CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LIV, Issue 75, 25 September 1897, Page 2

CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

MESSES. BANNATYNE & CO.'S "WAREHOUSE. Upon that central business site at the corner of Customhouse-quay and Greystreet whioh had remained vacant since the old Queen's Bond was removed, has now been reared a huge warehouse and bond for Messrs. W. M. Bannatyne & Co. The building is ot brick, faced with stucco, and is four stories in height. The lines of the pile are simple and yet dignified, and the numerous windows give to each of the flats a flood of light. The erection of the building has filled an ugly gap in our business and commercial centre, and will materially improve the main gate of the city. The architect, Mr. W. C. Chatfield has designed a building that will amply meet the ends which the proprietors had in view. On entering the building from the main doorway at the corner of the intersecting streets, the office of the Royal Insurance Company {for which Messrs. Bannatyne and Co. are agents) is seen on the left. Next it is the office of that" company's Travelling Inspector, and adjoining that is the private office of Mr. W. Nathan, one of the members of the firm. All these rooms are connected by handy telephonettes with the other parts of the warehouse, and the furnishings of the rooms are both handsome and comfortable. Close by is an office for the use of a woman typist, aud connected with it is a lavatory. Another lavatory for the use of the clerks is also provided. On the left of the entrance is the private office of Mr. Beauchamp, the senior member of the firm, fitted up as handsomely as are the other offices. The accountant's office is next in position, and through a pair of glass doors the visitor proceeds to the clerks' public office. An ample strong room, a telephone room, and a sample room open' off this office. Through another glass door the warehouse is reached. At one corner is placed the despatch clerk's office, so glassed that the occupant has his eye upon all that enters or leaves the warehouse. A hydraulic lift, admirably constructed by Messrs. E. Seager & Co., extends from the basement to the top floor, and works most successfully. A paved cart-way allows the drays to enter the building, discharge their loads, and pass out without turning. The main part of the ground floor is used for receiving and loading goods. In one corner of it lavatories are* provided for the store employes. In these days of close competition every extra inch of floor space is valuable, and Messrs. Bannatyne and Co. have almost doubled the floor space of their warehouse by a system of hanging Irays, which, in addition to this advantage, are specially useful for storing small goods and goods that must be kept 1 rat-proof. On the first floor is situated the i packing-room, where the open stock of j goods for small orders is stored, and off this is the tobacco and cigar store, which contains dut} r -paid tobacco, as well as wines | and spirits in bottle and bulk. The first j floor is used for duty - paid goods, and a large portion is taken up with the lower floor of the bond, in which is kept bulk tobacco and bulk wines and spirits. For the convenience of the Customs officer 1 a separate staircase and sin office has been ; built. The second story is a receptacle for bulk goods, and is also the upper floor of the bond, which is reached by a separate stair- 1 case. The top floor (which shows most I

clearly how large is the extent of the floor space) is used for the reception of miscellaneous goods. The walls throughout are painted with damp-proof paint, and a system of steel girders running fronl roof to basement ensure great stability with the minimum of weight. Throughout the building is lighted with electric light. In addition to this warehouse the Messrs. Bannatyne & Co. own a large kerosene store in Oriental Bay, and in Evans Bay they have an explosives magazine and a wharf. The firm is the only importer of explosives in Wellington, and has the agency for Nobel, the celebrated inventor and manufacturer of explosives. MESSES. AITKEN, WILSON & CO.'S WAREHOUSE. This firm's monument to 15 years' success in mercantile fields has just been built on an |_-shaped section]having frontages to Custom-house-quay and Brandon-street. Messrs. T. Turnbull & Sons were responsible for the design of the building, which is composed of brick and plaster, and embraces three floors. The counting-house is on the eeaward side, on the ground floor, and combines a large office for the clericalstaff, rooms for the principal of the firm, strong room, &c. The remaining portion of the building comprises the wholesale warehouse. The ground floor, immediately behind the counting-house, has two cartways leading to it— one from Custom-house-quay and the other from Brandonstreet, both terminating at a hydraulic lift constructed by Messrs. Cable & Co., and serving admirabjy its purpose in rapidly handling bulky goods. The ground' floor itself is paved with concrete, and is used exclusively for storing heavy goods; while the two floors above it, both running the full depth and width of the section, accommodate a lighter class of goods, the middle ■flat principally tea. They are all strongly built and well lighted. The Brandon-street portion of the L is so constructed that it may be converted into a bond store if required. The middle floor is now utilised as a packingroom, where .orders are parcelled up ready for despatching to clients, and those above and below it are simply storerooms. Mr. J. Trevor was the contractor for the building, which has the electric light throughout among other convenience?, this having been fitted up by Messrs. Cederholm & Tolley.