LAND AND BUILDINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14849, 28 November 1911, Page 9

LAND AND BUILDINGS.

THE NEW LAW COURTS.

AUCKLAND- TENDER ACCEPTED.

CONTRACT PRICE, £14,820.

Tub tender of Mr. W. • E. Hutchison, of Auckland, has been accepted for the erection of the new law courts, two-storeys high, in stone, excavation work for which has been commenced on a site facing Victoria Quadrant, and situated slightly at the rear of the present Police Court. The contract price is £14,820, and there were six other tenderers.

The building, which .will have an imposing appearance, will have a frontage of 65ft, and a depth of 126 ft. The Criminal Court and the public office will both be on the ground floor, the former measuring 50ft by 29ft, and the latter 26ft by 21ft. The judicial chamber will be -fitted up on approved lines, and adjoining will bo the magistrate's private office. Separate and well-furnished wait-ing-rooms for male and female witnesses and complete lavatory accommodation are also provided for. ' The public entrance will be at the rear of ; the building, and from a broad hallway a staircase will lead to: the Magistrate's Civil - Court, on the upper floor. Besides waiting rooms for witnesses, provision- has also been mado on this floor for the Law. Society's library, solicitors' consulting rooms, and a large room for the uso of justices of the peace when they are called upon to deal with cases. Tho Civil Court room- will measure 50ft by 29ft, and the library room tho same. NEW BRIOK WAREHOUSE. BUILDING ■IX CUSTOMS-STREET. A contract has been let for the erection of a four-storey warehouse in ; brick in Customs-street West, for Mr. J. H. Gunson. The contractor is Mr. W. E. Hutchison, and the price is £8000. The building, which will have a 110 ft frontage, will bo triangular in shape, the two other walls measuring 100 ft and 110 ft respectively, the latter, fronting the harbour. Work will be. started immediately, and should be finished at the end next six months. The facings will be : in cement and pressed • brick, the cornices being jin Oamaru stone. The warehouse will bo well-lighted and served by lifts and shoots. - .-: ».i—»» i in mi ii»i ■ It. ■'' MISCELLANEOUS. ;,. • \ ; SEVERAL new STRUCTURES. Plans are now being prepared- for premises for the Bank of New Zealand in Newton. A site has been acquired, having a 34ft frontage to Karangahape Road) and the new bank will *be built in brick, three-storeys high, _ and fitted up on the most modern" lines throughout. ■■■ L, . -.. -,: . '■:■.'-, - \ ''■.",< ' The ",; Bank of Australasia has decided to erect ; considerable ;', additions to :; their present premises at the corner of Queen and -Wyndham Streets. ' ■ •'■' -■ .', Two "modern shops,, in brick, each two storeys high, j wilt shortly be erected in Symonds-street for v Mr. T. Darby, adjoining the j Caledonian Hotel. Tho new .Queen's Theatre,i";.which; is now practically finished, is considered:to -be one ; of the most up-to-date in " its , fittings in. Australasia. The handsome j panels 'which ' decorate tho wails on tho [ interior, and are fine representations of New I Zealand scenery, were painted by Mr. G. Coulter, ;of Melbourne, 'who ■■has* carried out J similar work in the biggest Melbourne theatres. The j builders were Messrs. W. H. : Edwards and Son (Wellington), and the theatre was built under the personal supervision of Mr. Edwards, senr.. : The sub-contractors were:—Fib-rous-plaster work, Mr. ', Batte (Vincentstreet); painting and decorating, Mr. Walter - Davies ; plumbing, . Mr.. King ; electric.fittings, A. and T. Burt; electric appliances for tho Ememan ' machine, Hya'ms and Co.; furnishing, J. Court, Ltd. ;■ ■ ? ■/,.'.-/•;■/; v-;..-;^;".';■'■. TENDERS INVITED. V. ' -' LAST WEEK'S ,' LIST.' '" . " Tenders' for the .erection of new buildings have been invited :as follows during the past. week : — ': \'/'"%"'■'"'> V;"'-';v ■'■■'■ :By the i Public Works : Department: ' For a r new ; police . : station at H Maungaturotp; for, a tunnel in connection with the: Lake Coleridge water power scheme; for a ; gaol at j Houhora*, North Auckland; for; iron and steel work, Castlepoint lighthouse; for, a : workshop (in brick) at the Auckland office ; ; mental? hospital, Tokanui; if post offices at Ponsonby : and Putaruru. .y'. "■ ■ By the City Council; For coal bunkers and*.water tank for the new electric power station. , " By the Harbour' Board • For repairs to Calliope Dock caisson and. pumps; for additions to Admiralty House... By tho ".Waiapu County Council: For a traffic bridge over the Waiapu River, at Port Awanui. ' ~ : By '', Mr. T. Holder (architect) for four residences at Otahuhr. r : By Wade and Wagv(architects).: For a two-storey house at JBirkdale. By John Walker (architect): For a house at Mount Albert. By J. Park (architect): For a house in O'Rorke-street, Onehunga. -i Napier Borough Council: Electric tramwav buildings. Education Board: For a new school at Pakaraka (Bay of Islands). ; Cook Hospital Board : For a new hospital at Gisborne. \ , -, '' ■■."..,. A' CEMENT GUN. FOR BUILDING HOUSES. ~ . The time •is not far distant (says the Sydney Sun) when buildings will be piled up as though shot from a gun, in .fact, the new invention for building houses is ! known as the cement gun. ;.-, It AisC . : designed on the same principle. as the airbrush,' which has - 'been- adapted* in Sydney for whitewashing. • Mr. • Robert rH. Moulton. the inventor, claims that his machine will do away with the washbrush, the.cement* and plaster trowel, and numerous other things. ."■ /'-"". Vr? ■ The cement gun consists essentially of a hopper into which the dry cement and sand, or other materials, ; are placed, a. hose connected: to the bottom of the hopper through ', which the dry mixture is forced by- air \ pressure, and a nozzle at the other end of the. hose to which another hose supplying : water - is attached for hydrating „ the. cement. The. hydration actuallv takes placo while the materials are all in motion, rand.' leaving the nozzle, the mixture is ''shot" surfaces, or into interspaces of any aggregate. ; As the combination of the elements necessary to - produce a plastic product takes place: in transit; it will be seen what an advantage this is in connection with quicksetting materials. It not, only obviates the' use of a retardant. thereby increasing the qualitv of the \ product, but materially. lessens its cost. 'Another advantage, claimed for the . gun is that ; ; only the amount of water actually necessary for hydration is used, the materials; -beihs-; projected with sufficient force' to expel all: surplus water and air, and the resulting :product- is denser, ■ more homogeneous," and. consequently, more " waterproof % than anything yet attained: by hand or machine 1 processes. The labour involved is also said to be considerably, less, while the saving in» time -is •so great - that' tho total cost of making and applying any plastic mixture ,by means of the gun =is reduced,' to a" minimum. , ; .- - ; ■ "