New Picture House

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 83, 29 June 1927, Page 14

New Picture House

Northcote’s Acquisition

Opened Last Evening

Proof of the prosperity of the North Shore boroughs is shown in the handsome new structure costing nearly £B,OOO, opened at Northcote last night.

The building, which comprises a cinema, garage and four large spacious shops, is built of ferro-concrete blocks, reinforced with solid concrete columns. It is finished in rough-cast, and covers an area of 139 feet by 90 feet. The floor space is 11,700 square feet. The cinema hall, which is one of the best, for its size, in or around Auckland, has every modern equipment. The walls are p.anelled between white plaster pillars. The seating capacity is 500. The seats are the tip-up type, and are identical to those in use at the New Regent Theatre. They are movable and will be stored underneath the stage when the hall is used for dancing.

The stage, which is large and spacious, has been so arranged so that it can be used as a supper room. Provision has been made for an orchestra by a sunken well. The floor, which is constructed of especially hard wood, has received special treatment, so that the hall can be used for dancing. Modern lighting effects have been installed, and the place is adaptable to vaudeville shows.

Special arrangements have been made to minimise the risk of fire, a plentiful supply of emergency exits have been provided, and the operating box, always a danger point, has been constructed on the roof, and is under a separate roof.

The garage, which is the same size as the cinema hall, is equipped with

atest devices, and is to house the Waitemata Bus Company’s fleet of

Duses. Messrs. E. G. Fraser and Company ire the owners of the building, which was built by Messrs. Hall and Broady, local building contractors. The architect is Mi'. Horace Stringer, of North - cote.

The Mayor of Northcote officially opened the cinema last night.

The Finance Committee of the London County Council recently referred back to the Housing Committee a proposal to spend a large sum of money building wooden houses, pointing out that the annual deficiency on the houses proposed would be £7 15s 5d against lid for the same house in brick.