New Flooring Material.

Progress, Volume XIV, Issue 9, 1 May 1919, Page 497

New Flooring Material.

A new kind of wood floor material has recently been put on the market in America, First of all there is a base block to ensure a uniform level, so that no single block is able to shift above or below its fellows. 'Each block is eight inches in length and three and one-half inches in width. The only’ preparation of the sustaining floor is that of levelling. A grille or lattice, regularly spaced, lies between the supporting boards and the permanent concrete floor. The wood blocks are nailed down, the points clinching against the concrete. v Wise men make mistakes— continue to make them.' - * ,

tions to submit competitive drawings has not been as good as might have been expected. This, however, did not interfere with the extent and value of the exhibition, for the New South Wales Government sent six cases of interesting exhibits, and the contributions of Mr C. C. Reade, the South Australian Town Planning officer, arrived in nine cases. The exhibition took up alcoves around the whole floor of the hall, and extended through the wide corridors. As the great object of the conference was to spread the knowledge of the principles and value of town planning, the Government decided that the exhibition would be free to the public. The official guide to the exhibition indicated the route to be taken to derive the most effective educative advantage from what was to be seen.

When we turn to the delegates’ list, there is something more, satisfactory than the response to the call for designs and plans. The great majority of local bodies in New Zealand were represented, as well as a number of other organisations interested in civic improvement. Between 300 and 400 delegates attended the conference. . Restrictions upon travelling owing to influenza precautions, prevented the Hon. J. D. Fitzgerald, Town Blaming Minister of New South Wales,, from attending. He was to have read a paper on the Daceyville garden suburb, but he had to forward it to be placed before the conference by tinhonorary organiser. A number of good illustrations of this workingmen’s suburb were shown by the lantern.

The Queensland Minister for Local Government, Mr lluxham, and the Queensland Under Secretary for Local Government, were also prevented from attending owing to the quarantine regulations. Air Burleigh Griffin, the designer of the Australian Commonwealth capital, Canberra, has sent number of valuable designs and lantern slides. As so much interest is now being, taken in Avar memorials, a special department of the exhibition was set aside for this subject, and a good collection of designs secured, showing suggestions for individual monuments, tablets, and arches. One of the most important phases illustrated was the proper environment of memorials. Housing was discussed in' three papers, and a large amount of the illustrative matter shown also dealt with this pressing subject. New Zealand arciiilccts have been given an opportunity to contribute information and designs dealing with the domestic art of New Zealand, and this has been fairly well taken up by the profession.

Lantern displays formed an important part of the conference proceedings. Mr Hurst Seager has a collection of 3500 slides to draw upon, and the New Zealand Picture Supplies Company placed the whole of its extensive film resources at his disposal to select films which, by reason of the picturesque settings, or the photographs of well-known city features, were of value in illustrating the methods of town planning.

As a useful permanent record, the Government will publish an illustrated report of the proceedings, including the full text of the papers and a good summary of the'discussions. The conference should have valuable educative results, and give great impetus to the town planning movement in New Zealand.