A SUGGESTION FOR AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13304, 10 October 1906, Page 9

A SUGGESTION FOR AUCKLAND.

\ The above illustration shows the new City Hall for Belfast (Ireland) which was opened by tho Lord Lieutenant and the Countess of Aberdeen, on August 1. This magnificent building was erected at a total cost of £300,000, which sum includes the furnishings. Competitive designs were procured and three architects were nominated by the Royal, Institute of British Architects for the. guidance of the Belfast Corporation. Mr. A. Brumwell, of London, was the successful competitor. The building was eight years in the course of construction, the foundation-stone having been laid in October, 1898. The following are the principal dimensions:—The main .facade is 300 ft long. Above the parapet, at the four corners of the, edifice, four angle towers rise .to a height of 115 ft, whilst the great peristylu-

At the news of some terrible shipwreck in which hundreds are drowned like the recent wreck of the Sirio—the whole world stands aghast, lamenting the

lar dome over the grand entrance reaches a total height of 175i't. The entrance hall is 70ft long by 40ft broad, and over 100 ft in height, terminating in a dome 42ft in diameter. .The walls of the ground floor are of Pavonazzo and Brescia marbles, and the grand staircase is in Carrara, Pavonazzo, and Brescia marbles. The reception-room is 70ft by 26ft wide, whilst off this; room is the banqueting-hall, 68ft by 38ft wide. The Council chamber, which also communicates with the reception-room, ,is 68ft by 38ft. , 'The v suite of principal rooms, including the Council chamber, the banqueting-hall, and the reception-room, terminates in.the great hall — magnificent hall 120 ft long by 57ft wide, and covered with a vaulted ceiling vising to about 40ft above the floor. The entablature, which is 23ft above the floor, is supported by a range of coupled

loss of so many human lives in a single accident. In fact, such catastrophes as attract public attention are happily rare. Others less striking happen, however,"

Corinthian columns. , The room is lighted with seven stained glass windows. The hall will accommodate an audience of 1000 persons, and includes a gallery, at one end which will accommodate 250, with a stage for concert performances at the other end. Immediately behind the stage are arranged the retiring rooms for performers with a separate entrance from the street, _ and there is a large refreshment-room adjoining the hall, with servery, kitchen, etc. The cloak-room accommodation in connection with the hall. is arranged on the ground floor, leading out of the entrance, hall, which is 40ft square, divided into bays with columns supporting arches terminating, in flat saucer domes. The whole of this entrance hall is treated very simply, but the staircase leading to the first floor is executed in more elaborate form in modelled plaster-work. The hall is amply

from day to day. The above cut, from LTllustration, suggests in a pictorial way what a navy the sea devours in a year. Statistics of maritime losses and accidents published by the Bureau Veritas (the

provided with exits, and in the event of a panic could bo cleared in a short time. The electroliers, gracefully suspended from the lofty roof, are of chaste appearance, and the quaint lanterns -. -which form part of their design are decidedly effective. There is no lack of accommodation _ for the various committees of the Corporation, and all the apartments reserved for this purpose are of an eminently suitable character. The two principal committee-rooms lead out of the entrance, and these are to be reserved for the Law Committee andthe Improvement Committee. Each of these rooms is 40ft long by 30ft wide and 16ft high, and they are both panelled and furnished, en suite in -wainscot oak, with columned and pedimented chininey-pieces. Our illustration is from the Belfast News Letter, kindly lent by a subscriber to the 'Zealand .herald.

French Lloyds) show that in 1905, 389 steamships and 649 sailing vessels, a total of 1038, were lost. So each day "blind ocean" swallows on an average three ships, a barge, a schooner, and a steamer.