ELECTRIC POWER BOARD

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4431, 23 June 1922, Page 2

ELECTRIC POWER BOARD

HEAD OFFICE BUILDING). WELL EQUIPPED OFFICES; The new head offices of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board have just been completed at Te Aroha, and are a distinct acquisition to the town. Soon after the establishment of the Board ft was decided that Te Aroha would be the most central town from which to work the vast district under the Board's control. Steps were taken to secure a suitable and convenient site upon which to erect au up-to-date building for the Board’s many purposes. The section chosen was at the corner, of Bridge and Lipsey streets, near the railway station. Plans were prepared by the Board's architect, Mr. E. E. Gillman, and- the contract was entrusted to Mr. W. Marshall, builder, both of Paeroa. The bui'ding is of reinforced concrete, built on the pier and curtain wall principle, and having both floors of reinforced concrete. The Board’s officers are now comfortably installed in their various departments, and appreciate the change from the crowded and inconvenient state they have been compelled to put up with. A “Gazette” representative paid a visit of inspection to the two-storied building and was shown over the premises by the accountant, Mr. G. A. Bush. The main entrance is from Bridge Street, and just to the right of the inner doors is the main stairway leading to the general offices and board room. The stairs lead to a landing 22ft x 15ft, from which tho various rooms have access and are as follows: Board room, 17ft x 3,2 ft; Engineers’ room, ,13ft x 22ft Bin; Chairman’s room, 12ft x lift; Manager’: room, 22ft x 13ft; General Office, 38ft x 27ft, out of which is the entrance to the strong room. On this first floor arc also the retiring rooms for the staff and the suite occupied by the Piako County Council. The dimensions of the rooms on the ground floor are approximately as follows: Showroom, 31ft x 40ft; two repair rooms, each 22ft x 22ft; store room, 31ft x 40ft; lobby, 9fjt x sft; vestibule, 15ft x Bft. By a passage from the vestibule access can also be obtained to the showroom, workshop, and store room. It will thus bee seen that the rooms ar.e commodious, and are higlrceiled. and well-lighted, the walls being of white plaster and ceilings of fibrous plaster and panelled put in oiled rimu cornice and battens. The Board room is conveniently situated and equipped, with the manager’s and engineers’ rooms adjoining, and each has an access, by a connecting doorway, to the board room. AH are lighted with steel-framed sashes and welllights from the roofl. The large rooms have additional ventilation through airshafts carried from the skylight wells direct through the root Downstairs a large doorway at the corner gives- access to a showroom, off which is a small dark-room fpr displaying lamp shades in the day-time. This showroom is probably not equalled for size by any other showroom used for a similar purpose in the country towns of the North Island. Alongside this is a large room for mechanics, well equipped to permit pf immediate attention being given to repair or alteration work that will be continually coming in. The next room is a very large one, utilised for storage of the thousand and one electrical fittings stocked by the Board flor the reticulation of its vast area. A few minutes spent here serves to convey art idea of the huge undertaking tl e Board has in hand. A number ofsmaller rooms will be adopted to requirements, as they arise, while commodicus strong rooms are. provided ou both floors. The whole buijding is electrically lighted and heated, .the artificial lighting being very effectively arranged. The exterior- walls are finished in cement plaster and blocked out on the two street frontages. The whole of the joinery, which is heart of rimu, was manufactured and supplied by Messrs. Le Manqnais, Lamb and Co., of Paeroa, and is a distinct credit to the flvm. The stair-rail looks particularly well and shows- the high-quality work this firm turns out. The workmanship throughout is alike creditable to the architect, the builder, and all who have been associated with its erection. The cost of the work was about £9300', and the building is sp constructed as to be a lasting asset to the Board. The Board is now opening up a large consignment of electrical appliances, including ovens, radiators, irons, kettles, toasters, etc., and th? various branches will receive a supply of goods at ah early date. When the showroom is completed it will b& well worth seeing.