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Building Services Electrical The premises were served by both A.C. and D.C. supplies of power. A.C. The A.C. supply was laid on from a pole in Colombo Street and entered the building through a conduit above the first-floor level at the north-east corner of Block 1. A fuse for each phase was located inside the building at the point of entry. From this point the incoming main was led in armoured cable to the main A.C. switchboard located against the south wall of the basement in Block 4. The cable was taken down a duct in the north-east corner of Block 1 to below the ground-floor level, then southward along the east wall for approximately 8 ft., after which it was taken between the joists of the ground floor and over the top of the beams supporting them to the west end of the basement along a line approximately 10 ft. from the north wall. Passing under the ground floor at the rear of Block 1, the cable was taken across the basement of Block 4 to the north wall of that basement then turned southward along a timber beam to the main switchboard. Main Switchboard. —This carried the main circuit breaker and switches and fuses for the sub-circuits. Current-transformers were mounted behind the switchboard which was totally enclosed by a wire mesh screen. Alternating current (A.C.) was used for lighting throughout the building, minor space heating, single-phase power for small motors, and three-phase power for larger motors, including those for two electric hoists. D.C. —The D.C. supply entered the building from Colombo Street at the south-east corner of Block 1. The incoming D.C. main was taken along the south wall of the right-of-way on the south side of Block 1 to the D.C. switchboard on the south wall of the ground floor of Block 4, the main fuses being mounted on the switchboard. Direct current (D.C.) was used for driving both the passenger-lifts and also motors of sewing-machines in the dress-making department. Fire-alarms. —There was no fire-alarm system, either automatic or manual, installed in the building. Bells. —A system of time-bells was installed on the wall opposite the door of the cash-desk for the purpose of informing the staff of the times for commencement and cessation of work. These bells were operated automatically by a time mechanism located immediately alongside the bells. There was a night bell situated on the ground floor of Block 2 over the opening leading to the main stairway. It was operated from a push button at the staff entrance in the right-of-way from Colombo Street and was used for the purpose of calling the night-watchman when required to admit staff returning back to work after normal working-hours. There was a system of bells for calling the various dressmaking workrooms operated from three bell-pushes located alongside the lift-door on the second floor of Block 2 and from pushes in Miss Drake's room and Miss Hardy's room. A bell in the hairdressing workroom was operated by a push near the entrance to the hairdressing department, and a bell in the credit office was operated from a push in the credit manager's office. F ire-fgh t ing Equ ipm en t Hoses. —There were four first-aid fire-hoses situated at accessible points on the roofs of Blocks 1, 3, 4, and 5, and also in the kitchen on the second floor of Block 6. A canvas fire-hose was provided in the tea-room on the first floor of Block 6. Fire-extinguishers, fifty in number, were well distributed throughout the building. They were serviced by the Christchnrch Fire Brigade at six-monthly intervals.

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