TOWN IMPROVEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3686, 27 November 1873, Page 2

TOWN IMPROVEMENTS.

The workmemat the new building in course of erection for the Union Bank, adjoining Messrs Briscoe-x premises, have been unable to proceed with the building during a portion of the month on account of: the deficient supply of Oaniaru freestone.. Thia has been caused by the bad state of tlie. roads, which have greatly increased the cost of conveyance. The energetic proprietor of the Princess Theatre—Mr Sitbald —has been unsparing in His efforts to provide for the comfort of its patrons. Apart, also, from a thorough renovation of the Theatre, and a decided improvement in itstenlargement, the sale yards in the rear have been, covered in, and the walls painted—making a pleasant promenade of at least one hundred yards. rThe roofing is now being extended to the back of the hotel; ~ ; A very handsome brick building at the corner of Great King and Albany: streets, only lately out of the contractor's hands, has already proved itself a good business site. Five retail shops of various descriptions have been opened im it, and all appear to do a f.»ir amount of ctracle. A building of a similar description is now in course of' completion on the opposite corner. The masonry work of tlie riewchurch (St. Thomas's) at the corner of IStaffdEd and Hope streets, is fast approaching completion. The piles for the southern extension^ of Rattray street jetty have been driven, to about one-third' of tjiei across, the harbour to tlie other jetty. Some alterationsiiKEvv being,made to the Congregational Churchy: Moray Place, will' greatly improve the,appearance of the building when completed. Two , nights of bluestone steps have been made at; one end, leading to the: floor of the Church, and below these will be a; porch. This; with the addition of some adonignent and a neat feivc», will improve the hithextfco bare appearance of this .building.." \ . Some very ■ handsome buildings ; are in -course of erection;in various pans of the •tosvn, wliich will greatly improve its appearance ,when they ate completed. \ Messrs Thomson, Strang, and < Co. 's. and Mr Dunning'a establishments in .the Cutting would be^credit. to a much .larger city, but their elevation and; length appear to be altogether out <?f. harmony with the; irregularity of the comparatively,: small structures opposite. The proprietors, of the Criterion Hotel have extendeditheir- premises above the sh^ps in •Princes street, as far as Messrs Paterson anil ■Mfljebd's, adding a mumberjofj.bedrooms required tp meet the demands on the accommodation of the hotel.' The shops to the order of Mr Wilkinson, chemist, in George street, .fire almost completed, and will no doubt let readily. The foundation of two brick sliojps, similar to that lately occupied by Mr Baxter, druggist, ia now being laid in George street The bitildirigwiU;beof brick, having: an elevation of about thirty-five feefc,; arid : will be built for Mr Horder, by Messrs An-. dersoa ftndt&oilso. ;

The Corporation haye, after much procrastination^ reeolye'd to have .necessary alterations in ?£ork Place effected, and a contract has been 4uad.e embracing the making to.a permanent;le.vel of Dowling, Stuart, Arthur, Smith, aad :iuteraecting streets which may; be affected by jit. >Ylien these improvements are L efftjcted, the gradient of York Place will be 7ft. ,9in. ,to the .chain—a gradient slightly better than that of Pitt street. Tke .gradient of Smith and Bowling streets will pc .sft. «6in. to the chain, the greatest depth of embankment being 20ft. at the junction of Smith street and York Place. The material jfr.Qrav.the cuttings will be utilised in nlli?iLg up .prj^ate sections on the line of works, where wanted, it being indispensable for this purpose. That taken from Dowling street will bj required to widen Stuart street to its permanent level above the "Weeleyan Ch»reh, and the street will also be lowered abous 12ffc Exclusive of this, some alterations are being made on the gradient of the road near the ilobin jjood, immediately above the old cemetery. A retaining wall will be built; along Smith street between Dowling and Stuart streets, wliieh. beipt- filled in, will bring the street to its proper level, and under this a culvert will be constructed for the purpose of drainage. The conuecjfcwg of Smith and Bowling streets, and the .continuation of the latter street into Arthur street, will save a long circuitous route for draymen and vehicle drivers, and will be jmost useful, being on the main line of road to the Half-way Bush. The whole will form a very ready means of access to

the district generally, and has been much required for many years. It is probable that the contract, which extends over a term of twelve months, will be completed . within the tim-c, as it is in good hands. The • contract is -close on £5,000, and includes \ metalling as well as the fomiation of foot- ' paths. Mr Minims, City Surveyor, has dis-played'gr-«At energy in liia inspection and directions in the work ;'. am! the contractor, Mr Kobert Wilson, a thoroughly practical man, is doing his best to complete the job in the most icreditable manner.l A .contract for anotli.es.* work,in. close .proximity to this has just teen signed, 1.c., the.-lowering of Arthur street from" Itattray to flu-sell, streets, wtikJh will be proceeded with,,.at once. Mr A. Orawshaw has secured.,-the: contract, at £455. s;f

Oh a f miner occasion we referred to several business warehouses in course of erection, and promised to <iflsscribe; them more fully when completed, IThose we referred to more .particularly were the "'Warehouses' of Messrs J. T.Mackerras **iil Co., and Messrs G. G. Itussell and C<C in Bond, street.; The firstmentioned is mow entirely completed and in occupation of ifee'proprietors, and for internal accommodation and convenience of working, is certainly n<at excelled in Dunedin. The original "-Reynolds's Bond " forms the back, portion of the -present stone store,' having been heightened and extended so as to work in fcarinonioiisly with the new portion; and aMlicuglrat one period this "bond" was looked 'upon in Dunedin as a vast building, it occupied scarcely a third of the area enclosed' in the present 'warehouse. The cellar floor extends throughout the new and old portions 6f the building, and has been specially ;arrsaiged for the purposes", of the trade, the whole beiDg smoothly asphalted, well ventilated and subdivided for the- purposes required. In the warmest weather the coolness of -this : department can be guaranteed.- The first floor is so arranged as to be at loading height from ..the street level, and receiving and loading doors are placed, the one off Bond street direct, and the other off: a double right-of-way or street between Messrs E. Wilson and Co.'s store and tliis building; At the upper angle of this floor, and approached by a broadflight of stairs from the street, with folding doors, are the offices of the firm, which have ben carefully studied and arranged. These are fitted ivp with American chestnut and walnut woods, and have a handsome and businesslike aspect— the several departments being arranged convenient for working, purposes. The remainder, of this floor and the whole'"of ithe upper one are included in the warehouse proper, and subdivisions are made for the several departments, of business, so as to economise space and facilitate the working of ea?h.: Convenient to the side door, at the right-of-way,"'a ■■hydraulic-lift i 3 placed, which descends to the lower or ascends to the liigher floor, as required. This lift, we are pleased to see, is carefully guarded with self-acting doors and screens for safety, and it would be well if precautions of this kind were more universally adopted. . On the whole, this store, lately finished, is one of the most complete and commodious of its kind in Dunedin, and reflects credit on its spirited.proprietors-;'as it does on the architect and all entrusted with its erection.

The stores andoffices of Messrs George Gray Russell and Co., it is expected, will be completed in the course of another Aveek or two. Externally the building is now all but finished, 'and presents a most pleasing and tasteful contrast to some of its surroundings. It is three storeys in height, , and occupies an area of over SO x 40ft, the two lower floors being devoted to warehouse purposes, and the third to offices entirely. The basement floor is partially stink, so as to allow the street floor to be at loading height, and is floored with asphalte, and well lighted -on three sides, from Bond, Water, and Crawford streets, as are all the other floors. In Bond and Crawford streets, central entrance doorways are placed, that in Bond street being the principal office entrance. . It is screened off from the Warehouse with partially glazed screen partitions—a wide and handsome staircase leading to the upper floor and offices. There are strong brick fireproof safes on each floor, and we notice that a proper lavatory and other conveniences have been provided for the offices. The upper floor is subdivided into five compartments, exclusive of the safe; the main central portion being devoted to the public office—an area of 42 x 38 feet—and the others for private offices, as required. The whole of the exterior of the building is finished on the basement in Port Chalmers stone, and on the upper floors in brick and cement; piers being carried up at angles, and between the spaces of the doors and windows, in boldly channelled and rusticated work—moulded bands intersecting at the cells; the effect of the whole being. very satisfactory indeed. Thecontractor for the building is Mr 11. Howlisoh, and the architect for this, as well as Messrs Mackerras and Co.'s, is Mr 11. A. Lawsoiu ■■'• ,-...- ..,'•■...' . .'..-- —