GROWING WELLINGTON. The Jerry Builders' Paradise.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 168, 19 September 1903, Page 8

GROWING WELLINGTON. The Jerry Builders' Paradise.

AWAY back in. the dead-and-gone months v. c 'had the temerity to suggest that modern weatherboard Wellington was a ramshackle affair. We asserted that much green shakytimber was used in the construction of houses that could not be pub up fast enough, and that the workmanship was about as poor in this city and its suburbs as in any place in New Zealand, and we called down the wrath of the builders in consequence. One gentleman asserted that "the builders had to take whatever was sent them." Presumably, from the mills. * * * Captaan Hugo, of the Fire Brigade, has now pointed out, that the method of lining houses with green, rough boards was a really good one for charrng the whole of a building in as short a time as possible. Everyone knows that, Li the average rough-lined wall, as built in Wellington, the space® between the boards are anything from an eighth to five-eighths of an inch, that very many of the houses now going up are built on green, joists, green plates, and with green scantlings, and that the result is a most desirable-looking house, which is most undesirable to live in. * * ♦ If you live in the average house that has been built within the past eighteen months, you will know that the cupboards are wind shoots, the windows badly fitted by reason of shrinkage, tihe doors (which are generally the driest things 1 in. the house, being kauri) out of plumb by reason of the falling of the frames, and the whole p ace draughty and disagreeable. Houses are being built to sell or let, and, no matter how badly they are built, tenants or buyers can be immediately found. * • * Where rents are so high, and fires so prevalent, it is undoubtedly a crying shame- that such a state of things should exist. It doesn't take one to be an expert to find out if the timber being used in scores of buildings at the present time 13 green. Watoh a carpenter drive a nail, and see the sap ooze. No skill is required to know when the whole of the doors or windows of a recently-built house want "easing," and anybody can see a big "shake" in a joist if he is on the spot before the weatherboard and paint part of the process is progressing. Of course, the carpenters of Wellington are skilled men. The builders of this cdty probably don't care as long as they are "tigers." "Got finished" is the ory, and it is bad for the tenant and the insurance company.

Esprit de corps is not merely a name with the Wellington Guards. No. 2 section of the local "Household regiment" entertained the remaining sections at the Albert Hotel on Thursday, 10th instant. They had a jolly time, Sesrgeant Bolland being in the chair. supported bv Captain J. Duthie and Lieutenant Smith. Somo: and story whil-ed the pleasant hours away, and many toasts were enthusiastically honoured. Mr. Cimino presided at the piano. * ♦ • The abridged prospectus of the New Zealand Automatic Ventilator Company, Limited, now in course of formation, is set out elsewhere, and is worth the perusal of intending shareholders. The company is to be formed to acquire the patent rights of Slack's patent automatic ventilator. The ventilator is a New Zealand invention, and nothing approaching its completeness or simplicity has been put on the market elsewhere. It is exceedingly cheap. * * One of its finest features is the fact that by its use air is diffused without creating draughts. It decreases the velocity of air to a minimum without deoreasing the supply. Its action is automatic, and it cannot get out of order. The headquarters of the company will bo in New Zealand, although universal patents will be held. As it undoubtedly possesses the qualities claimed for it, the price at which a Wellington manufacturer offers to supply it— 4s 6d — is extremely cheap.