AT EVANS BAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1173, 7 July 1911, Page 5

AT EVANS BAY.

' r* ; TRANSFORMING BARREN ACRES. I I Same barren acres of Evans Bay foreshore, north of the Patent Slip, are very rapidly being turned to profitable accfiuut on behalf of the Union Steam Ship Company. The greater part of the extensive range of buildings which ore to be constructed have as yet only reached the foundation stage, but a good idea can now be gathered of the scalo upon which this big repair ana refitting establishment has beed planned. In all, something like four acres on the shallow foreshore of the bay have been reclaimed, spoil being obtained from a bluff on the inshore side of the road. The surface of the land reclaimed is now being finished oft', and it is estimated that about 10,000 yards of spoil will still be required. A breastwork wall is being constructed along the face of the, reclamation, and from this ultimately a wharf 280 ft. long and 30ft. wide will project into the bay. It is to _ be built of ironbark timber, and in its general appearance will resemble the main Wellington wharves. Wheu the reclamation is completed a short deviation will be made iu the Evans Bay Road, which has been relieved of an awkward angle in the process of cutting away a. bluff to obtain spoil. A laundry building, of which particulars were given somo time ago in The Dominion, has been completed and equipped with all tho necessary machinery. It is ready for active operations as soon as steam can be turned on from the powerhouse, which is being built nest door. Other buildings that have been completed include a manager's cottage and cottages for work-people. Messrs. M'Lean and Gray, iii co-operation with Messrs. M'Arthur and Co., have been entrusted with the task of erecting three blocks of buildings which will have a total floor space of 'something like 60,000 square feet. A start has already been made upon tho walls of tho power-house, next door to the laundry, and here also a start has been made on a chimney stack, which ultimately will soar eighty feet into the air. It is nine feet square at the base. In tho same block as the power-house will be a shop for blacksmiths and boilcrmakers. The block as a whole will be 100 feet square. South of this block another is to be erected, having a floor area of 200 ft. by 70ft. and two stories high. It is to contain a pattern shop, a. ship-wright and boat-building establishment, an iron store, and a salvage store. Upstairs, riggers, joiners, sailmakers, and upholsterers will bo accommodated, each iu a separate shop. Separated from the workshops by a space of 100 ft, another two-story block, iooft. by 80ft. deep, is to he erected, which will be utilised as stores and offices. Foundations for these several blocks are 'now almost completed. Tho foundations for tho workshops and for the third block consist for tho most part of massive concrete piles, topped with concrete blocks. A temporary iron shed, 60ft. lons bv 30ft. wide, has been erected, in which tho. massive steel girders and braccs required for the buildings will bo cut and riveted. Of this material about 500 tons will be used. At present 21 men, carpenters, labourers, and bricklayers, arc employed on the buildings. In about a couple of months the bulk of tho girders and steel framing will arrive from England, and at about tho same period a start will be made on the brickwork of two of the blocks of buildings. By that time tho brickwork of the powerhouse and blacksmith's shop will he well advanced towards completion. Eventually about 80 men, and possibly more, will be employed on the buildings alone.