THE NEW TOWN HALL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4980, 9 March 1877, Page 7

THE NEW TOWN HALL.

• The City ’ Council Diet on Tuesday,'Match to 'decide as to which* design the premium' ; fpr . the best should 'be‘awarded. There were” .eleven"'djfferent'plan^.Merarsr-Tut|ibWll^randl 'Clay'ton’s being, the r 'Vnfiy ! ' plans'-Vhoseh for consideration.':: The: bth’erh f came fromrrafious parts of the‘colony.' ‘ After "a greafr deal jof consideration, that ~ .bearingthe. “ Teviot ” was accepted,', Mr,' Thomas .Turn-' bull, of Teirnple Chambers,, being the successful: competitor j W. •B/ "thfi< second premium,',,, .V, . f V ’-'■(The'; design,is f or a btt'Mfn® the .first storey to.be of brick'and the'second 'of wood, which' cam be erected ( foy‘the limited sum-named in the conditions, 'Viz.', £10,'060.' ’ The.;, secofad istorey can, however,-be- built of .brick also if’ desired. Insucha case it would be necessary to greatly increase' the thickness of the walls': in. the (first isterey.;, This' would ‘especially.be 'the* case*with? the .large' hall, the side walls j of which ; would. require to be fully 2ft. thick, in the second 1 storey, the estimated Cost; for a complete brick building being fully £13,000, The specifications - are more general than special, as usual.,with competitive designs, the architect remarking that the time given being :exceedingly limited it -was impossible for a busy professional man to enter minutely into., the (.whole of, the details. , .Ifrom;: the : accommodation . required . for . city purposes, coupled, with the, de lie to create as large a revenue’from spare offices as possible, the architect found it diffioult, with the limited sum ;at the disposal of the Council, , to introduce into the

designs those towers or structures to break the sky-line which have become somewhat common of late in large public buildings where money is no object. The general design, .with the introduction of a city clock, at an elevation of 52ft. from the ground, would have an imposing effect if erected, and give to the building all the character of a public Town Hall and offices of the best description. ■-' i | There are ten offices on the ground floor, admirably adapted for the use of barristers, solicitors, and other professional men. All the ground seems to be used in some useful way, the building being kept as close upon the’ streej line as is consistent with, the city bylaws.- The grand staircase is in the middle of the building, the approach being through a large centre door situated in Featherston-street. The first flight is ten feet broad, and the two branches about seven feet broad. There aije also two roomy staircases at the ends, thus leaving plenty ef outlets in case of a. panic seizing an audience. It is also worthy of note that all these stairs on the landings are in free communication with each other, and the whole of them can be reached without disturbing audiences in either the large or small hall. \ The grand staircase could have been placed partly on the outside of the building, but the wind and rain so' prevalent 'in the i city, in winter time, when the hall will be most used for en-

tertainments, fender such a plan exceedingly undesirable. ;;. < , j . Provision is also,-made so. that, in case of public meetings cr entertainments the people going in or out can be confined to the respective part of the buildipg which they are occupyiifg by patent iron'ehutters,' which: can be run up and down.as desired.: When up they .are not seen, therefore .no blemish is caused to the beauty of.’ the. corridors. These shutters- are also designed to'keep the offices of the Corporation entirelyidistihot from those portions: of. the building it maybe deemed desirable, to reiit or otherwise deal with; ' ' . i | Special care seems to. have been taken fp. provide in; the. design that one. wing of the' building, viz., the one having the northern frontage of > 78ft; to Brandon-street, may be erected, if necessary, at a cost of £2200, by itself, leaving the hall and the other wing to be dealt with afterwards. : The > wing referred to would give accommodation’on the > ground

floor for the offices required for his iWorshijp the Mayor and the town clerk’s department, while the second story' would give ■ admirable accommodation for the city surveyor’s department. The elevation is plain and appropriate, but still is imposing, and eminently characteristic •of such a public institution.-. -X)n;the Whole the ..plan is a great success, and we aip sure his fellow-citizens will congratulate Mr. Turnbull ! on the ability with' which he" has designed the Town Hall.' J j. j