THE CHRISTCHURCH "PRESS."

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13836, 23 February 1909, Page 2

THE CHRISTCHURCH "PRESS."

Yesterday's publication of the progressive daily journal " The Press " was the first issue that has emanated from the new and magnificent printing house in Cathedral Square, (Jhrisichurch, and the Christchurch Press Company may well congratulate themselves on the huge strides its enterprise has taken since the day in 1861, when a small four-paged paper was issued from a three-roomed wooden cottage in Montreal street. The new building is a structure that at once arrests the attention of visitors to Christchurch, and it may be said to be the most complete and up-to-date edifice of its kind south of the line. The plans were entrusted to Messrs Collins and Harman, architects, who have succeeded admirably in designing a building at once externally stately and internally convenient. The exterior is constructed in brick and Oamaru stone and the whole rests on a solid base of bluestone. . The style of architecture is the perpendicular Gothic. The building, which presents bold frontages on to Cathedral Square and Worcester stret, ; is 70ft. in height, and is surmounted on the south-western corner by ,a tower 30ft high. Ferro concrete (with steel girders and tsout brick walls) lias been exclusively used in the interior construction, the floors also being of this material. In the literary and commercial departments wooden -floors have been laid over the ferroconcrete, and, so far - as it has been possible to secure, the entire building is ijlm'ost completely fireproof. There are no fire-places 'anywhere (the premises beyig warmed with hot water radiators); and as an extra precaution a domestic high-pressure water supply, with fire plugs everywhere at hand, has been installed. The accommodation consists of a basement, four floors above ground, and a flat roof. There is 54,450 square feet of available floor space, and 10,890 square feet of flat roof, ..or, roughly, an acre and a half. Mpst, of the departments are connected with the public exchange by telephone, and a system of interior or domestic telephones ensures efficiency and rapidity of inter-communication between all parts ' of the vast establishment. Electrical power is ootained from two huge gas engines, (one of 90 h.p. and the other of 60 h.p.) directly coupled to dynamos. The smaller gas engine is worked by the company's suction gas plant, while the other is connected with the town supply. Electricity generated on the premises (with the Corporation supply as a stand-by) is used for power and light throughout the building, and an extra precautionary measure against breakdown in the lighting arrangements, gas from the city supply lias been laid on all over the premises and brought to points in the different rooms. On the commercial and literary side of the building an Otis electrical passenger elevator is available, in addition to a handsome stairway. Hot water for heating the building is obtained irom a special boiler, as well as from the water-jackets of the gas engines. Commercial " copy " from the counting house and news-matter from the editorial department, is placed in the printer's hand, by a comprehensive system of pneumatic dispatch tubes. * A most complete system of • lighting is used throughout the building. The exterior of the printing house is lighted with flame arc lamps, while at the top of the tower the word "Press," picked out in electric lights, may be seen from all parts of the city. The commercial staff in the counting house is elaborately provided for, and there is also desk accommodation for twenty-five clerks. The most modern printing machine introduced into New Zealand is that which has been erected in '"The Press " office. It was constructed by the well-known firm of R. Hoe and Co., of New York. It is what is technically described as a four-deck machine, with two deliveries. An ordinary eightpage paper would be printed at the rate of 52,000 per hour, while one of twelve or sixteen pages, such as "The Press," would be sent out at the rate of about 25,000 per hour with one operation. Another remarkable feat which may be mentioned is that on the Hoe rotary the entire issue of "The Weekly Press," with the exception of the illustrntions. can be printed in one process. The jobbing ; lithographic and

process departments have all t>een catered for in a similarly lavish fashion, and the complete plant of "The Press" is second;to none in Australasia.