TOWN IMPROVEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13840, 27 February 1909, Page 6

TOWN IMPROVEMENTS.

It is a good sign of the commercial prosperity of a town when its business people show their confidence in a practical way by erecting larger and more up-to-date premises. Mr Hutchison at anyrate has confidence enough in Timaru to have gone to the expense of building in High street, what is probably one of the finest bake-houses of its size in the Dominion,- and ho deserves the greatest credit for his enterprise in the matter. The building, which is of brick, was, designed by Mr Walter Panton, and it seems eminently suited for the purpose for which it is intended. The greatest attention lias been paid to light and ventilation and also to the appliances necessary to ensure correct sanitation. The size of the bake-house is 50ft. x 30ft., and at the southern end is a store-room 17ft x 10 ft. and a cool store for butter and eggs, 10ft. fiin. x Gft. Gin. Over these storerooms is a loft for the storage of Hour and materials, access to which is gained by a substantial stairway. On the eastern side the huge oven 12ft. x 10ft. Gin. is situated, which is large enough to accommodate a batch of about 300 loaves at a time. This oven will be lighted in the interior with electricity which wll enable the baker to inspect the condition of the bread without opening the over-door. There has also been space left to instal another oven, should it be found necessary to do so. Tlio oven- is one of Hnlme and Thomson's patent, for which Messrs Booth, Macdonald and Co. are tin* local agents, and a hot woter service is connected with it for use in the bakehouse. The height of the building- is 13ft. Gin. to the wall plates, and the roof is what is termed an open one, matchlined throughout to prevent accumulation of dust. Twelve inlet ventilators are placed in the building, with torpedo ventilators on the roof ridge and louvrod gables, so that a constant current of air is kept circulating throughout- the building. Mr Hut-

chison will stnrt a four-wheeled Tan en Mondav to distribute the bread and more vehicles will be added as the volume of trade increases. It-is possible that biscuit baking will also form a part of the business done in the bakehouse- in the future. Mr Hutchison extends a cordial.invitation to the public to inspect the new. premises on any afternoon. The proprietor of the bakehouse has had an extensive experience in the business both in England and the colonies, and there is no doubt that his enterprise will meet with the success it deserves.