Notes

Progress, Volume XI, Issue 7, 1 March 1916, Page 572

Notes

A good many of our architects have felt the pinch of the war and its interference with the normal course of building enterprise. They have weathered the worst part of the storm now, and it will interest them to know that similar trouble in England had to be dealt with by organisation. It was felt by the Institute of British Architects’ that owing to the war there would be architects more in need of advice regarding their professional affairs than of any other form of assistance. To meet such cases, the Professional Employment Committee constituted a small advisory committee, the members of which are prepared to give applicants the benefit of their personal experience and advice, with a view to finding some solution to the applicants’ difficulties. The idea is that of personal service, and the Professional Employment Committee has been fortunate in securing the co-operation of Messrs. Henry T. Hare, F.R.1.8.A., Gerald C. Horsley, F.R.1.8.A., and Paul Waterhouse, F.R.1.8.A., who form the advisory committee, and to whom will be referred any applications received by the Professional Employment Committee, of the kind indicated. The Professional Employment Committee of the Architects’ War Committee loses no opportunity of turning to good account any circumstances which may assist it in providing paid work for architects who are in distress owing to the War.

The Dominion Government will continue the construction of all public works under contract in Canada. Apart from the war, the total expenditure, of the Canadian Dominion will reach 200,000,000 dollars for the year, while the war expenditure will mean an addition of 100,000,000 dollars. The programme for the current year includes an expenditure upon public works of 25,000,000 dob, on railways and canals of 27,000,000 dok, and on capital account and works of harbour commissioners of over three and a-half millions. Since the outbreak of the war the Dominion has made every effort to minimise unemployment in Canada by maintaining its programme of public works.

The Manitoba Government has appointed a Royal Commission to investigate the charges made to the Lieutenant-Governor by the Opposition in connection with the contracts for the new Parliamentßuildings at Winnipeg. It is alleged that a sum of £l6O, 000 was charged over the contract price.

Truly, extremes meet. It is not enough that a building be fireproof. It should also be waterproof, so that in case the contents of the upper floors are aflame, the water thrown on the fire will not drip down and spoil everything on the floors below. Without doorsills raised a little above the floor level and surbs around other openings on the floor, any water in a reinforced concrete building is drained off the impervious floors by scuppers.