CONSTRUCTION IN SYDNEY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18229, 13 November 1924, Page 8

CONSTRUCTION IN SYDNEY.

record building CAMPAIGN.

It is expected that a further construe- j tional record will be established in Sydney this year. During the swelve months ended June 30th, according to the report of the Metropolitan and Sewerage Board, £11,812,058 were spent on the election of 11,321 buildings, thus constituting a record, the previous best being in 1923, when 10,352 buildings were erected at a cost of £10,670,032. When these figures are compared with those of 1914, when 9928 buildings were erected at a cost of £6,929,994, and even allowing for the average cost of a building being £693 in 1914, as compared with £1043 in 1924, the extraordinary progress that has been made by the city of Sydney can be realised, and this is but reflective of the possibilities that exist in Australia as a whole. Some idea of the extensive nature of the work can be had from the figures of the city area where 401 buildings were erected at a cost of £2,370.354. Of &U the suburbs, Canterbury, where 1100 buildings were erected at a cost of £723,270, holds pride of place. There appears to be every indication of these extraordinary figures being maintained, if not eclipsed, during the forthcoming year. The satisfactory surplus of £100,391 achieved by the New South Wales State Government raises the hope that taxation will again bo reduoed, which being so, stimulus will be given to activity in the building trade. The State Government has given a fine lead to private enterprise in providing £■ 600,000 to be spent during the current year on school buildings, Which amount, added to £1,000,000 already spent, well provides for educational establishments throughout the State. In addition, the Government proposes to erect an Agricultural School at Glenfield at a cost of £50,000. / The proposal. to build the new wing of the Mitchell Library, at a cost of £60,000 is about to materialise. The Government has decided to .accent the offer of the trustees of the Public Library of a loan for the purpose, and the Minister for Education has' been instructed to prepare a. Bill to authorise the work being proceeded with. The new wing will house the Australian pictures and records that Mr William Dixon so generously presented, to the Library. The City Council also propose 3 erecting a municipal library at a cost of over £IOO,OOO. • Private enterprise also promises to add 1 to the already busy conditions that resist. The proposals.for the current year include reinforced concrete motor showrooms and offices ,in Philip street, W Messrs Ross and Rowe,. architects, at an estimated cost of £IOO,OOO, and for which' Concrete Constructions, Ltd.' have secured the tender; and a new Roman Catholic Women's College at the Sydney "University, which operations will'be commenced this month. The City Council is also feeling the want of extra accommodation, and proposes to erect a new building at the rear of the Town Hall, to house its increased -staff. The erection of < this building is to be regretted, for the Town Hall is already erected in sections that do not harmonise with one another. The erection of a complete new structure to vie with Brisbane's monument would have been more' desirable and justified, in view of Sydney's position as foremost city of the Commonwealth. •

. Proposed new works in the country districts of New South Wales include new woollen mills at Orange, at ■ an estimated' cost of £100>000; a smallarms factory, at Lithgow, at approximately £60,000; and new works for Hoskins Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., at Port Kembla, for the enormous cost of £2,000,000. This scheme will include workers' homes, and the works will occupy 250 acres of land. With the completion of this scheme another big industrial centre, wherein Australian machinery can be manufactured, will be created. The Graziers' Meat Service has also been formed with a capital of £2-50,000, for the purpose of erecting abattoirs to supply Sydney with m Added to the list of works referred to recently as being m progress, are new offices of seven storeys for the Eastern Extension Telegraph Co. by Architects Ross and Rowe, William Hughes and Co., builders; six-storeyed reinforced concrete premises in Castlereagh street, and the new Prince Alfred Theatre how nearing completion in Castlereagh street. . Following the lead of Bondi in calling an architectural competition for the beautification of Bondi beach, the Randwick Town Council have advanced a step further in granting a lease to Australian Hers, Ltd., to construct a pier on Coogee beach, 900 feet long. By agreement, the pier must be comuieted i n two and a-half years, and must not cost less than £156,000, but the estimated cost of the pier is £170,000. Acting on the recommendation or the Select Committee which was appointed to enquire into the workings of the New South Wales Housing Board, the Government will introduce legislation to abolish the Board, and to entrust the finalisation of its business to the State Savings Bank, as m Victoria.