THE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND'S NEW BUILDING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 2072, 15 February 1873, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND'S NEW BUILDING.

DuniNo tho past thrco or four months, wo havo lind tho agrooablo dnty of recording tho erection of buildings of a moro or loss imposing charactor ; but ifc now romains for as to describo an cdiflco which, when finished, will bo ono of tho noticoablo foaturoa of tho progross and increase of this town, so far as is ovideuoed by tho oreotion o^ permanent and handsomo structures. It has been known for some titno past, that Mr. T. King, tho manager of tho Bank of New Zealand horo, had purchased a block of land from Mr. I?. A. Carrington, near tho now post office, and that a building would bo erected on it. A week or so ago wo announced the arrival of tho bank's architect (Mr. E. Mahonoy) to inspect the site previous to drawing out tho specifications and working plans. Wo havo now to stato that ovei-ything is proparod, and that tondors havo been called for tho erection of tho building. By tho permission of Mr. King, wo havo been euablcd to inspect tho plans minutoly, and ai'o theroforo in a position to give our readers a detailed description of the odifico abont to bo erected. Boforo entering into theso particulars, it is necessary to stato that tho allotmont of land on which the building will stand is at the corner of Dovon and Hobo strcots (which raua along tho eaat sido of tho markot place) ; tho froutago to tho former stroet being eighty-seven feet, and to tho latter ono hundred feet. Owing to the peculiar nature of tho ground (there being a stoop fall in Dovonsti'eet, and in Kobo-stroet a slight rise) a quantity o4masonry work is required to form the founda-t-^T Tho fagado is in tho Italian stylo, and as an architectural composition, it possesses considerable merit, presenting a very handsome and commanding appoaranco. Tho hoighfc of tho edifico from tho plinth to the top of the balustrade is twonty-six feet ; but as tho foundation -at Uio oouior will ko t""^ fr-~*-, and will gradually riso in Devon-street to fivo feet from the footpath, tho olevation will bo between twonty-oight to thirty-one feet above the level of the street. Tho ontranoe to the bank will bo at tho corner, and tho facade will have five largo windows (three facing Devon-stroot, opa two that of Kobe-street), divided by pilasters of the composite order, eighteen foot from base to the top of capital. The entablature will bo about two feet, and will be surmounted by a balastradod parapet two feet six inches high, secluding from tho eye tho roof of tho building. The windows in tho main building are finishod with entablatures, supported by ornamental trusses. The panes of glass in the windows are each four feet six inches by throo feet nine-— tho glass in the upper sash being in the form of a semi-circle. The building has a frontage to Devon-street of forty-nine foot, and to Robe»Btreet of forty-five feet. The principal door leads into tho banking room, whioh will be thirty feet by twenty-six feet, and seventeen foot high. The manager's room is to tho left, and will be eleven feet by sixteen feot. There are two strong rooms marked on the plan ; the one communicating with tho manager's room boing six foet by four feet, and the other with tho banking room, six feet by seven foet six inches. They will be built ofsolid masonry, and being provided with iron doors, will, of course, bo fire proof. Tho entrance to the private apartments will be by a door in Robestreet, which loads into a hall thirty feet long by fivo feet six inches wide. On the right of the hall will bo the drawing and dining rooms, the former fifteen feot by sixteen feot, and tho latter fifteen feet by twelve feet. At tho end of tho dining-room is a passage fonr feet wide, which leads to the kitchen. From this passage are the entrances to two bedrooms, which ayerage in size thirteen feet by ton feot. Tho rooms in this part of tho building will be very lofty, being fully seventeen feot high. Attached to tho main building, and commnnicated with from tho passage through a lobby, aro the servants' apartments, which consist of a kitchen, thirteen feet square ; scullery, thirteen feet by seven feot ; pantry, sevon feet by six feot ; and a bedroom, seven feet by nine feet. Theso apartments havo a separate entrance from Robe-street, and aro gained through a yard twenty-seven feet by twenty-two feet in sizo, which is enclosod by a fivo or six feet galvanised corrngated iron fence. The plinth and other masonry is to be of a close bine stone, the face to bo fino axed. The framework of tho building is to be of totara, or red pine, or tho heart of kauri. The weather boards are to bo of kauri, planed and rusticated, and the pilasters are to bo fluted. Tho banking room is be wainscoted, and have wooden cornices, and the whole of the rooms are to be lined and oeiled. Tho chimneys are to be built of brick aud portland cement ; the angles being filled with cement concrete, composed of four measures of Screened and washed shingle to one of cement. The building is to bo roofed with slate, and tho chimney stacks aro to bo plastered. An ornamental iron railing will be carried round tho front which will remove the somewhat awkward appearance the building otherwise would havo iv Devon-street, in conseqnence of ono corner of the fonndation being so much above tho level of the street. There was some talk of this structure being built of concrete ; but we find wood is the material that has been decided to be used. This is a groat pity, for we are pretty certain tho concroto would have 6tood well ; besides being the means, perhaps, of causing a better class of buildings to bo erected in the town. Mr. E. Mahonoy, as wo havo previously stated, is the architect, and wo must coraplimont him on the excellency of his designs. Tho contractors for this bnildiDg aro Messrs. Aitchison and Price, of Auckland, whoso tender was £3,350.