THE EXCHANGE BUILDINGS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 867, 12 October 1888, Page 2

THE EXCHANGE BUILDINGS.

The building on Lambton-quay known.,' for so long as The Athenoeuni lias undergone a great change." When purchased a few months ago by Mr T. Kennedy Macdonald it had a shabby weatherstained appearance, and looked as if it. had seen better days. Now it looks as trim and neatpas funew building, and for the futureois known as, 4 . lTlie-Exp--change For manybStfieks past .ija small arilpj] of.' w ork me n - have been edycj! iiyf '.' some • cases day and night, to malce a complete 1 change--in.the interio’rio. In jthe .first'.place?the7 basement -;.was.' : ;fhtu-dughly--overhauled;;' dtep drains: were out and' lined' with, culverts, and a firm foundation was secured, complete with every arrangement ui'eeqs-/-sary for thorough sanitary safetyf'-bThej . .main entrance, from Lambton-quay, his; . been improved, and is now 37ft.'6m long by lift wide and T6ft high. It is lighted by a couple of Wenliain gas lights. A" , new staircase, with, wide, easy steps,',.is 'situated at , the dxtrdifie right : of • the vestibule, leading to the second floor. The old concert hall h-as-.undergono a complete.chdnge. It is now-oflft Gin in length, 37ft wide, and 151 ft high. . A gallery 4y£t in length and lift wide has been erected . on each side of the hall, and at the end of the-gallery, on the riglit-liand side near . the-'stage, an elegant private box is built, 7ft Gin long by sft wide, fitted with a eosy ; rsettae,,.carpet, chairs! and a couple of gas jets, stained glass Hoof, etc... The box isapproached either from; the gallery or' : . from'.'the' main staircase. The body of; the; dvhaU; "' .is.; '-fitted with . movable : benches and 240; cane-bottomed chairs, i Tlie decorations are' bright and cheerful.■.The walls are" painted'a delicate primrose, with the ; panels picked out, in electric; ' "brue"aird"irght salmon. The ornamental ironwork of the galleries is dead white, , .flicked „pubv- with gold andv by 1 rc'ririisoil" bfu'ze, giving a rich ,Sv‘arm toiie to the general appearance. The stage has , -Gin-1 ong-by-d.3f t-wide,;- Iput nrijangeni-euts '--have been -made v for- OxlTending-tHe'-stage some/distanco; outwaydsinto fclve"~bcrcly~<jf" the-hall by means~6f trbssels l wheh' / mtnH~ rqqm, is ,required. ..On eitlieriside of t s lie: i /stage are - well ."fittedudressingrooins, the gentlemen’s being 10ft Gin by Bft, _and the . [ladies’,' 10ft Bin by sft Gin, containing every r 1- Convenience; ’ Mr E,' Briggs, the artist, lias been engaged for several weeks f\ paingrng £tjp3* requisite see fiery.: : HfThe; „ H eb-’—emprises-—-l-rarden,-drawingroom’, ~ and kitchen scenes. The drop curtain is a work of art, which does Mr Briggs great.credit.. It a capital vie.wof Wellington; city and : harbour, taken from '“‘The’Rocks,’’Oriental Bay. Both wharves are; shown : with afc cofiplc of Direct'- ste-uhdrs 4 " : lying 1 alongside. There are two entrances to the concert g;poin, one from the main vestibule, lead"ifi’g from Lambton-quay, and another from Plinnners-lane. In each case the doors are wide, opening outward, giving . every facility?; for speedy egress-,-,.-, The. ventilation qf,,the hall has been ina.de a special feature, and in the hottest weather, l with a crowded audience, the! hall .cans be made comfortably cool, ; For r the con- < pf> lessees of ’ the "concert hall, wheihreq hired for banquets, suppers, &c., a room lias been provided off one of the galleries, fitted with a large gas. cooking

stove and other necessaries. The offices used by Messrs T. Kennedy Macdonald and: Go. are on the ground floor, .to. the left‘of the main entrance;. They I ‘are fitted with every convenience for the despatch of business. The clerks’ department is on the left, and Air Macdonald’s private i office is on the right. Overhead is a gallery connecting with the .draughtsman’s oflipe, plan room, and book- ; tkeepef’s’-' office. | There are two large strong rooms ; a Waiting room, carpeted and :fitted ; with-' tables, chairs, &c. There are on from the 1 private office to all parts of the building, and by a con- . pvefiient arrangement the ordinary office Ctblepljone can be “switched” on to a separate instrument in the private office. customer can either converse with, tlie clerks in the general’ office or 'gain' the. private ear of Mr Maedoiialdffiimselfefi'' On the second| floor are three large devoted to the Athemeum purposes, 'yi&giSthe library, ; general,.‘reading, room and ladies’, room; ~, Qii itlie sanie;g-.fiqqn ‘gener'al-v'a'n'd' furiijture auetiofi [ room, which is situate directly ‘over the concert room, i This is 63ft long 27ft Sin wide, and lift high. This room —is-approached-by~the~main ”staircase~f rmtr j the front vestibule, and by two separate ,-dtfJrsA from ''Pliinmef’F-lakie;, "(There !-lE~ v also-cV~itft provicledfor conveying heavy loads from the basement to the auction room. Oh the third fl jor are eight rooms, which can bo liffi £qr fJ varipps pyj.-p L qs^ J - The 'whole of th6‘Stai'rs :uid landings are fitted, .with -large Wc n h any mistla in jet. ,. Thi ! o‘ugln mt ' i tlie r ! b'mldifig l ’-[fiMptei' pl'ii- ’ cautions have been secured against fire. A full supply of hose is laid on in convenient situations. The ventilation of .the entire building is about as perfect as possible. The alterations have beigi r d<me byi day; the sUperFuieii-'-i deuce of Mr Lawes. The plumbing work and gas fittings have been ! Mr Watts, and the painting and decora--1 ting waseiitygsfiOd. tp,. Mr jiyr<jn(J: Manners-street.'' ...The. opening o.f.tha.cpjiicort '‘{VlaceOm Tuesday 1 when ft err mudwig JVlosoh’s first grand orchestral ffioifcPirb was held. The first auction' s-le .in the. now building will he Messrs T.. Kennedy -Macdonald and Go. on Friday (to-day.) All land sales j ala a sloil W , 3 "RE IAT 3'

will be held in the Exchange (or concert) Hall, ydiffiv furniture and general auctions; will be'-l»m'd,on the second floor. Althoughi the bfiildriygpy almost coinpleVed as far as; the iucerior.'ai-fdngeinents; are concerned, we Mr :R. Miu-tin-vrilli make a - special, feature ; of . the .exterior; pauiting' and ' .’decoration!,.-:' thev ; work of 1 which is ; now in active operation.