FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1163, 15 June 1894, Page 41

FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

THE CONDITION OF THE BUILDING. At a special meeting of tho City Council held on May 31, tho report of Messrs W. C. Chatfield and T. Turnbull, architects, who were asked to report upon tho condition of the Fiee Public Library, was considered. There were present —Councillors Devine (in tho chair), Anderson, Levoi, Barber, Tatuni, Harris, Petherick, Fraser, Ponty, Harcourt and Willeston. The report of tho architects was as follows : —" In re Public Library.—ln answer to your memo, of 22nd instant, stating ' the Council are desirous of knowing the extent of the injury and what wo should recommend to be dono ' in reference to the Library, we report having carefully examined the building as erected, and find that it is fractured in several placos to a serious extent. We have also looked through the plans and specifications in order to ascertain the nature of foundations and general construction. So far as the foundation is concerned, it is to be regretted that the architect did not adopt one taken up from tho solid, instead of that illustrated in the drawings, as ;we consider it one of the weakest points, and that a grave responsibility rests upon those who advised its adoption. There seems to be little provision made to., connect the tower and the building. We would, therefore, recommend that the architect be instructed to insert a series of iron tie rods, of suitable description and manner of fixing, following the blue dotted lines we have marked upon the drawings; sets of these rods to be so fixed in line of first floor and roof-tieing tho tower and building E. and W., and N. and S.' the entire length of the wall available. We also consider necossary that tension rods be inserted at each principal in roof over Keference Library, as we have observed a tendency to thrust. We are of opinion that after these precautionary measures are thoroughly executed no further anxiety need be felt as to the safety of the building by those who frequent it. But we urge upon the Council that no unnecessary time bo lost in taking steps in the matter." Councillor Petherick: They don't propose to do anything with the foundation, and that is the weakest part. Councillor Fraser moved that immediate action be taken to carry out the recommendations of Mo3srs Turnbull and Chatfield. Councillor Anderson seconded the motion.

Councillor Fraser said the architects, referring to the foundation, stated that "grave responsibility rests upon those who advised its adoption." He would like tho report of those gentlemen who approved of these plans. Either the gentlemen who approved of tho adoption of these plans or the City Council was to blame. The Town Clerk stated that the Selection Committee was tho Hon. E. Richardson, Mr W. Ferguson and the City Surveyor. The City Surveyor said that to the best of his belief the matter was sottled by the City Council agreeing to accept floating foundations.

Councillor Petherick said he had always objected to floating foundations. Councillor Willeston : Of course everybody objects to it now. Councillor Penty said it was freely stated outside that the architect, in deciding whether there should be a floating foundation or piles, was advised not to put piles down, and ho (Councillor Penty) thought there was something in it. There was someone outside who was responsible, and an attempt was being made to screen somebody by putting the blame on the Council.

Councillor Tatum said the report was a very guarded one. It did not go far enough, and he thought something ought to be done to the foundations of the huilding. They had the building on a wrong foundation, and whatever they did now must be done in a thorough manner. Superficial work would not do. •Councillor Harris said that with all due respect to the previous speakers he preferred to take the architects (Messrs Chatfield and Turnbull's) report; They had employed two of the best men they could gek—two of the most eminent architects hore—to report upon the condition of the building, they had given their report, and it was the Council's duty to carry it out. (Councillor Fraser: Hear, hear.) He was always pleased to hear councillors express opinions on any matter brought before the Council, provided they understood the subject, or knew what tucfy wfcre ftdfcv ing about, but when men took upon them-

fcelves to pick to pieces the report of eminent architects upon matters of which they know nothing, they should sit down and not talk at all. Councillor Tatiun: I was not picking them to pieces. I agree with what they navo said, but I think the report is a very guarded one. Councillor Harris, continuing, said ho had listened with surprise to the statements that something should bo done to the foundations, when the architects they had employed had said that it was not necessary to do anything to tho foundation. He preferred to take tho opinion of Messrs Chatfield and Turnbull upon the matter. Ho had boen in tho Council since the Library was built, and the records would " show that he was one of tho very strong opponents to tbo adoption of the plans being delegated to anybody outside the Council. They had met night after night, and talked the matter over and over again, and at last the Council decided to appoint delegates to consider the plans. Ho had considered that as they (tho councillors) were elected by the ratepayers to act for them, they had no right to delegate their powers to anyone outside. Three gentlemen were appointed to look over the plans, to adviso and recommend the Council which plan to adopt. He maintained that those gentlemen who had advised the Council to adopt these plans were responsible for the building and not the Council. If the matter had been left to

the Council—he said it advisedly—that building would never have been put up. That was not the plan the Council had in their mind to adopt. The Council adopted tho advice of tho gentlemen they had appointed, and the result •was this building. When anything "Went wrong everybody shirked the responsibility. If this building had been a success, and admired by tho thousands, these gentlemen would have said," These are the plans we advised them to adopt," but now that the building was not a success they repudiated all blame in tho matter, and tho Council were considered responsible. That wa3 not a proper course, and he declined to attach any responsibility to the Council.

The Town Clerk here produced a report of the Finance Committee of the Ist October, 1891, in which it was recommended that the foundations be of the kind known as floating foundations, which would render it unnecessary to adopt the suggestion of the Selection Committee to build foundations for the entire building. In answer to a councillor, the Town Clerk stated that the then Mayor (Mr A. W. Brown) moved the' adoption of the report, Councillor Harris seconding. An amendment was moved by Councillor Petherick, and seconded by Councillor Moeller, that consideration of the report be deferred. This was lpst by 8 to 5, the voting being as follows: — Ayes Councillors Potherick, Smith, Worth, Fraser and Moeller. Noes Mayor, Councillors Anderson, Vogel, Parsons, Harris, Harcourt, Barber, Willeston.

Councillor Fraser said this showed that. the Council adopted the report, which was to do away with the piles, and have floating foundations. Councillor Penty wished to know what •were floating foundations. The present foundations were ordinary foundations, and not floating foundations at all. It was necessary, he thought, to have .irons and timbers crossed in all directions, and there was not a bit of timber under the present foundations. He considered that it was highly necessary that they should carry the foundations of the tower down to the solid rock at the bottom, and if they did that there would be no fear of further harm coming to the building. He proposed that the report should be adopted, with the addition that the foundation of the tower should be carried to the solid lock at the bottom. Councillor Tatum seconded this. Councillor Fraser suggested that they should get an estimate of the cost. Councillor Harris strongly supported the carrying out of the opinion given by the architects. What was the use of employing architects unless they carried out their opinions ? When the Finance Comanittee recommended that floating foundations should be adopted, it was put before them that if they adopted pile foundations they would have to put in piles for, the •whole building, and that would mean an enorjmous cost. There must have "been someone to recommend this before the Finance Committee, and Mr Page could look up the records and find out where this recommendation that the Council should adopt floating foundations came from. The difference was ontirely one of cost. Councillor Harcourt thought they should be careful how they acted in the face of the report of the architects. He was in favour of getting further advico from the architects. Councillor Levoi thought it would bo advisable to get further information. Councillor Penty said from the remarks made in the report, it was clear in the minds of Messrs Chatfield and Turnbull that the foundations were defective. The Town Clerk explained here that a letter had been sent to Mr Crichton stating that the Council would be pleased if he would send in a report to the Council on the building. A reply had been received from Mr Crichton stating that he still had the matter under consideration. The letter sent to Messrs Turnbull and Chatfield was read. It stated that the Council desired them to make a report upon the present condition of the Library. Some injury had been caused to the building by the recent earthquake, and it appeared that there was a subsidence in the tower. The Council desired to know what was the extent of the injury and what they (the architects) considered should be done. Councillor Barber thought they would he exceeding their duty if they incurred any further expenditure in this matter.

It was quite clear that no responsibility rested with tho architect, because his plan showed that he recommended pile foundations. Tho architect was free from blame. Councillor Petherick said, let commonsense with an ordinary straight eye look at tho tower and they would see that it was going, and it would go too if the foundation was not good. The Chairman ruled that Councillor Penty's proposal that the tower walls bo carried down to the solid foundation would have to be put separately. Councillor Fraser's motion was then put and carried. Councillor Ponty then proposed his motion. Councillor Harris moved, as an amendment, " That Messrs Chatfield and Turnbull be asked whether they consider it urgently necessary that money should bo i spent on tho foundation of tho tower after carrying out their recommendations as to the other part of tho building." Councillor Fraser seconded this. Councillor Penty agreed with tho amendment, and withdrew his motion in favour of Councillor Harris' amendment. Councillor Harris withdrew tho word "urgently" from his amendment,and it was then put and carried, Councillor Barber's being tho only "No." Councillor Levoi moved that the work be placed in tho hands of Messrs Chatfield and Turnbull. Councillor Harcourt seconded this. Councillor Penty moved as an amendment that Mr Crichton be omployed. Councillor Barber seconded the amendment. Councillor Penty was quite sure that Mr Crichton would not do anything contrary to the recommendations of the architects. Councillor Harris pointed out that Mr Crichton had been weak enough to do something contrary to his own views, as shown in the design, that piles should be used. Ho had evidently taken someone's advice, and put in so-called floating foundations. Councillor Barber thought these were very unfair remarks to make. He did not believe that tho consulting' architects would carry out the work. It would not be professional etiquette on their part to do so. Councillor Levoi said that he did not know Mr Crichton, but lie knew that he had not had tho experience of the other gentlemen. On being put tho amendment, that the work be entrusted to Mr Crichton, was carried by 6to 5. Ayes—Councillors Devine, Willeston, Penty, Fraser, Barber and Petherick ; noes Councillors Anderson, Levoi, Harcourt, Harris and Tatum. It was decided on the motion of Councillor Petherick that Mr Crichton be called upon to give an estimate of the work, and report at the meeting of the Public Works Committee on Monday.