THE NEW G.P.O.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 799, 23 April 1910, Page 4

THE NEW G.P.O.

PROGRESS OF THE CONTRACT. Wellington seldom, if ever, has seen such a sight in its building history as is presented in connection with the erection of the new, General Post Office at the present time. Many people have stopped in their walks, fascinated by the working of the' great crane, which rears the point of its jib 140 feet in the air, and more particularly in watching tho flight.of tno man who 1 as often as not mounts into the air, with the block of stone or whatever is being lifted (hanging on by one hand or a crooked arm to the chain) to direct with his whistle exactly whore the lift is to be deposited. Tho new style of building with the nse of theso big cranes, a novelty when first used by Messrs. Mitchell and King in erecting the Bank of New South Wales and the, D.1.C.; . has become fairly' general. Messrs. J. and A. Wilson found them indispensable in erecting the new Public Trust Offico, and, not content with one, will use three on the General Post Office job. Tho 75ft.-high three-legged gantries for two moro cranes (as large as tho one now in position), which have been obtained from Christchurch, have already been erected, and next ;week they will be floored, in preparation for the donkey engine and crane gear. . Mr. J. Wilson says that ho only has about 60 men in all—masons, bricklayers, and steel-workers—employed on the job at presont, but next month will see that number doubled, and the job a hivo of industry. The masons arc still at work laying tho baso of fine Dobson's stone, which presents a face almost as smooth as polished granite. That done tho work will proceed more speedily. When tho threo big cranes are up, thero will bo no uso for the travelling crano now being used on tho Fcatherston Street frontage, and, as thero is so littlo room for tho stonemasons between the fenco and the building lino, tho • contractors havo erected a large corrugated iron shed on:tho Waterloo Quay reclamation, whore all the shaping will bo dono for the future. This will bo convenient in niore ways than one, as tho steamers which bring, the stone from Tonga Bay can land it on the Quay quito near to the shed, while tho debris will assist the reclamation process near by.