CITY'S NEW BUILDINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3772, 29 June 1926, Page 76

CITY'S NEW BUILDINGS.

ÜBE OF LOCAL MATERIALS. The long-expected new Town Hall and new Post Office for Dunedin are now in sight, and in the erection of these buildings the Dunedin Manufacturers’ Association sees an opportunity for a more general use in public buildings of New Zealand materials At its meeting on Tuesday night the association decided that recommendations should be made to those in authority that, as far as was possible, New Zealand materials should be used in the erection of these two buildings. It was hoped that there would be no repetition of imported materials, which had been used in the construction of the new Public Trust buildings it was stated, with reference to these premises, that the ornamental ironwork,, the manufacture of which was a New Zealand speciality, had been imported. The Chairman (Mr T. Somerville) said he doubted whether imported material would be used if local stuff were available. Mr J. S. Faulkner replied that the Public Trust building was to be lined with imported marble and that the front would be made of Australian stone. The Chairman: I think that calls for some sort of protest. Mr Faulkner, continuing, said the war memorial was being made of Italian marble. He mentioned that the National Bank premises in Auckland were of New Zealand marble, and the building was imposing. He quoted several classes of New Zealand marble and granite suitable for the proposed buildings in Dunedin. The Government and the City Council should be asked to consider seriously the use of the Dominion granite and marble, if the materials were required. One member considered that the buildings should be of ferro-concrete, which, would give work for the poorer classes of workers and provide an equally satisfactory building. The granite and marble could be procured locally, and there was no necessity to go round the world for them. The present council building w'as of Port Chalmers stone, but he did not think it was procurable now. It was pointed out that the architect for the town hall had been instructed to proceed with his work, and it was suggested that the association should take action and not wait till the buildings were completed, or nearly so before it found out that imported materials had been given preference over the local productions, as was the case with the Public Trust premises. . It was decided that representations should be made to the Government and to the Citv Council that, wherever possible. New Zealand huildin£r materials should be used in erection of Dunedin's Town Ilall and post office.