OLD COUNCIL CHAMBER.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20096, 27 November 1930, Page 4

OLD COUNCIL CHAMBER.

REPAIRS AND RENOV ATIONS 1 STONK WORK NOW IX CiOOI> ORDER. I'iic repairs and reuovaiious '-o llio t,tone work of the portion *ji' tlie Provincial Council Buildings ui.ic-r the control of the Canterbury Provincial Buildings Board have ■ L-eei) completed, and, as far as can be seen at present, .'ill the v;ork necessary for their pre- j serration has been done. The work has j been made possible through the Gov- j eminent having voted the money necr-s- j i;ary to pay t'or it. The repairs and renovations have been carried out by Messrs J. and W. Jamieson, hid., and the consensus of op:ni',;i is that they have been done* ; .n a highly manner. I Details of tbo Work. j At a meeting of the Board held te- | centlv in Wellington a report warj sub- j nutted detailing the. work done. On the | Provincial Council (Chamber proper the ; single chimney north has been renewed in Timaru stonf, with neiv arch and ■abel mould. At the caves the white Ptonc course, which" wa., badly decay ed, has been renewed. The odd ston° c,uoir.s and piece of mould have been renewed, the pointing raked out and replaced in cement, and the stone work painted with preservative. The stone work of the 'portion known as Bellamy's was in a much worse con diiion than that' of the Chamber. The r;hnft tops of th *" four chimney!', at different, elevations, have been renewed in Timaru stone. At the south elevation label mould:? and carved bosses were renewed, and repairs wen- effected to the string course and copings, to tlie H.pc:c, to the gable wratb ring, and 10 the buttress; rtew pointing has been done, and the whole painted with preservative. On the east side the white stone of the balcony, which w«s in a I.ad state, was repaired," and also the '\arving to match it with the existing carving. The base and plinth course, v.-ere renewed; also the label mould and the carved base and doorway. The string course re'l the w.ndow jambs were ' repaired, new weathering sills -.-.-ere placed on the windows; and tlie whole repointed and repainted. North Elevation. The north elevation wa.-> found in a bad condition, and new Timaru stone wa.s required for tho quoins, buttress stones, skew corbels, and weathering. The label mould to door and window, with carved bosses, copings, and string course were, repaired; and the whole was pointed and painted with preservative. • On the west, elevation the copings were very bad, and the new work done consisted of renewal of c.oping;i, string course, corbels, and skew corbel, and BOmo ot' the. base, course. The whole was pointed and painted with preservative. Oamaru stone v. as used for the oaves and carved cap; all the atljer otone work way done in Timaru stone.

The Hon. John Barr, M.L.C., one ot the members of the committee of Christchureh members of Parliament set up in connexion with the repairs, gave much time to arranging the details and in supervision. Woodwork Repaired. E.\ tensive repairs and replacements of the woodwork in the Provincial Council Chamber have been completed by the same lirm that did the stone work repairs. Borer and dry rot infested wood has been cut out and replaced. All the timber used was worked to the size and design of that removed, and the work of the old-time carpenters reproduced as faithfully as possible. Amongst the renovations were the rebuilding of the four doors giving entrance to the reporters', gallery; and the dismantling and renewing of the woodwork of the main entrance to the vestibule.