Building Notes.

Progress, Volume XII, Issue 10, 1 June 1917, Page 993

Building Notes.

AUCKLAND. Messrs Fletcher Bros. Ltd., who have the contract for the erection of the Fish markets are making good progress with the building, the steel difficulty having now been overcome. The smaller building will be completed by July and the foundations of the larger building should be ready about the same time. Over 400 reinforced concrete piles have been driven for the foundations of the two buildings. The maximum depth driven is 26 ft. The piles have been driven two feet into the rock, and out of the 400 only one was broken. The larger building will cover an area measuring 459 ft. by 129 ft., or upwards of an acre and a quarter. ' The two floors in this building thus will cover over two and a half acres. The total floor space in the two buildings will be upwards of three and a half acres. About 1,500 tons of cement, and between 400 and 500 tons of steel are being used in the construction of the two buildings. , The winter garden building in the Domain, which is to be the memorial of the Exhibition of 1913-14, and for the erection of which a contract is now in progress, is nearing completion. In the discussion by the City Council of the year’s estimates recently the fact was noted that no vote was provided for the planting or maintenance of the garden. The Mayor explained that, under war conditions, such an expenditure could not be entered upon. In the circumstances the only course was to lock up the building till times improved. The Harbour Board’s chairman, Mr. 11. D. Heather said recently: “In view of the board’s financial position and other circumstances, I thime it will be over two years before we will be justified in proceeding with any, new works of anv size.”

The “Herald” says that an enquiry as to the conditions of the building trade showed that the present is a period of inactivity in Auckland. Very few buildings, whether

business or private premises, are now being erected. There is very little disposition in the direction of speculative building. This is owing largely to the great advance in almost every class of material used in the construction of buildings. Timber has risen in price, and there also have been increases in builders’ ironmongery and requisites of all descriptions. The advance in the cost of roofing iron since the outbreak of the war has been no less than about 120 per cent. There has been a similar rise in the price of nails, and as a builder expresses it, “bent nails soon will be valuable enough to pick up and straighten.’’ The ramifications of the war in regard to prices extend to everything of which a home is composed, as well as to al 1 that it contains. Questions of city land values and comparisons of the relative worth of different business sites were canvassed at great length in the course of the Short Street compensation case, which was opened at the Supreme Court last month. In the case for the Crown, which seeks recompense for the loss of a valuable property, stress is laid upon the value of the old Admiralty House site for business purposes, in that it had frontages to three streetsßeach Road, Short Street, and Jermyn Street with the consequent advantage of ready access for cart traffic, and of light from three sides. One witness, Mr. H. R. Cooke, said he considered that no other site with equal advantages and of similar area, can be found within the business area of the city. It is partly on the plea of the impossibility of finding an equally suitable property for its offices and workshops that the State claims from the City Council nearly £5,000 more than the latter offered in settlement. DUNEDIN. The Presbyterian Social Service Association reports that in connection with the establishment of an old people’s home, a generous donor gave a block of 10 acres of land on which to erect the home, which will be built on small cottage lines. The land is valued at over £3,000 and is adjacent to the city. Other donations totalling about £BOO have been received. One donor gave £SOO and another £250. “The Majestic Mansions,” a new block of flats to be erected on the “take-life-easy” plan at St. Clair, Dunedin, by a local company, show the trend of residential building in New Zealand. The block of land to be covered has a frontage to Forbury Road of 80 ft., and to Victoria Road of 90 ft. On the ground floor are to be a public cafe, billiard room, private dining room, kitchen, and managerial quarters. The first and second floors are to be divided into four threeroomed suites on each flat, and on the top floor there will be 24 suite rooms and two double suites. There will be a laundry, eight car garages, an electric lift, and every service possible will be electrical. Mr. Basil Hooper, A.R.1.8.A., reports (a) additions to Mr. C. G. White’s residence at Bishopscourt, consisting of large open air sleeping verandah, new bedroom, etc.; special provision having been arranged (by the use of canvas roller blinds) to make the verandah useable even in bad weather, and the two ends being glazed, makes it quite snug in every way; contractor, Mr. Walter Ellis. (b) additions and alterations to Mr. C. Harrison’s house on Maori Hill. This is a complete remodelling of an existing cottage, and has consisted of stripping off the lining from the walls and ceiling of the main rooms and granite plastering insteadadding two large nine-light easement bays to the front rooms, new bedroom, bathroom, lavatories and offices, substituting modern doors and windows, —in fact generally making a new house; contractor. Mr. Walter Ellis, (c) Additions and alterations to Nurse Thomson's private hospital, Stafford Street. This has meant the addition' of five large wards, workroom, operating, sterilizing, and anaesthetic rooms, besides the complete rebuilding of the bathrooms, utility rooms, lavatories, etc. A large sheltered verandah, and balcony, both 10 ft. deep have been provided for the use of patients,' in addition to the large ones existing, and besides this, three new balconies have been provided for the use of the staff. The operating block has been specially designed for convenience and hygienethe floor is to be Fama. with rounded angles at the walls, and the walls of polished granite plaster, enamel painted white. The natural lighting is a special feature and is obtained by means of a wide

projecting steel framed bay window, with glass at front, sides and top. The centre pane is plate glass and measures 5 ft. 3 ins. by 7 ft. 3 ins. in itself. The artificial lighting is from an electric “indirect” fitting, the light being reflected from the white ceiling and walls. The rooms for the staff have also been added to and a large sitting room included. An ideal domestic boiler as an auxiliary to the hot water service is being, installed, with an extra (50 gal. copper circulator, which besides securing a copious supply of hot water, also acts as a destructor, the kitchen refuse, etc., all being destroyed in the furnace. Advantage h,.s been taken of these alterations, to include everything that will add to the comfort of the patients, the convenience and satisfaction of the doctors, and the efficiency of the building. The present work including lighting, heating, etc., is costing well over £2,000 and is being carried out by Messrs Fletcher Bros, (d) Residence in Union (Street: (tenders are being called for this at present). The walls and partitions are brick, rough east externally, roof of slates, purple red, to be taken from an existing old house on the site, which is to be demolished. The hall, staircase and landing will be panelled in oak venesta and Oregon, and the casements and fanlights are specified of steel, with leaded panes. A largepantry between the dining room and kitchen is to be provided with built in china and glass cupboards, with sliding doors, and in every way the convenience of the occupants has been studied, (e) The Cathedral is making good headway, and especially in the interior is getting most interesting. The vaulting of both aisles is completed and the triforium arcade is also practically done. A glance at the aisle vaulting gives one a good idea of the fine effect that there will be when the nave vaulting is completea. feature quite unique in this Dominion.

Mr. Leslie D. Coombs, A.R.1.8.A., reports (a) alterations and additions have been recently completed to residence, Bellevue Street, Roslyn; ,T. L. Hamilton was the builder. The sub-contractors were C. S. Jenkins, plumbing; AY. H. Allen, fibrous plaster work; Andrew Lees, painting; and the British Electrical Coy., lighting. (b) Additions to, and complete remodelling of residence, Pine Hill Terrace, have also been recently completed. Loan and Watson were the

builders, and G. S. Wright, plumbing; and W. H. Allen, fibrous plaster work, were the principal sub-contractors, (c) Alterations and additions to residence, James Street, Eoslyn, are nearing completion. This work consists of the erection of a large concrete retaining wall, an enlargement of the drawing room, an addition of an inglenook, and the erection of a concrete and brick motor garage. D. Masterton and Son are the builders, (d) E. P. Hart, gardener, has carried out a contract for the erection of a number of red pergolas and arches at Yauxhall. D. A. O’Connell was his subcontractor for the required timber work, (e) G. S. Wright, plumber, has installed live Methven “silent flusher” closets, in addition to a large amount of other plumbing work, in a building in Moray Place, and David Scott, painter has completed a painting contract on the same building, (f) A six roomed residence at Bay View Road, St. Clair, is nearing completion. A. E. Shank is the contractor, George Digby and Co., plumbing; W. Watson, plastering; F. C. Simonsen, joinery; and Briscoe and Co., Marseilles roof tiling, arc the principal sub-contractors. Mr. E. W. Walden, reports (a) extensive additions to show rooms and work rooms for the D.S.A.; contractor G. Simpson and Co.; contract price about £1,500. (b) Remodelling Dunedin Savings Bank. Granite front, steel sashes (Woolnough), Decolite floors, fibrous plaster, joinery work — picked cedar; contractors, Fletcher Bros.; amount £2,100.

(c) Alterations to residence including service liftcontrac tor, A, Ferry.