STATE BUILDING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22972, 25 February 1938, Page 13

STATE BUILDING

JEAN BATTEN PLACE VICTORIA ARCADE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS BEING TAKEN USE OF STEEL WALL Precautions to ensure the safety of the Victoria Arcade, during the excavation for and construction of the new Government building on the site of the old Shortland Street Post Office, were outlined yesterday by Mr. James Fletcher, managing director of the Fletcher Construction Company, Limited, contractors for the new building. "The City Council building, the Victoria Arcade, has been erected on a rubble foundation," Mr. Fletcher said. "This foundation will be approximately 10ft. above the level of the new floating raft for the Government building. "The contractors are preparing to drive a steel wall to stay tlie arcade foundations in position, and as the old foundations will be well secured by cross-bracing, tho chance of collapse is very remote," he continued. "Good progress is being made with tho foundation contract for the Government building. "Excavation is now being carried on to a depth of approximately 18ft. below the footpath level, and over half the portion of the site has now been laid with the concrete sealing slab prior to the erection of tho necessary wood frame-work for the supporting of the street frontages. Tho steel sheet piling, which is being imported from England, is due on March 14, when a start will be made with driving it to a depth of loft, below the present level." Mr. Fletcher said that tho floating foundation, which was being designed by the Government architect, was an entirely new type of foundation in Auckland. It would no doubt create interest in tho building trade. The steel for the frame of the building was being imported from England, and the first shipments were expected to arrive early in March. "No contracts have been let for any part of the superstructure," he added. "Tenders are laeing called within the next few days for the granite, which will be used in the lower portion of the structure."