LARGEST MOTOR GARAGE IN NEW ZEALAND

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2497, 25 June 1915, Page 11

LARGEST MOTOR GARAGE IN NEW ZEALAND

AN ENTERPRISINC FIRM. DOMINION MOTOR .VEHICLES, LTD. AA'ars may rage and nations rise and fall, but nothing appears to affect the triumphant march of tho motor. If the horso was known for centuries as man's faithful friend, what praise term can bo applied to the motor, which is with increasing rapidity demonstrating its superiority to all other forms of locomotion ill everyday use? One only has to think for a moment. A litle more than ten years ago it was quite a- feat for a car to travel through from AVellington to Palmorston North or Napier, and the announcement "AVe came through by car" was a boast really worth while. At the present time such through trips are an everyday performance, with everyday people, who find such journeys infinitely more comfortable, interesting, and even more economical than railway progression. In the Wellington district particularly tho motor has pushed its way vigorously to the front in the most aggressive, even arrogant fashion. People have learnod that residence in fflio suburbs, even the hilly suburbs, is a simpler matter with a motor-car as an aid; merchants storekeepers have found it the quickost and cheapest method to employ in the delivery of goods, and throughout the district farmers have been ablo to attend sales and make deals with ono another over infinitely longer distances than was possible when they had to depend 011 "man's best friend." Ihe acceptance of the motor vehicle as "the thing" in New Zealand l is only a repetition of the experience of other countries and AVellington's confidence in the future of the motor is only that of every other live community in the world. That this confidence has been well established is made clear by a. glance round at the fine array of modG £ n buildings dedicated to His Majesty the Motor. The latest example of tangible confidence in the future of the car is the commodious and substantial structure that has been erected by t<he Dominion Motor A r ehicles, Ltd., in Taranald Street, a building that is claimed to be the largest motor garage in the Dominion. The now building which presents a business-like facade m red brick has a frontage of 60ft. to Taranaki Street (within a biscuit toss of Courtenay Place), and has a depth of 120 ft. —extending right back to a point where It practically joins the company's liead-quart-ers, a three-story brick structure fronting Courtenay Place (directly opposite tho AA'ellington Gas Company's premises). Tile garage, which boasts two expansive flats, calculated to accommodate about 200 cars, has all the necessary features common to a modern garage, and others that must be recognised as serviceable embellishments. There arp two great turn-tables each seventeen feet in diameter that a child could' kick round, placed centrally in tho garage, and at the back a serviceable working pit 15 feet long and 4 ft. deep. In the front part of the ground floor 011 cither side of the main entrance aro two apartments, one a waiting and dressing-room for ladies, fitted with every convenience and even furnished with such feminine necessities as hairbrushes, combs\ hairpins, etc., so that ladies coming from a distance may have a general_ brush up before facing the public. This apartment has a large mirror, is handsomely carpeted, and cosily furnished. On the other sido is the foreman's office, whero an elaborate cash register will keep a minute check on the earnings of each department. Elevated a little above the garago floor is a telephone room, from which centre there will be an internal telephone -system to all parts of both the company's buildings, and where records will bo kept of the garage business. The capacious, well-light-ed first floor —largo enough for demonstration purposee—will be the showroom. Cars to oe deposited for show on this floor will be raised by means of an electrical hoist through a central opening in the floor, and not only will cars up to 3 tons weight bo hoisted by that means to the upper floor, but once above the floor tho hoist may travel the whole length of the building with its burden, lowering it wherever'required. Tho rear portion of the first floor is partitioned off about 30ft. from tho end to provide for a workshop, where will be fitted up a._ lathe, milling machine, grinding machine, radial drill, gas case-harden-ing furnace, and other appliances necessary to the business. There will also be a portable crano for use in any part of the garago, capable of lifting weight up to a ton and a half. The new garage will be made available to tho public on Monday next. The company's handily-situated building in Courtenay Place is in three floors. The officers are situated on the ground floor, and, the first and second floors are used for the storage of spare parts, and accessories to the trade. The building connects with the new garage at the rear. The now building, which sets a fine standard, was designed by Mr. J. Dawson, and built by Messrs Campbell and Burke.