Secrets of Supreme Court-House

Northern Advocate, 24 January 1939, Page 3

Secrets of Supreme Court-House

Whangarei has been deceived regarding the new Supreme Court building. For the past few weeks, all the average passer-by on Bank Street has seen has been a number of men busily engaged doing—apparently—nothing. Beyond a few heaps of timber and lengths of steel rods, little can be seen from the street of the work which has been under way sifice October.

But the sceptical observer gets a pleasant shock when he leaves Bank Street footpath .and climbs up the grassy bank to the scene of labour.

Public Works’ Secret. He is confronted not only with what appears acres of boxwork and concrete foundations, but a big pit, about 15 feet deep, occupying a third of the, site for the new building. , . This has been the Public Works Department’s little secret. About 1800 cubic yards of spoil has been excavated from the site to make, provision for cellars, housing storerooms, strong-rooms, and air-condi-tioning and heating plant. It has all been taken out in truckloads via Hunt Street, at the rear of the site. Passers-by in Bank Street have remained in ignorance.

Twenty men are engaged on the site preparing the foundations for a building 113 feet long and 102 feet 6 inches wide. The foundations were commenced at the beginning of October, and the major excavation towards the end of the same month.

The concreting of the cellar floors will be commenced in a few days, and it is expected that flooring at the rear of the building will be under way within the next two weeks.

Imposing Structure. A glance at the plans shows that the Court will be the most imposing building north of Auckland. Constructed throughout of reinforced concrete, and faced with Putaruru stone, it is to be of modern classical design—simplicity and solidarity combining to give an impressive effect. The base will be finished in Coromandel granite. An imposing entrance has been planned, wide marble steps flanked by bronze lamps mounted on pillars being the outstanding feature. Whangarei Marble. ' The interior walls of the entrance will be finished in Whangarei marble. A semi-circular driveway rising from the roadway is being laid to the entrance steps. Design, construction and situation on rising ground above the street level will combine to make the building outstanding among the many beautiful buddings Whangarei already •possesses.