THE NEW MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2599, 20 July 1881, Page 2

THE NEW MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE.

The new Tirnaru Mechanics’ Institute is now so rapidly approaching completion that probably some description of •the building, erected on the site of the old Institution destroyed by lire some months ago, may not bo considered premature. To say that the new building is a vast improvement upon the old one would be superfluous, for even the most casual observer must have noticed its external superiority and with this its internal arrangements are quite in keeping. The new building is of solid brick faced with compo, and belongs to the Italian style of architecture. It is two-storied and has a frontage of 66 feet long by 36 feet in depth, A tasteful pediment rises from the centre of the roof bearing a label, on which appears the words “ Tirnaru Mechanics’ Insti tute, 1881,” and surrounding it is an ornamental scroll of acorns and oak leaves intertwined. The new building was only.commenced some four months ago, and has cost £I3OO, a moderate sum enough when the accommodation provided and the nature of the work are taken into consideration. Mr M. de H. Duval was the architect, whose design was selected from a number of others sent in to the Institute Committee, in response to their invitation for competitive designs. Mr Duval’s design at the time of its acceptance was subjected to some severe criticism, and there were not wanting those who were ready to condemn the new building while as yet it only existed on paper. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and it would probably have been very difficult to have hit upon a more suitable design in every respect than that of Mr Duval. The building has no pretensions to bo considered a line one in the ordinary sense of the word, but it is very tasteful and eminently adapted to the purposes for which it is intended, and altogether it should form a noteworthy addition to the public buildings of Tirnaru. The contractor, we may state, was Mr Noil Murphy, who appears to have performed his share of the work in a highly satisfactory manner. The carpentering work also has been entrusted to Mr Neil Murpli3 r , the painting and glazing to Mr James Cragie, the whole of the plastering to Messrs Griffin and Gow, the plumbing to Mr W. A. Ford, aud Messrs Scott Bros., of Manchester street, Christchurch, supply the grates. All this work is of the best description, and no trouble or expense has been spared to attain a satisfactory result. We will, now proceed to describe the interior of the edifice .

Passing through the massive entrance doors, the visitor finds himself in a vestibule measuring lift by lift. On either hand swing doors give access to the library on the left, and the news room on the right hand. The library is a spacious apartment 28ft Gin by 25ft, and is light and airy in appearance. A counter 2ft Gin in height runs round three sides of the room, fitted with sliding panels, so that it may be easily accessible as a receptacle for newspaper files, unbound magazines, &c. Above the counter run the bookshelves. These shelves would easily accommodate four or five. thousand volumes, while in the event of even more space being required in the future, the interior of the counters before mentioned, could be made to hold several hundred additional. Along the upper end of the room and running its whole length is a lobby or recess sft wide, intended for lumber, odds and ends &c.

It bas been objected that the present requirements of our public library do not demand anything like the space indicated, and that when the books are removed from the temporary premises in which they now are, that they will bo lost in the big room here provided for them. But if this is a fault it is surely a fault on the right side. The future, and not the present only, should be considered in a matter of this kind, and the time will certainly come, if Timaru is to realise the anticipations of those who best know its possibilities, when the ample accommodation available for library purposes will be hailed with satisfaction, and the foresight of the architect who planned and the Committee who approved it, commended. On the right hand side is the news room, a pleasant apartment of 30ft. by 25ft., with a tasteful wainscotting of plain rimu wood in its natural state, arranged in panels which are to be surrounded by oak graining and which will, when finished, doubtless present a nice appearance. The mantelpieces are not yet fixed, but are to be of carved wood and finished in black and gold, throughout the building. _ And here it may be noted that special attention has been paid to the ventilation, the rooms being fitted with Tobin’s patent ventilators, the patent Archimedean screw ventilators for the ceilings, while each chimney-breast is furnished with an Arnold ventilator. At the top right hand corner of the apartment will be found a convenient little lavatory, which will doubtless be appreciated in the warm weather by subscribers visiting the room. Opening

out of the vestibule is the enhance hall, lift by 36ft.' At the end a small door leads to the rear of the promises. This door has only been fixed as a temporary convenience, provision having been male here for a spacious arched way leading to the public hall, which it was originally designed should form a portion of tile building, and which, should Mr Turnbull’s legislative efforts to obtain borrowing powers for the Institute Committee be successful, will doubtless yet form a portion of the new Institute. When the public hall is added, the brickwork surrounding this small door, can easily be removed, so as to admit of the connection of the hall with the Institute. Before proceeding to describe the upper storey, it may be stated that the lower iioor is 14ft and the upper 12ft, in the dear. At tho upper lefthand corner of the entrance hall a staircase, s£t wide, conducts the visitor to the upper regions. The principal apartment on tin’s floor is 37ft Gin by 24ft. Here the future meetings of the Timaru Debating (Society will, we understand, Bike place, and here the Chess Club (if it while is still in existence) will also meet, the room is also'well adapted for halls, concerts, lectures, etc. It was originally intended that there should be a separate committee room, but at the request of the committee the architect altered his plans, and the committee room and public room were thrown into one. In ease any fears may-be entertained by nervous or irritable subscribers whose dancing days are over,” that they will be annoyed by the proceedings overhead on public occasions, it may be as well to mention that the upper floor is a double one and has been specially furnished with hair and mortar pugging to deaden sound. Tho large room referred to above is wainscotted in a similar manner to the news room. Adjoining it is a refreshment room 12ft by 10ft, and a cloak room Gft by 10ft, attd beyond these again are the Librarian’s p.ivato apartments comprising a sitting room 14ft by 13ft; 'bedroom 14ft by 13ft ; kitchen, 13ft by Gft, and a small pantry.

The whole building is well supplied with windows, the largo triple windows in the library and news room, on the ground floor, 12ft by 9ft, forming conspicuous features of the building. We understand that the premises will be ready for occupation in a week or ten days time, some minor details only remaining to be completed.