DURABILITY OF BUILDING STONES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19248, 27 February 1925, Page 4

DURABILITY OF BUILDING STONES

A REPORT REQUESTED. CONCERNING N.Z. PRODUCT. The durability of •. Zealand building stones was <l,i.- h . i ;i f yesterday's confercn- e of i , ; . s ... a result of a remit retrain- (~ ward to the effect that th’ Doper o f j n . dustrics and Ucmmcrco • v- U r”ed to compile a report on thOne of the '’ole-gntes ; majority of th.' New I ing stones did no: appear I<> the test of lime, an<! i< was . ta desirable that the best of advice ,|, secured upon the subject. Another delegate said ;1>- i i],, , , e<J was a geological report, so fui iers would have every infon .:;t-, At present a large amount of i:r.|e,rtc{ stone was being used, if :it had expert assurance that a '• on>‘ had lasting qualities they would giv< it preference over import’d stone. The [weathering qualities seemed to affeef [Now Zealand stone as well as Atrtral|ian stone. Deterioration wns more markeil as a rule on the lee side than the weather side. The time had come to get a report on tho matter. Mr. Wilson said that it was a matiter that should have had the attention |of tho Government years ago. A roIport should also deal with the methods 'of finishing stone. Mr. Leo said that in connection with the Auckland War Memorial Museum ■advice was sought in regard to Now [Zealand stone before entertaining any !proposal to get stone from outside of the Dominion. The speaker referred to tho experience gained in regard to several Auckland buildings, and urged that the Government should prepare a report 'with the view of encouraging the use jof New Zealand stone. Mr. Mainland said that the subject Ireqtiircd investigation, as there had I been instances where a stone had been a success in one, centre, and not a success in another place a few hundred miles away. He had had experience of Oamaru stone fretting, but iha trouble was that it had not been properly laid in its bed. Yet Oamaru stone had been exported to al) parts of the world. The Sydney Roman Catholic Cathedral was built of it. Another delegates said that the frosts were heavier in some places, and that was a cause of deterioration. Mr. Nightingale said the question of bedding was important. Both Oamaru and Mt. Somers were good building stones. The remit was carried.