BANK OF NEW ZEALAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 36, 13 February 1867, Page 2

BANK OF NEW ZEALAND.

As this building is completed, adescriptioii of it may not be unacceptable to some of our readers. It is, independently of the yard walls, 132 feet long by 46 feet 6 inches wide. Its height from the gtound to the top pediment is 29 ieet 6 inches. The foundation ; s of concrete, the base of Melbourne blue stone, nnd the remainder of the walls of brick, which are plastered with Portland cement. The architectural style is lonic. The building contains 14 rooms besides outhouses. There is the bank room, manager's room 13 feet 6 inches, and tbe others 12 feet. There is a portico in front. Its four brick columns rest on the base of blue stone, the brick of local manufacture. The blue stone use I in the building is a fine and durable material. It is axed and diamond hammered with a three inch fluted margin on the top. Between the columus iu frout cast-iron railings nre fi::ed, which with the gates, were obtained from Melbourne. The steps to the portico and to all the door-ways, are of Melbourne blue stone. The public offices are floored with Yorkshire paving. The strong rooms are concreted underneath, aud. paved with three-inch stone flags. The brickwork of the building is old English bond. It is grouted every second course. All the walls are tied with four tiers of strong hoop-iron, and three tiers in height, each tier is well elapsed, and all the joints are ruu through a mixture of hot tar. The running of the iron through the tar is to prevent its rusting. The lime used in the buildiug is said to be a first-class material. Ic is furnished by Mr. Lukins, of Kelson. The bricks are also of local manufacture, by Messrs. John aud James Patching, and W. Osman. Eelieving arches are constructed over all the openings, to take the weight of! those parts of the building. The strong room is arched with semicircular bricks, four rims thick, and set solid in cement. The projection of the cornice is all carried out with flag core. At the back of the building a large circular tank has been dug. It is lined with brick, cemented, and is capable of holding 14,000 gallons of water, which is obtained from the roof. It has a cylindrical dome ou the top, and receives the water from the roof in pipes of sixinch glazed stoneware, brought from Melbourne. Every room and passage of the building is ventilated by means of flues, with cast-iron gratings at the mouths. Two courses of slates are placed immediately below the ground floor wall plates, bedded and cemented in asphalte, to prevent the damp from rising and to keep the timber sound. The drains from the various offices to the main sewer are constructed of nine-inch pipes. The roof is covered with the best countess slates, each slate is fastened with zinc nails. The roof and joists are of best rimu wood, and the ceilings, which are panelled, of totara. The floor is of red pine, oue and a quarter-inch grooved and tongued. The mouldiugs and panels are all of totara. All the external walls are plastered with Portland cement. The walls of the foundations are three feet thick ; the front walls and those of the strong room are two feet- three ; above the foundations the walls of the front and sides of the public offices are eighteen inches thick ; all the other walls are fifteen inches thick. We understand the the building has cost from £7000 to £8000. Mr. Terry, of Melbourne, w:-s the architect j and Mr. John Scott, of the sole contractor for the whole of the wotk. During the early part of the work, Mr. Thomas Younger was foreman of the brick and stone works. Mr. W. Smith was clerk of the works. There is a good supply of water on the premises, kept in a tank which communicates with a well, in which a depth of 24 feet of water has beeu secured.