Alliance Assurance New Building.

Progress, Volume V, Issue 5, 1 March 1910, Page 167

Alliance Assurance New Building.

The new building just completed in Gre/ Street for the Alliance Assurance Company, which takes the place of their old wood offices destroyed in the Lambton Quay fire of 22nd October, 1906, is a very handsome and striking structure, designed iv the Romanesque style of architecture. The front is built in special made red brickwork, with white Ml. Somers stone bards and dressings, Sydney Milestone base, and turned and polished Peterhead granite columns in the jambs of ground floor openings. The tympanum of gable is filled in with stonework, with the arms of the Company carved thereon. The roof is covered with Welsh slates. The front entrance door gives access to a handsome vestibule with screen framed in Sydney cedar, with Luxfer copper glazed panels. TVo swing doors lead from vestibule to the general office, the lighting and loftiness of which are striking features. The fittings are of cedar. The walls in office manager's room and staircase have a dado of cedar to height of five feet, and above that, and in the other rooms walls are finished in plaster. The ceilings are of carrara plaster, with enriched beams and cornices Beneath the manager's office in the cellar is a large fireproof strong-room. The stair immediately behind the manager's office leads to the first floor, which contains a suite of four well-lighted rooms, with the necessary lavatories. A booklift connects the two floors with the strongroom, and a paper lift connects the manager's office with the rooms upstairs. The building is further fitted with intercommunicating telephonettesi between the various rooms. The lighting is by electricity, and besides handsome airpit fire grates, provision has been made to supplement the heating by electric radiators. Special attention has been given to the ventilation of the various rooms. The contractors for the building were Messrs. James Trevor and Sons, Ltd., who have carried out the work in a highly creditable manner. Mr. George J. Bertenshaw was clerk-of-works. The plans were prepared, and the building was supervised by Messrs. Penty and Blake, who should feel satisfied at the result of their labours. It may be remarked in passing that the same firm were responsible for two other buildings at the corner of Grey Street and Lambton Quay, one for the New Zealand Insurance Co., Ltd., and the other for the "Wellington Trust, Loan, and Investment Co., Ltd. Since the above building was commenced, the firm of Penty and Blake has been dissolved, and the business is now being carried on under the title of Penty and Laurence.

The Alliance Assurance Co., Ltd., with which is incorporated the Imperial Insurance Company, Ltd., was established in 1824, and is a wealthy English Company having at the present time accumulated funds exceeding £16,000,000. Lord Roths-

child is the President, and Mr. Robert Lewis is the general manager in London. The Company commenced business m New Zealand in 1891, when it bought up the business of the Union Fire and Marine Insurance Company of New Zealand.

Only Fire and Marine business is carried on in the Dominion, but in Europe and elsewhere, the Company embraces almost every phase of modern insurance connected with life, fire, marine, accident, burglary, etc., etc. Mr. W. Devenish Meares is the general manager for New Zealand, and the head office is situated in Christchurch. Mr. W. Gill is the branch manager for Wellington and district, Mr. Bart. Kent for Auckland, and Mr. C. R. Smith for Dunedin.

six, graduating to five feet, at the crown. These huge ribs are tied together by beams, which act also as wind braces. The height from the deepest part of the gully is 147 feet, the width of the structure is 37 feet over all, including the roading and footpaths, the road being 24 feet and the paths 12 feet each. The parapet is concrete 4ft. 9in. high, and carries twenty-six lamp posts, lit by electric light. The curbs of the paths are of Coromandel granite, and the grade of

These piers are constructed on arched rings at 21 feet centres, and support main girders, the girders carrying the secondary beams of the roading and footpaths. The decking of the roadway is six inches thick, and is to receive a layer of inch and a half Neuchatel asphalt. The footpaths are four inches thick, and will receive a finishing layer of inch and a half concrete. The bridge, designed to connect the city from Symonds Street to Grafton Road with the eastern suburbs of Newmarket,