Authority Members Not Pleased With Building

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30406, 3 April 1964, Page 12

Authority Members Not Pleased With Building

Members of the Christchurch-Lyttelton Road Tunnel Authority are not pleased with the finish of their administration building at the Heathcote portal. They left their board table yesterday afternoon to point out to each other rough boxing marks on concrete walls and pillars, half-inch gaps around the doors and windows that rattle in the breeze.

“We are paying plenty for this place, so let’s have it right,” said Mr L. G. Amos. “Has this concrete been finished?” asked Mr J. B. Collett, pointing to the whitepainted concrete pillar behind the chairman’s chair. “It’s just straight off the boxing. It’s pretty rough work.”

Mr Amos said someone would have to “have another go at it.” It was a dreadful thing to have in a board room, and it would be better if it was timbered up.

“Don’t tell me that’s finished,” said Mr Collett in tones of frank disbelief, pointing to a painted concrete wall bearing the marks of boxing. “It makes me feel cold,” said Mr Amos. “We've got to have something pleasing to the eye.” Mr W. P. Glue said it was permissible to have concrete straight off the boxing, but it had to be finished boxing—“not a rough damn board.” Mr Amos said the concrete walls and pillars and ceiling beams should be sandblasted and plastered. Mr Glue claimed the gaps around the door were so wide that it was possible for people on opposite sides to shake hands without opening the door. The authority directed its works committee to have all those matters rectified—“the appearance, the draught and the rattling windows.” Mr P. J. Beaven, the authority’s architect, reported that apart from the garage, work on the building was 95 per cent complete. He had nominated a date three weeks

from now when the building must be completed. Mr L. H. Wilson, the authority’s general manager, reported that it was obvious that the extension of time to March 20 had not been met.

“We paid £2OOO extra for the contractors to have' the building done for the Queen Mother’s visit,” said Mr Amos. “What is the financial position now that it has not been completed on time?” The chairman, Mr R. A. Witbrock, said the total job had been delayed because the contractor had been asked to complete certain parts of the building by March 20, and those parts were then done “out of context.” Mr Amos said he wanted to see the authority did not pay more than it should, but Mr Witbrock said he felt the extra payment was justified when the authority was getting three weeks’ extra revenue through opening the tunnel early.

The finance committee reported that £6500 had been taken at the toll booths in the first 12 days—enough to cover operating costs for that period and contribute something towards interest for stockholders.

Mr Wilson said the figure for March, calculated from the traffic counts, was £15,757. This included £14,013 taken in half-crowns from 112,104 private vehicles. Average receipts for the month were £477 10s a day. Private cars made up 88.8 per cent of revenue.

Mr W. A. Wheldale, the tunnel superintendent, recommended the establishment of a control point near the Lyttelton portal to improve communications and give officers protection from the weather.

He said a slight build-up of traffic at the Lyttelton portal at peak times was caused by the inadequacy of the roads near the portal, and by the “throttling” effect of the roads in Lyttelton. Of the incidents which had occurred so far, one was an accident, 27 were breakdowns, one was a fire, 10 were cars out of petrol, eight were punctures, seven were the tendering of foreign coins, 38 were overpaid tolls, 13 underpaid tolls, 57 were patrons unable to pay, one was a case of keys being confiscated, and one was the issue of a traffic offence notice.