BUILDINGS AND CONTRACTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6227, 5 June 1907, Page 8

BUILDINGS AND CONTRACTS.

TENDERS TO CLOSE. Post Office, Waikanao (June 10th). —, Government Architect. Seven two-story residences, Kclburno (Juno 10th). —Moisey and Johns, architects. Grandstand, Miramar Athletic Park and Wonderland Company (Juno 12th). — J. S. Swan, architect. Brick building, Lambton quay, for Wellington Trust, Loan, and Investment Company (Juno 10th).—Pcnty and Blake, architects. Warder's cottage, Terraco gaol (June llih).—Public Works Office. Additions Messrs David Anderson and Son's premises. Molcsworth street (June 12th).—W. C. Chatfiold, architect. Residence Kona Bay (June 10th). —J. S. Swan, architect. Four-story brick shop and warehouse, Maimers street (to-day).—Crichton and McKay, architects. Brick abattoirs, Ngahaurangn, for W. Dnnock and Co. (Juno 10th).—F. De J. Clere, architect. Installation electric light and for erection of one electric passenger elevator and two electric goods lifts, Kirkcaldie and Stains, Ltd. (June Bth and 12th). - Thomas Turnbull and Son, architects.

The Public Works Department received the following tenders for additions to the Receiving Homo, Tinakori road, Wellington:—Accepted—ll. E. Card. Wellington, 1 <£73-1. Declined—James Russell, £"G1; E. A. Wakeliu. £848; McMillan and Brodie, £874; H. G. Emeny, £877; Jorgensen Bros., £884; Meyer and Illingworth, £923; McLean and Gray, £949. The dawn of the groat timber industry which will shortly lift the Waimarino to a pedestal of prosperity is setting in. Last week two timber companies were registered. One will bo known as the Raetihi Timber Company. Tho other is the Rangitaua Timber Company (private), incorporated on May 9th, with a capital of £4OOO in £1 each. It is the object of the companies to carry on the business of. timber merchants. All available land in and near Ohakuno is being purchased with avidity. Mills are being erected in all directions. This place is fast becoming an important sawmilling'district. A number of substantial buildings are being erected, and the trade generally is reported to be very good. The erection of Mr Colo's new brick warehouse in tho Square, Palmerston, is now’ in its last stages. The building will be a distinct addition to the town's architecture. It contains on tho ground floor two largo shops, while at the rear largo storerooms are provided. Dpstairs there are numerous offices and .also several store-rooms of varying sizes. The structure has a frontage to tho Square of 39ft, with a depth of 156 ft, and is finished with pressed bricks and plastered front, with a heavy cornice on top. Messrs J. Trevor and Son, of Wellington, are the contractors. The contract price is about £4500. / *

The following is a price-list of building timber noiv being sold in Auckland: Boards and scantlings, undressed, firstclass ISs Cd. medium 15s. second-class 10s 6d; flooring boards, p.t.g., first-class .£1 Os 6d, medium 17s, second-class 13s 6d; lining boards, p.t.g., first class JEI, medium 16s 6d, second-class 12s; rusticated weather-boards, first-class dll Os 6d. medium 17s,' second-class 12s 6d. Specified lengths of this timber. Is 6d extra. It will be noticed that there has been a slight increase in tho price during tho last month. Messrs Mainland and Barr, builders and contractors, have during the . last twelve months passed through their factory nearly XISOO worth of air-tight . cases, finishing one of the largest lines ■ln cases made in the colony. This firm ‘recently finished one of the largest ) wooden structures in Wellington from designs by Messrs Crichton and McKay, architects, for Mr J. Duthie. ! Besides the foregoing, the firm have entered iuto the asbestos roofing and walling slates trade. The material for slates for roofwork is unsurpassed. Numerous large buildings have been covered with these slates, including the new Bank of Australasia, Arcadia Hotel, Technical School at New Plymouth. Sanatorium at' Otaki. Palmerston- North Hospital, the residence of Mr Crichton (.architect), and also on buildings down to Timaru in the south and out-to Napier on the east. The slate is composed of asbestos mixed with other minerals, and is subjected to a pressure of two thousand pounds. The maker of these slates. Mr aliM; Calmon, claims to be tho largest manufacturer in tho world, his output reaching over 45,(100,000 slates per annum. The roofing slates are not tho only material supplied and fixed by the firm. They have been using extensively large slabs ■ of walling. Sit x 4ft, besides supplying numerous electrical incombustible, boards. This material bids fair to 1 become the greatest roofing material of modem times. As the slates are in different colours, they lend themselves to dilferent designs, the. result being that roof coverings can be finished in a most artistic manner. The firm are also nutting on the market the Limmer asphalto mineral martec. This material is of tho highest class amongst mineral asphaltes used throughout Britain and the colonies, Africa, and India. This is the first of the material to be used in New Zealand. The chief purpose it fills is the modern fire-proof fiat roof, tho making water-tight of underground cellars, dampcourses for foundations, road and bridge coverings. It is composed of pure limestone impregnated with natural bitumen'.

BUILDING ON A CLAY SITE. " Contractor ’* ■writes: —" It is proposed to build bouses on a clay site, <whero contraction and expansion are very great, causing cracks and settlement in bouses that are already erected. Would reinforced concrete under the footings be beneficial?” If the. buildings are to be secure against movement, with tho expansion and contraction of the* clay, a concrete steel raft will bo necessary over tho whole site. Assuming tho houses to be two-story, dwellings, the minimum depth of excavation should bo 2ft €in, and 6in of good Portland cement concrete, with l-16th per cent, of reinforcement, each way, should be laid over the whole site, and extended, say, 12in beyond the bottom course of footings of external walls. The reinforcement may consist of Sin iron rods, 18in centre to centre in both directions, laid in the middle of the depth of tho concrete and lapping 3in where a joint occurs. If tho concrete and. reinforcement were under the footings oniv. tho expansion of the clay inside would force tho walls outwards, and they would not come back when the clay shrank again in dry weather. Tho concrete should be 1 cement to 5 slag, broken to pass a l£in ring as a maximum, and only the dust screened out, carefully mixed dry, and mixed again while being watered through a rose, and gently rammed after laying. Tho iron rods should be coated with cement wash before being laid in position. PATENT EXTENSION AND STEPLADDEES. An innovation in ladders, embracing che qualities of lightness, strength, and durability., is nov on the market. The patentees anu sole manufacturers are Messrs Mote Brjs.. of Balmain. Sydney, and they claim for their ladders the maximum of strength with minimum of weight. The ladders are constructed with a strand cf steel wire on each side-rail, drawn to a high tension, thus giving double the strength- with half the weight of tho ordinary, cumbersome and weighty art’de. A desirable feature of the ladders is that they can be adjusted to an\ height to suit the requirement cf the person them, being extension ladders fitted with automatic locking-doggs. The ladders are manufactured of the best material, th© finest Oregon nine, spotted gum for rungs, and the highest quality steel wire. The timber is the best of its kind, and thoroughly shrunk before being used. The laddArs ar« nr* ix.

Australia by various Government denartmeuts, and are recognised to supply a long-felt want by painters, decora--urs. signwntu's, bi.ipostors, windowcleaners and others wnose work entails tae uss of a ladder. Several of the ladders aro coining into use on buildings in Wellington, and it is safe to predict that the future will see this ladder in universal use, to the exclusion of tho oid type.

RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE IN FRANCE.

The Renaissance development in Franco was introduced at the end of the fifteenth century. From tho early part of tho sixteenth century there are such examples as a chateau on the Loire, and houses .n Amiens. Xu these line buildings the peculiar features of the Renaissance are allied to the older fiamboyant details, but in some cases the details and tho outlines are essentially Gothic in character. There is much fiue Renaissance ornament. This appears to be a transitional period in a parallel form to the Elizabethan. Many tine buildings wei-o built in the, time of F- ancis 1., from 1515 to 1517. This monarch introduced Serlio and other Italian architects, and in hie time the details of the Renaissance buildings developed into the most elegant refinement. Tho examples that may bo mentioned are the Castie of Chambord, and one wing of the Castle of tho Loire. The adaptation of the foims and details of this period has been considered as most admirable for model- buildings. Pierre Lescot (1510-1578) designed tlie western So:- ion of the Louvre. Tho present esign consists of two stories and an attic, arranged around a courtyard 100 ft square. The lowei order is of, Corinthian, the upper of composite • pilasters, and an order of pilasters of less height is provided for tho attic story. Philibert Delorme was better known by hie writings than bj his actual building works. Jean Bullant built the early' part of the Tuileries. Jules Hardouin Mansard (1617-1708) was tho principal' architect of the time of Louie XIV., and' originated the high roofs with which his name is identified. This peculiar design of roofing enabled a good roof to be 1 pro* vided above or partly above the eaves, and; was much in vogue at the time. This architect also designed the palace at Versailles, which was commenced ill ICGI. and is rom-rkablo only for the uniformity and tameness of its design. The dome of the luvalides at Paris (1680-1706) is also his work. It is 92ft in diameter. It is provided with win. dews in the dium, and above this la an interior dome w’th a central opening. Over this is a second or middle dome, with painted decorations; over this again are an external dome and lantern of wood. The stylo of Louis XV. is otherwise known as the Rococo or Barooo, and is distinguished by a superfluity of confused detail. Tho style is a debased application of the preceding Renaissance style. Sinuous frontages, broken curves in plain and elevation, and a strained originality in detail are tho characteristics. ■ Columns are placed in front of pilasters and cornices are made to breaa around them. Broken and curved pediments, huge scrolls and twisted , columns are also features of the style. Tho stylo of Louis XVI. was an advance upon this, and possessed much refinement of detail, similar to the exceedingly fine ornament of the brothers Adam.