NEW COUNTY OFFICES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22272, 26 May 1934, Page 8

NEW COUNTY OFFICES

OPENED AT BALCLUTHA A REPRESENTATIVE FUNCTION t ‘ Representatives of neighbouring local bpdies were the guests of tiie Clutba County .Council at a function at Balcliitha, -yesterday to mark the opening of . tiie new county building which will also House the South Otago Hospital Board. The chairman of the County Council (Cr W. S. Thomson) presided over an-attendance of about GO, and, in extending a Welcome to the guests, said that he was pleased to see such a-large gathering, including many ex-councillors. -Proposing the 'toast of the architect ani contractor, Messrs H. Mandeno and D. A. O'Connell, the chairman 'said that Air Mandeno had drawn the plana for a hew. building 12 years ago, but nothing , was/done ; atv the time,- «ind eight mOntha. ago they: had asked him to" draw ! ,'jap . the, .plafisi-for-rthe present building, and he; haddohe the work at a. very moderate , cOat. The contractor well and riiade a splendid job of it; finishing the building 'in' «ix months' time. Air Mandeno, in ;-reply, thanked the chairman and the council; His firm had tried.tp give the copnty a serviceable building, and. While there were no frills about’ iti’ : it was a solid structure and was well built. He was ;yery pleased in being able to rjoln'-wlih the chairman ..in congratulating AlrtP’Connell on the way he had done his, work. He thought ho should say That almost everything used in that made in Otago.—“ Hekr^|hedt> little that was imported of British origin. ,0h behalf of his. partner and himself he asked the chairman to accept a gold key to the building, which would serve to remind him or the fruition of his efforts,

The presentation was then made, and Or Thomson briefly thanked the architect for his symbolic gift. Mr O’Connell also thanked the County Council, and congratulated it on having such a fine suite of offices. In his experience of timbers he could say that the timber in the building was as fine a Jot as he had ever handled. The Glutha County Council deserved a great deal of credit for the time it had put in on behalf of the ratepayers, and if all other local bodies were like the Clutha Council there would be r little reason to complain that there were too many local bodies in New Zealand. He suggested that the insertion of a tablet in the building as a memento of the occasion would bo appropriate. The toast of the Clutha County Council was proposed by Mr D. T. Fleming, who said that those who had seen the building would admit that the architect had done his part in providing a building that was a credit to the County Council and to the town of Balclutha. The Clutha County Council was to be commended for taking the bull by the horns and deciding on the erection of a building of. this type at a cost which, he thought, was by no means beyond their resources. The council itself was one of the oldest local bodies in Otagd, having been established with the abolition of the Provincial Council. The present body was doing its work faithfully and well, and with a due regard for the requirements of the ratepayers. He had observed that most of the agitation for amalgamation of local bodies had originated in the cities and he would like to sec the idea carried out there before it was tried in the country districts.— (Applause.) Cr James Gumming, in reply, said that all county councils could make profits if they had the money. They were fortunate in having a sympathetic Public Works office in Dunedin. A good deal also depended on the members of Parliament for the district, and they owed much to, Mr A, S. Malcolm and to the present member, Mr P. M'Skimmlng. Cr J. Brough said that in the past the local bodies had worked so much in sections that they hardly. knew their neighbours across the road, and he hoped that in the near future they would meet more frequently and discuss matters of mutual interest. He paid a tribute to the chairman for the energy he had devoted to procuring the new building, and he hoped that this would be the forerunner of new methods. The time was coming, he hoped, when they would do away with the riding system. In the days when they were interested in the one little district the ridings were quite satisfactory, but now their interests had broadened. He knew he was on delicate ground, but he still hoped that the matter would be taken up seriously, Cr T. Maginness, proposing the toast of “Parliament and Kindred Bodies,” declared his belief that Parliament was a good institution with which they could not dispense. He was satisfied that the members of Parliament were doing their duties conscientiously. It w’as significant that' in these troublous times all local bodies —even the Power Board—were showing a credit balance. This he regarded as an indication that there was far too much talk about the depression. They had always been on friendly terms with neighbouring county councils, and also with the borough. With regard to the South Otago Hospital Board he was happy to say that they had been able to allot two rooms in their new building to the board. The ratepayers of South Otago owed a great debt of gratitude to the men who had fought to secure such g fine hospital for the district, and the present members of the board were doing their duty faithfully and well. Ho concluded with a few words of appreciation _ of the Farmers’ Union and the Public Works Department. Mr A. S. Malcolm, in reply, said that Parliament had: undoubtedly a very difficult position to fulfil, and was always a target for criticism. He only hoped that it would fulfil its duties as capably as the Clutha County Council had performed its duties. One thing the council had shown its wisdom in was the selection of its staff, and to-day, as in the past, the County Council was particularly fortunate in its clerk and its engineer. Mr J. W. Fenton quoted statistics showing the important place the hospital occupied in the county, and Mr T. M, Ball (district engineer) congratulated the county on the progress it had made, and on the admirable condition

of its highways. He also congratulated the council on relieving those highways of the riding method and making them a charge on the common fund. It was true economy to spend money during a depression, and by building an office at the present time the county had probably paid about 75 per cent, of what it would have paid in prosperous times

Mr J. C, Hall (Tuapeka County) and Mr H. M. Driver (Bruce County) also replied. The toast of the staff was proposed by Cr D. I*. Jack, and replied to by Mr G. S. Gould (engineer) and Mr A. K. Baxter (clerk).

Cr A. T. Harris proposed the toast, of “The Press/’ Mr A. E. Russell replying. On the adjournment of the function the guests proceeded to the new building, the doors of which were officially opened by the chairman, who said that they had now one of the finest county buildings in the South Island, if not in New Zealand. The public were then invited to enter and inspect the building. THE NEW BUILDING,

The new building, which stands at the corner of Clyde street (the main street) and Elizabeth street, was designed by Messrs Mandcno and Fraser, of Dunedin, while the general contractors for the work were Messrs D. A. O’Connell and Co., of Dunedin, The frontage to the main street is only 33 feet, and the architects were emphatic that this frontage should not be encroached upon by the entrance. The main entrance, therefore, is from Elizabeth street, and this allows for two offices on each floor, having (he full advantage of the lighting and bright sunshine obtainable on the Clyde street frontage. The exterior of the building is very simple, but substantial and dignified. The main walling is faced with picked dark red brick and these are relieved with tapestry brickwork panels below the ground floor windows. The entrance portico, the caps to the pilasters, the cornices; and intermediate window panels are treated with special water proof Medusa white cement. The windows were all manufactured in Dunedin and are of steel zinc, sprayed to prevent rust. The large windows to the ground floor are glazed with quarter-inch polished British plate. The foundations are very strongly constructed in reinforced concrete, and horizontal bands of reinforced concrete are carried round at the first door and eaves level, so as „t° make the buildings secure against earthquakes even of considerable intensity. The entrance portico has the walls finished in tapestry brickwork and the floor is laid witli special Sin by Sin heather brow flooring tiles. The entrance doors are of Philippine mahogany with embossed plate glass panels at the top with the words “ Cliitha County Council Offices ” etched on., The entrance hall, though comparatively small, is an attractive room. The walls are panelled to door head high in figured rimu and the ceiling is coved and covered with fibrous plaster. Opening off the hall arc the county offices, county engineer’s, and committee rooms, and also the stairway leading to the upper floor. The county offices arc all attractive and well lit rooms with figured rimu dadoes with plaster above and fibrous plaster ceilings. These rooms arc all heated with open brick fireplaces of pleasing design. A commodious strong room is attached to the county offices. The committee room is finished in a similar manner to the county offices and the strong room that was attached to the old offices opens off this room. The men’s cloak room opens off the entrance hall and the ladies’ cloak room off the stair landing. A carefully designed staircase in figured rimu provides easy access to the top floor. Opening off the upper stair hall are two well lit, cheerful rooms that will be' used as 'offices by the South Otagp Hospital Board. These offices also include a large strong room that will provide security for the Hospital Board records. The Council Chamber is a very handsome room, panelled seven feet high in figured rimu, and with a handsomely designed coved fibrous plaster ceiling. The dimensions of this chamber are 30ft 6in long by 2lft wide and 12ft 6in high. The contract price of the building was £2749.