CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 785, 18 March 1887, Page 26

CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

THE GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL.

Building operations throughout the city are being carried on very extensively in all directions at present. In Thorndon the work at the new Government Printing Office is now in full swing. The foundations are laid, and all the bricks necessary for carrying ou the work are on the ground. In Hillstreet, Tinakori-road, and Thorndon-quay several large private residences are either just finished or in course of construction. One of the most important public buildings at present going up, and one which, when completed, will be an ornament to the neighborhood as well as to the city, is the new Girls’ High School, which is in course of erection on the site of the old Hospital, Pipitea-street. The contractors have been at work on the building about two months, and during that time very good progress has been made. The shell has, in fact, been put up, and the work of putting on the weather-boards and lining the partitions i 3 now being gone on with. Entering the hall door, which faces Moturoastreet, the visitor stands in a vestibule 20ffc x6ft, which will have a concrete floor. This opens into a spacious main hall 20ft x 2Sft, the end of which is a cross corridor running 30ft right and left (60ft in all) 10ft wide. Leading off this corridor on the right-hand-side there is a reception room 17ft by 12ft, and a French class-room 21ft x 17ft 6in ; and on the left the lady principal’s room, 17ft 6in x 15ft 6in, and teachers’ room 18ft x 17ft 6in. All the rooms are 16ft in height. In the centre of the building, with the door leading into it facing the hall door, is the large school or lecture room, which is to be 50ft x 30ft and 21ft in height. This room, which is the height of the centre of the building, is to have an ornamental circular ceiling. On either side of the large schoolroom there is a corridor, 50ft x 10ft, and leading off these corridors at both sides are two class rooms (four in all) each 25ft x 18ft. These class rooms are also 16ft in height. At the rear of the building a lean-to will be erected, consisting of three music rooms, 12ft x 12ft and 10ft high, and two lavatories 12ft x Bft, also I Oft high. In finishing the music rooms special attention will be paid to the acoustic properties. The corridor from which the lavatories and music rooms open runs across the whole width of the building, and will he 100 ft long and 10ft wide. This comprises the whole of the ground floor of the building. Upstairs, the building has been raised to two stories only on the left-hand side and the front. The staircase which leads from the main hall will be sft in width, and the landing at the top 16ft x 20ft. Leading from the landing are two corridors running across the building, to the right 12ft, and left I6ft. On the right-hand side there are two class-rooms (as on the ground floor), one 28ft 6in x 2lft 6in, and the other 17ft 6in x 12ft, and on the left-hand side also-there aretwo class-rooms, one of 17ft Gin x 15ft 6in, and the other 28ft x 18ft. At this side of the building, too, there is a corridor running the length of the building (the same as downstairs), 36ft x 10ft. Opening off this corridor are two class-rooms, both of which are 25ft x 15ft, and at the end of it is a stationery-room 12ft x 10ft. All the rooms upstairs are 14fb in height. The tower has not yet been commenced above the building, but when finished the height from the ground to the vane will be 88ft. 'i he contract time for finishing the building expireson the Ist of August, and if the work is carried on as rapidly as at present it should, be finished before that time. Mr Scoular (of Messrs Scoular and Archibald, contractors for the building), who is personally superintending the work, anticipates that it will be finished well within contract time.