725 NEW HOMES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18890, 4 January 1927, Page 10

725 NEW HOMES.

BUILDING TRADE IN 1926. ACTIVITY IN HOUSE CONSTRUCTION. It might fairly be said that only a proportion of the residents of Christchurch realise that they are living in c-e of the fairest cities in the Southern Hemisphere. It is only by surveyltg the City from the roof of one of its tallest buildings that one can come to a full appreciation of its architectural Hautv and present leafy There" is scarcely a suggestion or scualor in anv of its far-flung suburbs and as far as one can see and at everv point of the compass, the builder "is at work, adding to it« residential areas dwellings which embody th* latest conceptions of the architects. Nowhere eke in the Dominion are the .•it-lights of horticulture so well realised as in Christchurch. and in many cases the landscape gardener is well forward with lawns and lay-out before the house is ready for the paint. In the area within the City boundaries alone, the City Council has authi orised since January Ist, 1926, the erection of over 700 houses, but this ]'<• bv no means the full story, for the Heatheote and Waimairi County Councils and the Riecarton Borough Council not to mention local bodies further out have all issued numerous permits for dwellings. Those which have been and are being constructed in Papanm are of a superior type, improving still further the attractions of this favoured , suburb. i Cashmere Besidences. A residence costing £3300 was erected in Cashmere for Mr Densley \\ ooa, and the Heatheote County Council issued another permit for a house costing a similar amount. Taken all round, the building trade has had a fairly busy time. Certainly no very large jobs and only a moderate number of medium-sized ones have i>een undertaken, but the activity m house-building has been phenomenal, while many premises and residences have undergone improvements and remodelling. . Holding pride of piace in the matter or contract price, the Municipal Concert Hall, which is being built by Mr W. Williamson, will involve an cutlay of over £30,000. Work was commenced in June, and, although the industrial upheaval at Home has affected the supply of materials, tnus delaying the contractor, he expects to finish the Hall in the contract time. Messrs P. Graham and Son secured the contract, at £12,900, for a new residence for the Anglican Bishop in Park terrace. The Anglican Church authorities have been particularly progressive during the past year in the matter of providing nesv churches and other buildings, but the most ambitious project undertaken by them is the erection of St. George's Hospital on land secured off Papanui road. The permit was issued in August, and the successful tenderer, Mr Williamson, secured the contract at £19,300. Good progress is being made, and the foundation stone'was laid some weeks ago I by the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson.

A New Church. The new Theosophical Church nu Cambridge terrace, lately completed, is a neat structure, with pleasing architecture, in a beautiful setting. • In Gloucester street Messrs A. B. Harris and Co. have built a radio warehouse and broadcasting' station at a cost of over £12,000. In May the Council issued a permit to Messrs J. A. Redpath and Sons, Colombo street, for the erection of a building costing £14,000. The sum of £15,000 is being expended on comprehensive improvements lo Lewishani Hospital. The new dwellings authorised totalled 72-5, permits for them being issued as follows:—January 59, February r/j, March 80, April 68, May 28, June 73, July 71, August 45, September 77, October 78, November 46, and December 15. St Albans is the ward in which the builders have been busiest, and there is scarcely a street which has not echoed to the sound of the tradesman's hammer. The type of residence apparently most in demand is one costing about £BOO. Not so much activity has been displayed in the central area as in some previous years, but several warehouses and public garages are in course of erection, while the building of others is contemplated.

Hotels Improved. Some of the owners of hotel property have spent considerable sums on additions and renovation. Petrol stations and private garages have been built by the score, •with doubtful advantages accruing to the City, architecturally, in the case of eome of the former. The Canterbury Education Board has pushed on with the Training College, as money has been made available by the Department, and it has also been active in the improvement of the accommodation 'for primary schools. A large new school has been erected at Papanui. Plans for additions to the Girls' High School are under preparation for the Canterbury College Board of Governors, which, in addition to the completion of the new Boys' High School at Straven road, Kiccarton, has undertaken extensive j alterations to the buildings on the Worcester street block. In the railway yard at Addington many changes, have taken place in preparation for the new workshops to be built this year, and _ a number of new buildings, including a large tarpaulin shop, which went up in remarkably short time, has been erected. That the City is growing at a fairly rapid rate, and that the building trade has had a comparatively prosperous year can no longer be doubted when the figures for 1925 and 1926 are placed side by side. Comparison Between 1925 and 1926. The following figures supply a comparison in the number of permits issued month by month in the years '1925 and 1926, and the value of the | buildings authorised: — •

In 1924 the value of the buildings authorised was £805,982, and the number of permits issued, 1114.

When the Canterbury Master Builders' Association was asked the question whether its members were prepared to build a cheaper type of residence than those forming the great majority for which authority was being issued, it signified its willingness to meet any public demand for this kind of dwelling. The bungalow type is retaining its jyjpularity in spite of predictions that it would give wayfrto a dwelling with Spanish architecture. during the year. Although unemployment during the past winter was a great deal more serious than in previous years, the number of bnilding tradesmen who v-ero workless was only a very small proportion of the weekly totals published.

Old Landmark Demolished. One of the old landmarks of the City. Messrs Cook and Ross's premises at "the corner of Colombo and Armagh I streets was demolished to make way for a new building on Georgian lines with a mansard roof. Excellent planning and the tasteful i;se of materials combined in makinn the most beautiful addition to the City's architecture during the year the" Church of St. Barnabas, Fendaltcn. Plenty of timber has been available iocally, both native-grown and imported. In fact, it is the contention of those engaced in sawmilling in the Dominion that they deserve greater protection against imports from American Pacific ports, and their representions will receive consideration in the forthcoming review of the Customs tariff bv the special board which has been appointed. There is a movement afoot locatlv for the manufacture in New Zealand of a great number of the ar.icles which are necessary in modern Louse construction, and which at present come from abroad. Comprehensive new building by-laws have been prepared by the City Engineer's department, and a draft is being perused bv the Builders' Association. Several * of the leading firms of drapers have been able to take over '.he extensions to their premises, which have been in contractors' hands.

In the winter and spring a series of interesting lectures on subjects of general interest to builders and architects was given under the auspices of the Christcburch branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects. Although the attendance was fair, the type of information given was snch as to warrant much larger audiences.

1925 No. 1926 No. £ £ Jan. .. 58,909 101 60,861 118 Feb. . .. 84,892 96 90,530 119 Mar. . .. 85,856 120 78,316 142 April . May .. 46,344 81 85,991 120 .. 61,551 100 110,874 87 June . .. 43,686 93 89,604 135 July . .. 64,111 106 71,374 125 Aug. . .. 52,179 89 66,047 104 Sept. . .. 71,598 121 72,259 130 Oct. .. 63,131 108 88,626 142 Nov. .. 44,415 94 48,989 85 Dec. . .. 73,686 114 52,113 98 Totals"" 750,358 1,223 915,584 1,405