GENERAL GOVERNMENT PUBLIC BUILDINGS AT LYTTELTON.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 337, 12 July 1875, Page 2

GENERAL GOVERNMENT PUBLIC BUILDINGS AT LYTTELTON.

This useful pile of buildings has been erected by the General Government at the junction corner of Norwich Quay and Oxford street, and coutains the several departments of Post office, Custom house, Telegraph office, Harbour Master's offices, and the Government annuities. The building is ia the Italian style, and has a very pretty and pleasing appearance. The foundations below ground level are constructed of Portland cement and shingle concrete, with blue stone rubble walling in mortar from the concrete to the ground floor. The superstructure ia composed of brickwork in mortar, exterior face tuck pointed, with Portland cement dressings. The back front has been cemented down so as to protect it against the southwest storms. The external quoins of theu pper storey are of Portland cement rusticated and vermiculated. The window open* inga to the upper storey are semi-circle heads with cement dressings of detached. columns on each side with oap and l&ble. Below the window sills is a moulded and]

den tied string course round the two main fronts. The window openings on the ground floor are constructed with segmental heads and Portland cement dressings, and around the piers that divide the window openings is a moulded band filled with acanthus leaves.

The building is 69ft long by 45ft wide ; the height of the front to Norwich Quay is about 28ft. This front is divided by a recess of lift by sft, and is filled in with a portico ■which stands on four columns, with caps enriched by acanthus leaves the same as the moulded band before mentioned, and forms the principal entrance to the building. On the north-east corner of the building, fronting Norwich Quay and Oxford street, is formed a clock turret, which is to receive a clock with four dials, striking the hours on a bell hung for that purpose. The height of the clock turret above the main building is about 20ft. The principal entrance is from Norwieh Quay. Inside the entrance is a vestibule with the diferent departments leading from it. The compartment on the right hand is the customs' department, containing long room, collector's room,' and examination room. That on the left is the postmaster's room; fronting the entrance door in the vestibule are two pairs of swing doors, one gives access to the telegraph department, while the other affords entrance to a lobby, for the public to post or receive letters. Inside this lobby and fronting Oxford street and the harbor is the sorting room for letters, 26ft by 18ft. Adjoining the sorting room and fronting Oxford street are the private boxes for letters; the public will have access to these boxes by an entrance door at the north-east corner of the building, fronting Norwich quay. Admission to the different departments on the upper floor is attained by a fine large and easy staircase constructed of kauri with a spacious landing at top. On the left of this landing is the public room for the telegraph department, 26ft by 17ft; this room •will be divided across the centre, with a counter 4ft wide, for the public to write their messages on. Adjoining this room is the operators'apartment, 26ft xl7ft; it is directly over the long room, fronting Norwich quay. The messengers' room adjoins the landing and operators' rooms. On the right of the landing is a corridor leading east to Oxford street, and on the right and left of this corridor are two rooms set apart for the Government annuities, one fronting to Norwich »Quay and' the other towards the harbor. iFurther along the corridor is the harbormaster's room, fronting} Oxford street, where he will be able to see the signals from the iflag pole, and also part of the harbor. Op- ; posite the harbor-master's room, on the left >of the corridor, is a room set apart for the of the harbor-master, through -which access is gained to a small staircase leading up to the clock chamber. The whole «of the rooms are 12ft from floor to ceiling, and are well ventilated through the insertion >Of iron air bricks just below the ceiling, and ••air flues carried up the walls into the roof sand discharged. The partition walls throughout the.building are 14in and 9in brickwork, -and ithe external walls 18in brickwork. The vwhole of the interior of the rooms are plastered with lime and sand, three coats, and well finished, the whole of them being proTided with fireplaces, which are fitted with registered grates and kauri wood mantelpiece The whole of the timber in the interior ot tne building is of kauri varnished, :and*asar ej T° ice ?PP e .^ nce - a . ~ This fine i7 ile ot builain g ß waß designed "?bT Mr -m- H the Colonial Architect. The works hav? be « n 0 the superintendence of Mr A u f n re i'',%±? of wofks appointed by fttaShSte ment, who was sent from Au. this purpose. We must cong. Dded his officer on the success which has at. tr T m efforts. The contract was taken by ~. .' Greig, of Christchurch, and great creu * due to him for the way in which he has pt. formed his contract. The brick and stone work was jdone by Mr Wm. Greig, and the Portland dressings and interior plastering by Mr S Andrews, of Christchurch. Since the building has been finished the Government have thought proper to open up the cellars below -the ground-floor, which will give a great deal of valuable room to the different departments habited in the building. Tenders have been sent in to the Government for the interior fitting* for the different departments, and we should imagine that they will be in correspondence with the building These fittings will probably be completed in about six weeks, and it is to be hoped that at the end of that time each department will be able to occupy their new quarters.