USES FOR FLAT ROOFS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 October 1928, Page 6

USES FOR FLAT ROOFS

SHOOTING AND GOLF. TRAINING BANK STAFFS. SYDNEY, October 4. Sydney is putting the great flat root of at least one or two of its skyscrapers to a. useful, if novel, purpose even if, with its unparalleled harbour settings, it is sadly lacking in roof gardens such as those abroad; notably in London and New York, where, one may dine and dance on sweltering summer nights under a soft vclevty, star-stud-ded sky, and in the pure fresh air high above ground. There is being established on the roof of the towering new Savings Bank a revolving and miniature rifle range, with the grim but essentially useful object of teaching the bank clerks high and low, the use of firearms, and of enabling them to meet any mob or other attack on the bank’s vaults. Hidden points df the massive building give strategic command over these rich repositories of the State’s bullion ; but these will be of little value unless the army of bank clerks knows what to cio With a revolver in any emergency.

Sydney will get a bit of a shock alien it first hears the sharp staccato shriek of revolver shots high above the pavement in the heart of the city. Although it lias not a revolver range on its roof, the Commonwealth Bank in common with the other big Sydney banking instutions, insists, under its rule's, "Upon its officers indulging in periodical revolver practice. Sydney however, has not gone" quite so 'far in Lin’s direction as some of the big New York banks, whose clerks' have to go through baton as well as revolver practice.

The roof of another of Sydney’s tallest‘buildings 'is being provided with a putting green and driving course m enable the city members of an excitlsive country club to get in a little practice at golf during Ibe week. .Roof golf is already popular in London, but this will be the first example df it in Sydney, if not in Australia. Unit ■Sydney has not taken more advantage of its flat roofs is amazing, when one thinks of fho magnificient views which they command at night of the harbour and the city and the great metropolis with their phantasmageria of lights. Few of Sydney’s hotels, for example have rodf gardens, and even wlicie these gardens are established they are used for the most part merely as a look-out or as promenades. Except, for its theatres and picture shows, Sydney ,at night is a place of almost sabbatical gloom when on swel tering summer nights, at all events, it ought to be gay with dinner and other roof garden parties. From the eminence of its tallest buildings Sydney commands views which would,make most big cities green with envy, but it. does,.,iiot know bow to take advantage of its heritage. The roof garden at Farmers’s one o>f Sydney’s biggest emporiums, is, without question the finest of its kind in Australia. is open at night, however, only on, Fridays lor a few brief hours, and even then dnneing is not permitted. Sydney rightly prides itself on its progress but it lias yet a good deal to learn in many ways.

A recreation area is to bo provided on the roof of the great building of the -ydney “Morning Rernhl.” now nearing completion, and similar provision is being made in one or two other build ill o; in course of erection.