THE TAKAHE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18895, 10 January 1927, Page 11

THE TAKAHE.

♦ COMPLETING THE BUILDING QUAINT ROADSIDE HOUSE. When the Takahe. which is the j name hv which the roadside house at i ilie Cashmere Hills tram terminus is j known, is completed, in one respect it will differ from all other buildings in the Dominion or even Australia, with the exception of the old Provincial Council Chambers. The mural decorations will, il (ntsitoi-isiu the mood, J takehimlvuk tothedaysof envary j for ilipv will consist ol shields and heraltlrv closclv fashioned on those borne hv ancient lam.hes ot tin, 12th, 13th. and Uth «" tur ' c f; The, Road Trust is responsible tor this plan, and its execution, as may iu be imagined, is requiring a D reat deal of rescarcb. ..,. The Takahe will be a rugged edifice and little will be done to make the artual building ornate. 11k"blend n R of cream and red stone «ith Hoon iia> blueslone. however, will make a *troi a appeal to many wlio pause for rclrcsliincnts on their nay up the hill. Summit Road Maintenance. The Port lltlls-Akaroa. Summit road Public Trust, of which Mr \\- «<:cce is chairman, decided sonic tunc ago to complete the building. 'V hen tins is accomplished and the debt discharged oil' the bouse and (ra croft Hill, which is ..-lose at hand, tho net prolits will he used lor the maintenance of the Summit road towards ..Vkaroa. All the extensions are being built, br (lav labour, three stonemasons having started work about two months ago. They are able to work up the pleasing combination by utilising stone from one of the Trust s quarries, in addition to the bluestone. ]i v the construction ol" a second storey, patrons of tho roadside house will be given an unrivalled view of tho City, awav to tho north-west, as well as the sea'to the cast of it, and the .smiling cotintrvside to the south of, and beyond it. Already the front wall of thus storey has been built to a height of five feet. No smooth stone is being used-it is all rough-punched or "pitch-faced." Thcro will be two rooms on this floor, and it is intended to open the long room in front by Easter. Both will be used as refreshment rooms, the dimensions of the one overlooking the City being 4Gft by 12ft <sin. , . From the room at the rear also, a wonderful view will bo obtained, the provision of a large number of windows in the storey being planned to enable visitors to survey the surroundings in everv direction. The windows will be of English plate glass in steel frames, and the sills will project about an inch from the walls. Massive Walls. It is in keeping with the plan of those responsible for tho building's desh'ii that" the walls are ISiir thick. TJie'house will ho roofed liitli iron at first, but later this will be replaced by copper. , Vorv little timber will be used to embellish the interior, and inside, tho walls will have a rough rock lace From the east a stone stairway will give access to the additions, and the front room will be entered by a stone arch, live l'cct in width. The. main room will contain a stone hearth. Stone corbels right round the walls in the interior will support a largo number of panels, each 3ft Gin in height, and on these will.be placed the shields and heraldry. i'lio ceiling will be heavily timbered in Tudor-Gothic style, and over Mir window and doorways there will . be rounded arches.' The main timber under the panels and chamfers will be carved, painted, and gilded. A great deal of work has been put into the rear door, which contains three (,'othic glass panels. At intervals, corbels are being placed under the eaves. On these it is intended to place a timber, 18in by Tin, to which will be attached shields and heraldic designs. The faces of Sir Edward Grey, Mr Tl. .T. Seddon, "Mr W. V. Masse?, and other New Zealand statesmen will be carved on the main corbels.