A BRIGHTER CITY

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 92, 12 January 1939, Page 5

A BRIGHTER CITY

Building And Renovation

In Wellington

TOWN HALL ACTIVITY Building and renovating activity continues to change for the better the appearance of the central portion of Wellington city, and illustrates the big proportion of last years building figures represented by institutional activity. 'l'liere is nincli favourable comment on the work of exterior renovation being carried out on the Wellington Harbour Board’s buildings, ami with the painting of many commercial premises and the progress of new buildings, the city area promises to give just cause for pride. The steel frame of the new Government block in Stout Street now towers eight floors above the ground. Next door to it the Hotel Arcadia building has been vacated and good progress made with the clearing away of the fittings of the shops in-the two-story block adjoining. In Featherston Street, Baker’s Building, which is to give way to ait addition to the A.M.P. Building, is now merely a six-floor frame, and on the other corner of Hunter Street is rapidly rising the frame of a new insurance building to replace the old Central Hotel.

The civic centre of Wellington, the ’Town Hall, is the latest to undergo renovation, and those who cnlcr the building in the next, week or two will receive a pleasant surprise at the handsome interior decoration. On the outside the building is receiving a new coat of paint. Appropriately, the work has begun on the north-east corner, above which the road safety flag still flies at the masthead. Also in progress is the addition of a Town Hall annexe, opposite the new Central Library, to consist of three extra rooms for the administrative staff. Attractive Colour scheme. On the inside tiie main hall at present offers a scene of some confusion, with chairs piled high toward the back and tall scaffolding erected along the south wall of the gallery. But the painting is rapidly nearing completion and the walls, in their graded shades of yellow and old ivory, have a bright and attractive tone, contrasting _in softness with the white of the unpainted portions. The bright yellow on the front of the stage and the fresh grey of the choir seats will be a much improved setting for musical and other presentations. The organ pipes, which some may think need brightening, are not to be done at. this stage.

To replace the curtains which \ have for many years draped the rear wall, a better acoustic system has been installed, consisting of .asbestos* tiles, each about. 20in. square and punctured with match-sized holes. These tiles, which cover the rear wall of the gallery, and extend as well some distance along the sides, are expected to mean a big improvement in sound-absorbing properties. The off season in Town Hall bookings has enabled the renovation work to proceed without interruption, except for the Wellington wool sale on Tuesday. There are no further bookings till the last few days of the month.