PUMICE IN BUILDING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 851, 24 June 1910, Page 4

PUMICE IN BUILDING.

OPINION OF AN ARCHITECT, A Wellington architect believes frWr if somcono would interest himself in the project a capital business could be done by supplying pumice for "breeze" floors. The whole trend of building nowadays is to construct a building as nearly fire* proof as is humanly possible by substituting concrete or ""breeze" floors for wood. Indeed, the building by-law insists that the first floor of a business block within a oertain area shall be so constructed. The preference is given to the "breeze" floors as they are almost, if not quite as strong as the concrete floors, but, owing to their lightness, they relievo the walls of a good deal of weight. Usually the "breeze" floors are made of coke or cinders and cement, but in both those mixtures tlrere is flammable matter, and, given tho necessary heat below, floors made of coke breeze would acquire a dangerously high temperature. Such would not be the case with pumice, which is tougher than either coke or cinders, and has already been subjected to. a greater degreo of heat than it is possiblo to obtain by artificial means. Our informant states that the heavy rail charges have hitherto prevented the development of tho pumice breeze industry, and if successful representations could be made to the Minister for Railways to reduce those charges, tho enormous deposits of pumice in tho north would form a constituent in building of much value. :