A MODERN WAREHOUSE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 May 1930, Page 11

A MODERN WAREHOUSE.

TINGEYS’ LTD. PREMISES.. , A striking example of the*-very latest • in- modern- city architecture and a j monument of expert craftsinanship now rises gracefully from, the. sWp line in Currie Street, New These " spacious new premises, which have been erected for Messrs. R. and E. Tingey, .Ltd., oik, colour and wall pa per merchr ante,, were completed- to-day and it is “the intention of the management to iopen. them, officially on Monday. • ; - The building- is. .forge,; .comprising i a \ basement,- two upper floor's* and a flat ■ roof, the area covered' being 105 feet .by 56 feet and: extending the width, of ■the block. "Within this-area are .eii- ’ closed, a back entrance, storage basement, shop front, showroom, paper store and work rooms. The baciPentrance is an object lesson in labour-saving devices. It was necess-’ ary to make arrangements for the care:.fu! handling of the weighty, fragile packages of glass. An intricate overhead travelling, hoist, or gantry, receives the crates, some of which weigh-as much as 3 tons; and deposits them with-ease in '• any required position. On the left hand side is an electric lift which pierces the ’building vertically from basenjent to roof. The elevator, opening to the roof •;is, it is believed, the first of its kind in ’ Below, the swinging hooks of the gantry a forge glass table, measuring 12 feet by ,I’6 feet, is being placed. The construction of this table enables a full sheet of plate glass to be raised from a horizontal to a perpendicular piano without the least fear of an Undue strain,' which is a common cause of breakages. . - . .. ' > A well-lighted-, "j-. cement v basement, '.served by the lift,'‘stretches across tho full area of the section. This portion of the building will be used for the storage of heavy bulk goods such as paint, oils, colours, sheet glass, and lead. . The shop front on the Currie Street level is a typical example of modern commercialarchitecture. . The fawn Coloured facing ' of/ .the' /’building is broken' by the wide expaffee . of/' the showroom windows, while below are the entrance windows, 1 sloping back 16 feet into the shop. An island stands in the centre. -At night the front of the shop will, be illuminated by 17 lights which will display to. ad vantage the artistic bevelled lead lights that crown the plain glass of the show windows, "All the glass and lead, light - work has .been Executed by. the skilled craftsman in the firm’s work shops. An easy, stairway leads up from the shop to the showroom', which is of spacious dimensions/ Measuring 35 feet by 32 feet it is -'lit along the. street front by a line.,of plate, glass windows, one of which measures II feet across. ■ It: is evident .these are’, ideal conditionsfor those choosing wall papers, as there are no deceptive half lights.-. The appointments of the room are . all that could be desired. The ..clear light.from the curtained windows throw.s into 1 prominence the artistic furnish'liig. reminiscent, of some fine/state roosvsat .there is. a difficulty in-'.accommodating .oneself .to'. theyfact that tho centre of the town lies beyond the walls. , Adjoining-the showroom is a store for wall papers. Five lifrndrcdi' tall radkfi, each with a capacity of 70 rolls, give a . total storing capacity of 35,000 rolls. Through' both eyes and ears the viator to Tingey/s Ltd. is impressed..with the fact that the firm has ample stocks of goods not easily obtainable ' elsewhere. Mr. Tingey states that his firm has the sole Dominion agencies for a nuyser ,of tho leading paint, varnish an<j ’ wallpaper manufactures of the world arid arc thus able to secure a .wider ..range of styles than’’ otherwise -would- bo possible. .. ■ . The monotonous flap of belts' greets the visitor to the department where the glass, bevelling, and lead; light'making is carried on. The revolving-.carborundum wheele of the bevelling, machines are attended by . specialist workmen as this is a most exacting trade. Another room houses the.ypicture framing -experts. In addition to those working in"the idipp Tjiigey/s. Ltd. al<|o employ, a .large outside stall for decorating and painting. Tingcy’s Ltd. are a branch of the Wellington firm established GO years ago, which also has branches in Wanganui, Christchurch and Auckland. The extensive*. nature ' of- their operations makes it possible to give the public the benefit : of tlri/ir large buying. . j., - Tho building .was .designed by Mr. T.. H. Bates arid built by Mr. F. E. Cooper. — — • ;