THE NEW G.P.O.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1569, 12 October 1912, Page 9

THE NEW G.P.O.

A STRUCTURE BUILT TO LAST. BIGGEST STONE BUILDING IN NBWi ZEALAND. Three years ago tho Government called for tenders for tho erection of a new General Post Oificc, lo cover tho balance of (hut block of city land, tho castcu half of which was then occupied by tho General PosL Office, It will be three years next month sinco the contract was secured by Messrs. J. mid A. Wilson, whoso work commenced practically at tho ground level, as llio fcubstanlial f'uundalions for tho edifice had already been built by day lnbour under tho direction of the Public Works Department. To-day tho huge building is completed, and before tho en.l oi tlio month llio contractors hopo lo bo in a position to hand it over to the big >M growing Department it is to accommodate.

Tho plans of tho Government Architect (Mr. John Campbell) provided for a modern Btoiie -.iitl brjck building to cover more than half Uie bluttt, 6iirr.,.mded by Customhouse Quay, lircy, jVeuthcrsloii, and Panama htrcets, lour Tories iu neig it, with a capacious basement, whicn is almost equivalent to u fifth, floor. To « (juito accurate, the building covers ji block of land hiving a fronta,;j of 172 ft. to 1-eatherston Street, 126 ft. to Panama Street, and 129 ft. to Grey Street. In general design, the style of architecture may bo sot down under the heading of uiouern rena-.ss.ince, uniformly massive ni appearance, and without tho relief which might have been given by a variegation of the lone in maloriula. The base w if smoko-blue smooth Dobson's stone (from Groymoiith), rising to a height of 5 ioet above the sheet level. The rest of tho building i< r nCPcl with_ creamy white Tonga has granite, which is , t valuable . cuildina stono oi coarse tcxlure (capable of taking a brilliant mirror polish). .Tho front elevation is broken u B with a thrce-nrcli entrance, surmounted with a handsome pieceof. allegorical statuary by Mr. Alfred Drury, W.A., of London, Jlnnkal by two other allegorical figures. Further picasing relief is afforded by ten three-quarter lonic columns (topped with very haudlomo capitals) extending for n height of two stories. Host of the ornamentation of tho structure forms part of the skyline. These are two stone-capped domes at either end of tho Feathcrston Street elevation, a massive parapet,, and an ornamental elaboration in masonry in high'relief in the centre lends weight ana dignity to the general appearance of the building. ' Concentration, For some years past the various branches of tho i'ost and Telegraph Department have been scattered all over tho town, and to those unacquainted with the run of them, tho situation must be rather perplexing. With. Uio completion ol the new building that disadvantage i* to he overcomo completely, for all branches which deal directly, with the public are to bo gathered under the one roof.

. The lmrceis branch, now located in the Old JJrillshed in Alagiunity Street, is to occupy practically the whole ot the basement of Iho new G.1'.0. (where lhi> walls are 4ft. Gin. in thickness). Tho entrance will be from Grey Street, at a point near .the present entrance to the old privatcbo'x bureau. In addition to tlio parcels branch, accommodation is provided for seven strong-rooms (in tho centra of tho building), a battery room and a boiler room (lor tho hot-water radiator heating system).

Tho ground floor is gained ty a short flight of rather steep steps, admitting by three somo>vhat narrow arched ways to tho main entrance, in tho centre or tlio l'Vathereton Street frontage. Tho steps lead to a vestibule Wit. long by about 18ft. in depth.,., The iloor is inlaid ,with, mosaic, tiling, and tho walls are faiscd 'with palo cream and sage green l'ilkington, tiles, tho green tiles being used ns a dado both tf.ero aud on each stairway and flat aboro tho main entrance. From the vestibule ouo may either mount to tho ,floors above by way of a narrow winding concrero stairway, or may step into tho haadsome electric elevator, one of four (two for passengers and two ior mails), supplied by Messrs, Tnrnbull and Jones, of Wellington, Straight ahead big swing doors of Tasmaiiiau blackwood (not nearly so handsomo a wood as our own riulu) "admit to what is said to hi the most iiairieo.no public post office chamber in Australasia, Tho chamber practically covers the wholo of tho central section of tho ground floor, but is circumscribed as far as the public is concerned by a. counter, 400 ft. in length, and eliptical in shape, with the main swing doors aforesaid acting na a fato to th« enclosure eo formed. The floor is of jarrah, tho counter, faced with, brown and grey mottled marble (from Australia), topped with polished Tasmanian blackwoou, is a b'tutiful pieeo of work,

A Palatial Apartment,

The bright and particular,glory of tbo apartment, however, are the dome lights overhead. The largo central dome, exquisitely designed in electro-copper glazed wort, is 2Vft. in diameter, and surrounding this great central N illumination seven smaller domes, facsimiles in design to tho centre-piece. In the centre oftiro chamber is a circular rotunda for the disposal of stamps. Salo counters are provided on each side, and tho rest of the square is divided into desks, where the public may/ conveniently stamp its letters. There are- also two rows of desks, running between the rotunda and the main entrance, lor tho convenience of tho public, who are also provided with three telephone booths behind the counter <it the other end of tho chamber.

Tho Savings Bank opens off tho vest), bule to tho left on entering. It is au apartment 120 ft. long by 50ft. broad, fitted similarly to the main chamber and . provided with twenty desks. On tho other (tho right-hand or south) side of the vestibule arc tho posting slots (faced with tiles). The rest of the ground flooor (on the Grey Street side) is the big mallroom (120 ft. by SOft.), and the nrivaln letter-boxes (supplied by Chubbs'), which aro reached from an entrance in Grey Street. The disposition of the space on tho first floor involves two big divisions on cither side of tho domes which light tho public chamber below. The lone room on the Ciroy Street fide (101 ft. by 50ft.) will bo occupied by tho letter-carriers and that on the Panama Street side (also 120 ft. by 50ft.) will nccommodate the telegraph operators, who are . to' 1)0 supplied with a new sot of Morse ' instruments and new heavy tables of pol- | ished'Australian maple. Tho front ofiicps ■ (facin? Fpathfrston Street will 1» occupied by tho chief electrician, chief telegraph engineer, his clerk, the ofliccr-in-eharge, hjs clerk, and a large wcll-lightod room is provided for laboratory purposes, ' . . Head Office Floor, The second floor is sacred to tho head office- stuff. Hero very fine offices furnished in an up-to-date manner, nro provided for tho Postmaster-General, hie

•privnlo 'secretary, tho Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Chief Clerk, Inspector of Post Qfiiccs, nnil library. Down (lie Panama Street side am largo rooms for the record and correspondence- clerks, and tho Grey Street side to the staff division and Inspector of Telegraphs. Up higher still on tho third floor are. tho offices of the Chief Controller anil Accountant of tho Savings Bank and hi* staff, where overv deposit and withdrawal made from nnv branch of tho Post Offico Savings Bunk in Xew //oaland is recorded. Above is a spacious flat roof, wliero a gaine of bowls or tennis could easily, bo plavod. The roof commands <i fino view of the city and harbour, ami should be a. fine retiring plnco for officers in off "tlio building will be lit with electric light and a system of ejectnc clocks supplied by tho'Magncta Co. will tell tho correct 'time nlways.