THE ARCHITECTS OF THE NEW BUILDING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10127, 9 May 1896, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE ARCHITECTS OF THE NEW BUILDING.

When it was determined to erect from the foundation a building adapted not only ' for a printing office, but specially for tho purpose of printing the New Zealand Hekald and Auckland Weekly News, it was a matter of importance to select for drawing tho plans a professional man who had tho requisite experience, and who knew tho special requirements and needs of the building. It was at length decided to ontrust with the drawing of the plans Mr, George Allen Mansfield, of Sydnoy. Mr. Mansfield is a nativo of Sydnoy, Now South Wales, and served his articles with tho late Mr. J. F. Hilly, a well-known architect of that city. Ho is a Follow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, and was the first Australian-born architect elected to that honour. Ho was elected tho fust president of the Institute of Architects of New South Wales, 1871, and held that office for fire years. Mr. Mansfield is at present an official representative of the Government of Now South Wales on tho Board of Water Supply and Sowerago of the City of Sydnoy. Ho has been entrusted with tho orcction of a number of the most important buildings in Sydney during his professional career. He was tho architect for the Princo Alfred Hospital, Sydney— the niomorial hospital in connection with tho attempt on tho life of tho Duke of Edinburgh—tho cost of which building was over £400,000. Ho was also tho architect of tho Australia Hotel, Sydney, which cost £150,000. From the year 1867 to 1880 he held tho appointment of architect to the Council of Education, and was charged with the erection and maintenance of the whole of tho public school buildings throughout New South Wales. Ho is also architect for numerous banks, and for a great many of the principal buildings in Sydney, one of the latest being the new City Bank (hoad offices) in Pitt-street, Sydnoy, which has cost about £40,000. Mr. Arthur P. Wilson, of Nos. 212 and 213, Victoria Arcade, Auckland, tho superintending architect, was born in London, and educated at the Godolphin School, Hammersmith. He was a pupil and afterwards an assistant of Mr. William Oakley, F.R.1.8.A., of No. 29, Charlesstreet, St, James' Square, London, for a period of ten years, during which time Air, Oakley was carrying on various large and important works in many parts of England. At tho same time Mr. Wilson studied architecture at the London University under tho leading professors of the day. On leaving Mr. Oakley he practised for two years on his own account at No. 3, Duko-streot, Adelphi; bub always having had a wish to visit the colonies he came to Now Zealand, and after spending some time in the principal cities of the North and South Islands decided to make his homo in Auckland, and practice his profession. Mr. Wilson has been in business in Auckland for about elevon years.

THE HERALD BUILDINGS. I The Herald buildings occupy a splendid | site, both from a business and a spectacular j point of view, having: two fine frontages— one to Quoen-stroebof 40 feet, and the other to Wyndhara-street of 54 feet for the now portion and 50 feet for the original promises, making a total of 101 feet frontage to Wyndham-street. The total amount of ground occupied by the new block alone represents an are-, of no less than 5385 superficial foot, which, addod to too ground upon which the original portion of Uio brick structure stands, gives a total area of 13,485 feet occupied by buildings in use by the firm. The plan of the new building comprises ft scheme for the continued extension of the premises as the ovor-growing demands of business make additional accommodation necessary, until at length the whole of the area mentioned will be covered by one vast structure on the ! lines of that which has just been opened. This latter, as it now stands, is beyond question the loftiest and most imposing building in the city; its height from the foundations to the roof of the highest of thfa five sioroys being; over 114 feet, and the floor space provided reaching the striking figures of about 20,350 feet. To render such a massive pile absolutely safe and secure beyond all question, foundations as solid as the eternal rock were of course the first necessity; aubV&s the rosulb of considerable time and the exercise of the groabesb care, bho initial undertaking was most successfully accomplished. Tho task was, however, by no means an insignificant one,'for it was found necessary to sink many foot below, the old and somewhat)

light foundations which had been originally put in to carry the comparatively thin walls of the former building. To supporb the massive structure which was to be raised it was found necessary to go in some places to great depths in order to arrive at a good bottom—a bottom sufficiently solid and secure to carry the enormous weight to be placed upon it. This was more particularly the case at tho northeast comer, along tho front in Queen-street, and at the back of the Bank of New South Wales, the excavations in some of these places reaching a depth of 16 or 17 feet before solid ground was reached. The necessity of such deop sinking is explained by the fact that a portion of the site is over the canal which, in days gone by, formed a part of the drainage scheme of the city. Before the hard blue volcanic rock was reached_a_greab deal of shoring and pumping was necessary, and much care was required in order to protect the adjoining properties. Owing to the character of the ground, Mr. A. P. Wilson, tho superintending architect, decided to place the whole of the walls upon a solid block of concrete, 3 feet deep and 5 feet wide. This gave the new structure an absolutely firm and immovable foundation framework of cement concrete of the best kind.

The baaos of tho building having been laid, tho superstructure was proceeded with without delay, and in tide connection the erection of the ten piles of massive iron columns which support the roof and the internal floors proved by no means an insignificant undertaking. Each of these columns roach from the ground floor to the coiling of the top storoy — a height of 75 feet— gives a total aggregate length of 750 feet of iron columns for the wholo building. The building throughout has been constructed of hard-pressed bricks of ; ; ie finest and most enduring quality, and by the time the highest pediment of tho edifice was reached something like the surprising number of 1,000,000 bricks had passed through the hands of tho bricklayers engaged upon the work. Special care was also taken with tho mortar used, the ingredients for which were ground and incorporated in a mill erected for the purpose in the centra of the site. The timbor used for the interior of tho building was the very best selected heart of kauri, including the joinery, with the exception of the sashes, for which California!! redwood, a timber specially suited for such work, was utilised. Both as regards tho plans themselves and the giving effect to thom, the greatest care had to be exercised in securing a sufficiency of light and air, so essential in a building designed for a large printing business and the extensive ramifications connected therewith. The result achieved has been most gratifying to all concerned, and the light and ventilation throughout are allthab can bo doairod.

Between the new building and the premises owned by the Bank of New South Wales a large area has beon provided which servos for the purposo of lighting the major portion of tho working departments on 'otio side. The building is ventilated throughout with Tobin's vontilat-ing-tubes, and at the back of the lift i 9 provided ft large air-shaft. This gives perfect ventilation throughout the proraises, Lavatories, otc, are provided on each floor, approached from the main staircase. They are practically detachod from the building, being built in the lighting area, and are constructed on Jie most modern principle, andaroventilatcd throughout. There are five hydrants (2J inches) on each floor, with canvas hoso in onclosod racks, ready in ease of emergency through an outbreak of fire.

The design of the main front is a modification of the Renaissance style, which has boon so widely adopted during the reign of the present Queen that it has become popularly known as Victorian. The public offices in Queen-street are approached through a strikingly handsome hall and massive doorway, surmounted by heavy cornices and ornamented pediments; while the fronts of tho first and second floors take the form of four engaged Corinthian columns, in the contra of which are two largo windows, and on either side aro two projecting bays, extending from the first floor to the second. Each column has a heavy cornice and entablature with ornamental medallions. On the fourth floor two fine Venetian windows are placed over the bays, with a bull's-eye between them, and these are again topped with embellished pediments and cornices. Tho top or fifth floor has a front somewhat similar to tho others, but altered in detail for tho sake of securing a more varied and artistic effect. Over all the uppermost windows aro placed some raoro pediments, tho centre ono being taken up to a height of 100 feet above tho pavement level in Queen-street. The front Mansard roof is now roached. It is covered with slates and topped with an ornamontal lead curbing and cornice, which aro in turn surmounted by a handsomely worked iron cresting. Fixed to the pediment is a spruce flag-polo, 32 feet long, and tho distance from the gold ball which tops the flag-polo to the lowest foundation is no less than 128 feet. The frontage as a whole presents a massive, striking, and pleasingly varied appearance, which cannot fail to arrest the attention of tho passer-by. Tho Wyndham-sbrcct front is similar in design, though not so profusely ornamented as that facing Queon-street. Facing Wynd-ham-street is a very largo area of glass, and this is very necessary inasmuch as from this and the north side nearly the wholo of the printing and business departments are lighted.

Coming to the interior arrangements, it may be stated at the outset that the whole of the front block was excavated so as to provide roomy cellar space to the height of 7 feet. Too ground-floor is entered by a lofty and spacious corridor 18 feet high and 9 foet6 inchoswido. Going through an ornamented archway and turning to the right a largo staircase hall is reached. The floor of this hall as well as that of the main entrance is formed on concrete and iron joists, and the whole is laid with coloured Minton tiles, arranged in an exceedingly artistic pattern. Pawing through tho staircase hall we come to the public offices, accountant's department, and office of the manager of the printing works. The public offices are spacious and lofty, and resemble those of a banking institution in their arrangement. The fittings are of Australian cedar, and elegant in design, with iron columns and panelled coiling. Part of this department being below the road level of Wyndharastraot areas are formed the entire length, and covered with Haywood's prismatic lights. On this floor leading from the accountant's department is a large strong room 17 by 12 feeb. Access from the public offices is also obtained to the machine and publishing departments. The staircase, 5 feet wide, and having carved newels and a heavily-moulded hand-rail, is carried up to tho fourth floor, and gives access to the different offices above. Ascending tho staircase, on the first floor bho Queen-stroet front is devoted to offices, the back portion being us»d for the storage of paper of all kinds. On. the second floor the Queen-street front is treated in a similar manner to the one below, while the back portion isdovotod jobbing department of the printing works. Tho third floor fronting Queen-street is subdivided into private rooms for the use of the proprietors. These form a most comfortable suite of rooms, and include two largo libraries—one for works of reference, and the other fitted with racks for bound newspaper file3of the Auckland daily and weekly journals from their establishment. On the same floor, in the back portion of the building, are the rooms dovoted to the use of the editorial, sub. • editorial, and reporting staffs (fitted up with all the necessary equipment for daily files, obo., for references), current files' room, and photographic artists' studio. All the back portion of the building is approached by a separate staircase on Wyndhain-street as well as from the principal staircase in Queenstreet. The composing rooms for the. New Zealand Herald and Auckland Weekly News newspapers cover the whole of the area of the top floor of the now buildings, both back and front, and are amongst the finest and most spacious in the Southern Hemisphere. They are lighted all round by largo windows; and, in addition, have Vertical " factory lights" in the roof, which ave made to open, giving a perfect current of air during the most oppressive weather. In all the other departments the same principle is observed, each individual employed on the various floors having more breathing e»BC9 than in any qte offiWi

Oue of the most modem and unique' features in connection with the new building is the passenger lift, which is constructed upon the most improved prin- j ciples. It was manufactured by Messrs. Waygood and Co., of Sydney, and is worked on the low-pressure principle. The motive power is secured by means of two cisterns, situated one under tho lift and the other on top of the roof. As the lift rises the water descends, discharging itself from the cylinder into the lower tank, from which it is pumped into the cistern on the roof by the agency of a compound sob of duplex steam-pumps. These pumps are self-acting, the motion being supplied by a float connected with a jockey valve on the engine, which opens up or shuts off steam as the floats on the lower ' "cistern rises or falls. The passenger cage, which was made in Auckland, is a very handsome piece of artistic workmanship. It is mado of kauri, with ornamental panels filled in with stained glass and bevelled plate mirrors. The electric light is laid on ready for use when required. The underside of the cage is supplied with Waygood's patent safety gear, and tho wholo is hold in suspension by four independent steel ropes. All chance of an accident has thus been reduced to a minimum; in fact, any serious mishap has been practically romoved from the region ot possibility. The cage runs between two steel guides, giving a perfectly easy motion either in ascending or descending. Inside the public offices are fixed two small letter or " copy" lifts, which run the whole height of the building, and connect with each floor. They are workod by cords and pulley, and geared bo as to run smoothly and quickly. In the rear of the new building a general goods lift, capable of raising a ton and a-half, has been constructed. This lift travels from the basement to the top floor. The motive power is provided by pulleys and belts connected with the large steam-engine which drives the printing machinery of tho establishment.

THE ELECTRIC LIGHTING. Not the least interesting feature of the buildings is the installation of electric light, which extends throughout the whole of the premises. The many proofs offered in recent years of the suitability of the electric light lor a printing office, whore a largo number of lights are required, and where a number of men are employed working close together, induced the proprietors when deciding upon the construction of the building to adopt chat method. For this purpose a complete generating plant was purchased in London. This plant consists of a 400-light dynamo made by the Brash Company, coupled direct to a high-speed compound engine of 30-horse power, the governor of which is fitted with automatic expansion gear, so that the amount of steam admitted to the cylinders is proportional to the number of lamps being used. The dynamo is compound-wound, or selfregulating, the electro-motive force or pressure being kept constant whether one or all tho lamps are turned on.

After leaving the dynamo the electricity is taken to the main switch-board, from which it is distributed to the various circuits.

Four hundred incandescent lamps of sixteen-candlo power each are used in lighting tho building. In addition to these there are two arc lamps of 2000-candle power each, to illuminate the exterior, one of these being placed over the main entrance in Queen-street, the other in Wyndhamstreet.

Two arc lamps of 3000-candlo power aro also used for the photo-process work. The light from these is so intense that a photograph can be taken in less time than by daylight.

Special fittings are arranged to suib the classof lighting required. In the composingroom, for instance, the lights are made to slide up and down, so that each compositor can adjust the height of tho light to suit his own convenience.

The public office in Queen-street is lighted by a large and handsome electrolier of ten lights, a large uumber of additional lights being fitted to tho desks on brass standards) and all around the walls.

The convenience%nd adaptability of the electric light havo been demonstrated in several cases, notably in tho large printing machines, light being fitted inside the machines where a gas jet or other form of illumination could not bo used. The effect of this light placed in such a position ia to materially facilitate the working of khe maeliinos and the proper examination of them at all times.

It was not until September, 1894, when the outer shell of the building was nearly completed, that the work of fitting the electric wires was commenced, the "light being firsc turned on on Christmas Eve of the same year. Five ' miles of wires and cables wore usod. These are of copper, and are 'insulated with vulcanised indiarubbor. They are all laid in wood casings, which act as a mechanical protection for the cables, and being neatly finished, in no way militate against the generally fine appearance of the interior of Che building. The plant was supplied by the General Electric Co. of London, the installation being carried out by Mr. Ernest J. Foun, Associate of the Institute of Electrical Engineers, Fort-stroot, Auckland. There has just boon provided a spare plant in case of a mishap to the present one, and as it is advisable that the light should be independent! of the boilers, the now plant is driven by a new and powerful gasengine, which hi*s just been fitted up by Messrs. John Chambers and Son. It consists of a 200-lighb Electric Construction Co.'a dynamo and a nominal horse-power Tangye gas-engine. A 12-horse engine of tiho same make has also been provided to drive the printing machinery, whilst a onehorse power gas-engine is provided for the stereo-room. All these engines aro reserve power in case of a breakdown, and are not used except in cases of emergency. This duplicate power really means that if the steam-engines and boilers all broke down, the whole of bhe machinery and electric light could be started again at a moment's notice by the aid of three gas-engines.

THE LIBRARY. One important adjuncb to a newspaper office is the library, in which the literary staff shall always have at hand the necessary works of reference. Tho columns of the Auckland Weekly News especially bear evidence that from all parts of the country come enquiries into all sorts of subjects. When two men differ in recollection of a date, or regarding any facb in history, a note is sonb to the editor of the Auckland Weekly News. He is also referred to to decide on any question of astronomy, botany, geology, or »ny other science. Taking up a late issue of the Auckland Weekly News, wo find the following querios :-No. 1 asks a decision on a point in the game of cribbage. No. 2 has a series of queues, one of which is how a cask dropped into the seaab a certain part of the coasb would drift. No. 3 also asks a number of questions, amongst them how a will drawn in a certain way will operate. No. 4, a foreigner, wants to know how he can change his name into something like an English form. Besides direcb questions put by correspondents on every sabjeot under the sun, and on subjects existing only in their own imaginations, scarcely an hour passes in the compilation of a newspaper in which reference is nob made to some map or plan or dictionary or handbook, or other work of reference. More especially is a collection of books of reference necessary in these days of cable messages. It frequently happens that at two o'clock in the morning we receive from the telegraph office the curb announcement of the death of some man, ' more or less famous, and the leading facts in his life at all events must be stated. Or some event has happened in some part of Europe, or Asia, or America, and it must be shown where the place is and all about it. Ib is therefore absolutely necessary that the host and latest works of reference should bo at hand. For this purpose ib was determined that in the construction of the new Herald offices there should be a room for a library. Furthermore, it is necessary that, in regard to the library of a newspaper office, there should, be a rule never to be broken, namely, thab : although any person is at liberty to refer to any of the books, none must be removed. There is no safety without this, rule. Volumes of Acts of Parliament, Parliamentary papyri i and Gazettes are borrowed, and

the borrower simply puts them on his bookshelf. He forgets "to return them to the editor who has complacently lent them. The Herald library contains files of all fcho Auckland newspapers from the beginning, the Ordinances and Acts of the General Assembly from the foundation of the colony, the Government Gazettes, and the Provincial records. The early colonial records are rare, and soma of them are exceedingly valuable. The library is furnished with the latest editions of the usual books of reference, encyclopaedias, etc., as well as books about the colony.

THE TELEPHONETTES. The different departments of the business —that is to say, the counting-house, the editorial offices, and tho jobbing-rooms— connected with the telephone system of the city and district. Besides this ten of the principal departments are connected by a telegraphic system confined to tho building, Tho system is the latest patent applied to this purpose. Tho building is extensive, and much time .would be lost were ib necessary to go from floor to floor with every communication. The " Telephonette System," as it is called, connects the counting-house, proprietors' rooms, editorial offices, packing-room, printing order office, news composing-rooms, and other departments.

SOUND-PROOF TELEPHONE-ROOM. Among the improvements which may be noted in the building is the enclosing of the telephone in the editorial department in a sound-proof room. It was in the first instance found difficult to do business at this telephone, as trollies with formes of type were somotimes rolled along the floor overhead. News communications were sometimes misunderstood. The sound-proof apartment or cupboard has double walls and ft double roof, and between these is 6rmly packed several inches of Firth's patent pumice. This substance has proved to be a good non-conductor of sound, and it is free from the objections attaching to sawdust or other materials which are sometimes used. for this purpose. j DESPATCH LIFT.

An important accessory to the despatch of business is a box communication, by which advertisements, letters, and all communications can be despatched from the ground floor in Queen-street to the compos-ing-room on the top flat, or to any of the floors intervening. When "copy" is put in the box for the composing-room a string is pulled, and the box glides to its destination, and at the same time the pressure of a button rings a bell in the place for which the copy or message is meant. In the same way proofs or messagos can be sent from the composing-room to the literary floor.