the Public Works Department for approval before adoption-" At a meeting of the executive of St. George's Hospital, a report from the Rev. Mother dealt with the taxing of the present accommodation and the necessity of finding more space immediately. To meet the present emergency it was determined to put in han<3 at once the building of temporary dining-rooms and a sitting-room for use as a ward. It was also agreed to start without delay the building of a chapel on the flat roof and thus make it possible for the Rev. Mother to use the present temporary chapel for a large ward. Messrs J. and WJamieson are to be requested to start with both dining-rooms and chapel before Christmas. The architect, Mr RS. D. Harman, waited on the meeting and reported concerning the proposed new wing, and calculated that the cost, inclusive of all charges, would be about £17.000. The executive went into committee to consider ways and means. After much deliberation it was determined to meet again this evening at College House. CRITTALL METAL WINDOWS. Arrangements of particular interest to architects, builders, and others concerned in any constructional work have just been completed between Messrs Briscoe and Co., Ltd., and the wellknown English steel window manufacturers, The Crittall Manufacturing Co., Ltd., of Baintree and London. A new company has been formed under the title of the Crittall Manufacturing Co. (N.Z.), Ltd., with the object of taking over Messrs Briscoe's Dunedin workshops and laying down new plant, etc., suitable for manufacture of Steel Windows from the best Crittall Universal Sections. Mr P. C. Penberthy, of the Crittall Manufacturing Co., Ltd., England, has come out in the capacity of Managing Director of the New Zealand Company, and Mr Earrop, who is well-known to a number of architects and builders in both islands, will be the Works Manager of the new concern. Messrs Briscoe and Co., Ltd., throughout their various branches in New Zealand, will act as agents for the Crittall Manufacturing Co. (N.Z.), Ltd., and will handle the sales both of specially made windows as well as the numerous wide ranges of Standard Windows made by the Crittall Company. g

GLADE HOUSE.

REBUILDING IN PROGRESS. A NEW TOURIST TRACK. The southern end of New Zealand has long claimed the possession of the finest walk in the world in the track from Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound, but this walk is to be made even better by the construction of a track from Milford Sound to Lake Wakatipu. At the present time those who do not care for a sea voyage cross Lake Te Anau and walk over the track from Glade House to the Government Hostel at Milford. Thev can take a 12-mile motor launch run down the sound, but they have to cover the same ground when they walk back. The object of the newtrack is to enable tourists to make a round trip and so pass through new country during the whole of the 60 miles walked to Milford and back. In effect, tourists will be able to send their heavy luggage on to Queenstown, and walk over the two tracks in the same time as is spent on the present track. One of the workmen on the track informed a reporter that the work was now commenced in earnest, and it is hoped that the track will be open for a certain amount of traffic next season. About 20 men are working on the Milford end, and,.in spite of adverse weather conditions, they have made good progress and have carried a nine foot track over three miles up the Cleddau Valley. The track is made nine feet wide to permit of tunnelling material being taken to the Graves Talbot range about six miles up the valley. The track crosses the Cleddau river upon leaving the hostel, and the river will probably be bridged. The portion of the traek constructed winds about a good deal for it has been the endeavour of the Public Works Department to damage the forest as little as possible. The scenery in the valley is very fine, and the track will be an easy one to travel on and maintain. The difficulty encountered by previous travellers on the track was the pass over the range, which is very steep. The pass had to be traversed by means of ropes, and the passage was difficult and arduous if not dangerous. It is now intended to climb the easy approach to the pass and drive a tunnel through 12 chains of rock to eliminate the difficult climb. The tunnelling gang will probably commence operations as soon as the track is carried through to the pass, and no great difficulties are anticipated. Rebuilding of Glade House. The workman from the track was not certain of the course of the track beyond the range, but it will probably be constructed to give a view of Lake Adelaide, and Lake Marian as they lie between the range and Glenorchy. The horses for the work were taken in from Glade House, and, owing to the lateness of the snow on the pass, the men had a difficult task getting them across. The work of rebuilding Glade House has been commenced, so the whole track is now a hive of industry. Owing to the construction of the new track having a certain effect on the direction of the traffic, the hostel at Milford will be regarded as the centre of the walk, and Glade House will be constructed more en the lines of the huts at present on the Milford-Te Anau track, with the addition of a cottage for the manager. Conditions at the hostel have been good and plenty of fresh meat and fish has been available for the workmen. Earlier in the season tinned meat was used, but wild cattle are fairly numerous in Cleddau Valley, and one or two young beasts were taken. Blue cod could be caught in abundance, and, the workman stated, they were such excellent eating the men sometimes had them for all three meals in one day. During the voyage from Milford to Bluff on the Hinemoa blue cod and groper were caught in the Sounds- without difficulty. A fair amount of material for the new track has already been landed at Milfdrd. A wharf has been built and a roadway is being constructed from it to the hostel to facilitate the moving of later consignments. Another welcome addition to the Sound is the construction of a hut at the entrance for the use of launch parties from the hostel. Increasingly Popular. Those who have been over the route of the new track claim that the scenery is even finer than that on the MilfordTe Anau track, and once the tunnel is made the track will be the easier of the two to traverse. The only thing that is likely to be missed by tourists doing the round trip is the opportunity to see the scenery on the present track from both walks, but the round trip will offer far more appeal for a return trip, for a second trip could be made from the opposite end to the previous one. The present track has been of great value in inducing tourists to visit Southland and spend their money here, and the additional inducement of a round trip for the same amount of walking (the new track will be about equal in length to the present track) should do much to increase the tourist traffic. DUNDAS STREET SALE. NEW BUILDINGS PROJECTED. A further important realisation on the part of Messrs W. Strange and Co. (in liquidation) is reported, Mr R. S. Badger, Manchester street, having disposed of the balance of their land, having a frontage of 64ft on Dundas street by 231 ft deep, with valuable right-of-way powers. The purchasers are Messrs Berry and Halliburton, who, it is understood, propose erecting a factory and showrooms thereon at once. Further developments in regard to another portion of the same block may be expected ehortly.

HE DESERVES A GOLD MEDAL FOR THIS ACT. #

CHEMIST EXPLAINS DISCOVERY AND HOW TO SHRIVEL UP A CORK SO IT LITIS OUT. Ton oorn-aSicted. limping, " gloom-jinxed" men and worsen can have relief—happiness —at last. Wear the shoes that nearly made you insane before, asserts an eminent aathority in chemistry, because a few drops of Frozol-Ice, dabbed right into the heart of a tender, throbbing corn, banishes soreness instantly, and soon the corn loosens so it can be lifted out, root and all, without the least pain. For bat a little cost, a tiny phial of Frotollee can be found at any chemist's shop, but is plenty to take oat every hard or soft corn or callous. Yon ought to gire it a try, at it is inexpensive and does not inflame or even irritate the adjacent healthy flesh. —lO