LAWRENCE TOWN HALL. (To the Editor.)

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 306, 22 November 1873, Page 3

LAWRENCE TOWN HALL. (To the Editor.)

Sib, —l wish through the medium of your columns to call the attention of the Lawrence Town Council to the class of timber specified to be used in the proposed new Town Hall. In looking over the specifications, I find that all the timber in the roof and joisting is specified to be of birch, and the floors of white pine. Having had some experience in the above-mentioned woods, I assert that a •worse class of timber could not be selected for a building of this description. I will leave it to any practical man, if timber cut down at this time of the year, when the sap is up the tree, can possibly be fit for framing heavy principals, having a thirty-five feet span. It is well known that sizes of timber required for their construction are not kept in stock ; therefore they would have to be cut specially —in fact the timber would be growing the one week and in the building the next. I cannot understand why it is that Mr. Lawson, the architect, has changed his opinion about local woods since the Church of England was built (Mr. Lawson being also the architect for that building). The "wood specified- and used in the erection of the church was nearly all white pine; but at that time the Tuapeka Mouth sawmills (the only place in the district where birch can be procured) was owned by another propriety. Since that mill has changed hands, birch is considered by a few to be as superior to white pine as they considered white pine j was superior to birch before the Tuapeka Mouth mill was purchased by its present proprietors. It is somewhat difficult to account for this sudden change; possibly the same delicate feeling whioh prompted the Mayor to go upon the Bench at the Appeal Court and judge his own acts was also used to influence Mr. Lawson in selecting the class of timber before referred to. I trust these few lines will have the effect desired of calling the attention of the councillors to the subject, and cause them to enquire into the matter, and get the opinion of men who have worked both birch and white pine. —I am, &c. BUILDEB.