AUCKLAND'S TOWN HALL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 440, 24 February 1909, Page 8

AUCKLAND'S TOWN HALL.

'' '■ 'V." ; V ; -■ -V (BY .TELEGRAPH—-SPECIAL'CORESPONDENT.)''- v. Auckland, February 23. : Tho fouhdation:="stohe^ Town Hall is-'to.:be. laid: by the Mayor: (Mr. A. M.-Myers) to-morrow. In "the great concert .hall, which wilKbe on the" lower. ground and: ground, floors; the total seating capacity: for: the' audience will,be;3ooo;:and-there' will, 'in 'addition.' be; a :,space.;W 'ihe chorus- and orchestra. of 350 performers.-' Space is: provided, for.ail .organ:'larger/than any' at pre- - sent in New Zealand. : The,, lesser hall: Tins a total', seating accommodation" for.; 800 per-: sons, exclusive of 150 in the chorus, gallery.' The galleries; of! both: halls-, will -.'-/.becoil-; strutted- on the .most 'up-to-clafe .pHiiciples', ~ being-. 'carried 'on :steel cantilevers , leaving' the":ends of the halls, free from '-obstruction:'; both , for seeing Vand,.dancing';.,.'A feature- of: the' main .'entrance I half will be a ,large prom^" enade and lounge on a -level with : tho,-gal-": leries. < .'l'he 'architectural, treatment of ■ the. building, is -modern.: classic. > - Looking . from-' the corner of Queen Street .and >;W dU-sley Street' the. prominent feature ; will 'be the tower,-.which will' be 130 feet high and 18 feet square, with provision /for nine foot• diameter: clock 1 dials:. AsLfar'as .the .municipal portion of, the , biiildingi is -concerned, I both elevations in. Queen and Grey Studs will be treated bv: a ; _ columnar...method of - design,' a . more simple . treatment ; .-being.-" adopted for that part of the: building oil tioth' fronts in which the ;' great - ami -.lessor lialls ; are .situated;'- . The'-loterials: used' , for:-.-' the elevations will ,be. llucstune wpk t'accd as liiglr as' the- upper -ground .floor, ahil Oamanr: limestone above- that.. level. With the .exception of the elevation , of.'the: great hall; fronting Grey; Street, .'which at present ' it, is .intended'- to carry -out in .brickwork . with cement dressing, all other walls : will be of brickwork. When complete! Auckland, it is claimed, will 'possess 011 a -of the finest : Town Halls in Australasia, both as ' regards- entertainment,-- accommodation, and provision for .the carrying on:of the niuuiciDal activities of tho city. .