CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3972, 16 May 1870, Page 5

CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

I Amidst the almost ge'heral compsihs a " r to the comparative depression, itnd ■#carj&ity I of money, there is at least one* common s|gn ' of confideiice^ We Sfynbt .remember any i p'eriod J foryearkp*st,iiiWiilcK i spmuchiictivjty f has been apparent tin the 'Auckland building • trade ; for there are 'nowl in progress 1 Jof '.conl struction,' in the city ana suburbs, »n unusual , number of business placea", and private' resi- • denotes. We pufpose^Wnbtice one of, 'two, of ■ the more important improvements noV bemg made,in our street architecture, ' ."' ','* "; . : We recently g»ve a' description of Messrs. ; Whitson and Co.'s niw brewery, all' the 'rear ; of the Coach and ' Horses Hotel, anil on visit- ■ ing the pla'ce'yestbrday T we were'surpriaed.at the amount. of progress which '"has .j^been made. The scoria' foundations and brickwork o£ ; the lower storey ar^'completed^'the .work being in every respect/of the most substantial character.' The" tiuokness s oi l the. walls contrasts strikingly with the flimsy 'shells which' f are sometimes J ,hiirriedly ana cheaply rnri up,' and which, under the action of decay and inherent weakness, vpill, at no distant date, be highly dangerous to life and adjoining property. We could, point out many bnck buildings' in the city, yrhich, though only erected a few years ago, 1 aie positively dangerous from the weakness of the walls, owing to the inferiojrity of the bricks, and the want of thickness. The brewery which, is being erected for Messrs. 'fWhitson and Co. will be, however, one of the most substantial "buildings in Auckland, both as ' ' regards the. quality - 'of ' the materials used, and the faithful End workmanlike ' manner in which the tract is being carried but by Messrs. Watson andßlewden. The architect, Mr. P.-Hera-path, has succeeded in designing a brewery which is not likely td be' surpassed for many years to come, either for convenience, accommodation, or durability! Mr. Herapath is carefully superintending the execution of his plans. The fine weather which has been experienced of late has very much favoured the contractors, who are determined to push on the work. The massive beams are now being placed acrcas the lower' storey, aud the second will soon be proceeded with. The building is a 1 most extensive one : the contract for the brickwork alone amounts to £3,000; but the site is already found to be insufficient for Messrs. Whitson's and Co. 's rapidly expanding busines'sl They have, however, applied for a lease bf an allotment adjoining the present brewery site, and belonging to the Grammar School Endowment. The present condition of this allotment affords another instance of the way in which the various valuable endowments are suffered to lie almost unutilised. It is a perfect rubbish heap, the very perfection of disorder, dilapidation, and filthiness ; and the revenue derived from itis ridiculously small, compared to whatitmight yieldunder judicious management. The new insurance building ia also in a forward state. The contractor for the brickwork, Mr: Blewiien, is faithfully executing hia portion of the contract. The walls are thick and substantial, and the materials have been carefully selected. Mr. Dickaon, the principal contractor, has already commenced with the woodwork of the public room at the back, and the strong room at the lefthand side ia nearly complete. We can already form an idea of the improvement which the building will effect in the appearance of this part of Queen-street. ' ■ Further up Queen-street we may notice the old Duke of Edinburgh Theatre, which* has been wonderfully improved. former front has been entirely removed, and' by an alteration in the interior divisions, the theatre has been considerably -lengthened. The adjoining premises of Mr. Knight, the lessee of the theatre, have also come in for a share of the improvement, the sharp angle of the shop front adjoining the old fagade of the theatre having been -taken away, so as to match the new shop-front whichhasbeen built on the opposite side, and which willbe occupied, we understand, by a fancy boot maker. The fagade of the theatre now presents a handsome and striking appearance. The main entrance to the building, is through a spacious doorway, over "which is a handsome coloured fan-light, while on . either side there is a large window tastefully framed, so as. to accord with the, general, character of the fagade. The front is also judiciously relieved by four pilasters painted green. The entrance is up a low flight of stone steps, into a small but conveniently, , designed vestibule, from which a flight of stops on the immediate right hand leads up to the dresg circle and boxes, a .passage on the left to the stalls, and an inner door in front to the pit. This part of the house is an addition to the old building, and it is roomy and well provided with seatings., The passage is not large, but the space pas been utilised to the utmost to prevent over-crowding: with this view the outer • \ door is , on the double-sliding principle. The front of the building will be lighted at night by a handsome lamp, and inside the small lobby there will also be a chandelier. The interior, alterations have contributed much not only towards improving the accommodation, but also to the ventilation of the building. Pro« ceeding up the flight of steps before alluded to, the visitor reaches a small landing, hand- 1 somely lined and polished, and well lighted at night by means of a large chandelier suspended above. Immediately in front is the passage into the dress-circle, while fto the right and left are passages lea ling ts the boxes, which, while designed with due regard to comfort and seclusion, command - the most favourable view of the stage. In fact, every part of the building has undergone complete alteration and improvement, and it is now one of the most elegant and comfortable places of its class in the colony. The provision for lighting will be ample, the old sun-light having been removed near the stage, so as to illumine that portion of the building Avhich is not reached by the large chandelier at the back. Some alteration has been made of the stage so as to widen it ; ;but. this is only of a s temporary character, as it is intended — by excavating the high ground at the back — to*' extend the stage some twenty feet in that direction : the stage will then be over tfrirty feet in depth ,and eight feet wider than at : present. This alteration will not interfere , with the use of the present stage, aa the work will be proceeded with separately, and, when ready, the necessary removal can • > be affected in on* d*y. , l The enterprise of th© lessee, Mr. Knight, • ' is di'serving of praise, and we trust that he -willbe able to make this theatre popular. We believe it is his intention to re-open it - with a first-class company. Whilst noticing the city improvements, it may not be out of place to mention an»ongsfc - the number those now being made in Franklin- and Wellington-streets. Whatever may ■• I have been the shortcomings of the City Board : hitherto as regards this locality, '.they- cer-' ' tainly are makin? amends for them. The '' deep and dangerous channel formed by- the 1 rains has been filled up, and a substantial - > gutter has been made.to carry off the 'water, > which- at times rushes down in a considerable J stream iThe footpaths are also to be im- ' - proved^ and, under the able direction of Mr. - Walker, the foreman, the work is being expeditiously and properly executed.'^ '' We J think that, when the improvements >nowun '• progress- are completed, the inhabitants of this locality at least will have no reason to ■ complain of the City Board. ■ ■■ > > ' ; " )