500 Proceedings. 



in good order, and answering the purposes for which they were erected. 

 As to the question whether it was possible to erect brick buildings in New 

 Zealand, and in Wellington in particular, capable of resisting earth- 

 quakes even of a severer nature than any they had hitherto experienced, 

 he said he had no hesitation in saying that it was, and that buildings of 

 such a character were erected. As Mr. Llaskell had referred to several 

 of the buildings erected under his (Mr. TurnbuU's) care, he desired to 

 say something respecting them. Concerning Messrs. W. and G. Turn- 

 bull's building on the reclaimed land, he stated that he had sug- 

 gested floating foundations, as they were not costly, had stood the 

 earthquakes well in San Francisco, and the filled-in earthwork be- 

 tween the rock below and the foundations of the building would act 

 as a cushion, and deaden the stroke of an earthquake should one 

 occur. This foundation consisted of cross-planking and a double row 

 of beams all bolted together. The motive for this system of foundation 

 was that when a shake occurred the heavy beams and planking would 

 carry the superstructure along with the oscillations of the earthquake. 

 When this building was in course of erection an earthquake occurred. 

 This was at a time when our Solons were in session ; and many of them 

 rushed down to the reclaimed land expecting to see the buildings in 

 ruins, and he supposed they were somewhat disgusted to see the me- 

 chanics at work as if nothing had happened, so little knowledge had they 

 of the strength and tenacity of brick buildings. He mentioned tliis to 

 show that even the siftings of the New Zealand population had little 

 faith at that time in the stability of brick structures in Wellington. He 

 entered into the question of cements, and the most suitable, in his 

 opinion, to be used here, recommending " beton agglomere." Referring 

 to the qualities of New Zealand timbers, he said they had little or no 

 fibre, and broke short without warning. Some of the varieties were never 

 seasoned, and the most useful and best shrunk the end-way, to the dis- 

 gust of the architect and builder. Mr. IMaskell said that the National 

 Mutual Association buildings had a heavy cornice to their projections, and 

 that the arches did not curve into the abutments. He said the same of 

 the Post-office. Now, in each of those buildings the cornices projected 

 just 6in. less than, according to the best authorities, they should do in 

 order to produce true architectural beauty. He noted this to show that 

 he had erred on Mr. Maskell's side — if error it was. In his opinion, how- 

 ever, the line of 6in. more could have been touched with perfect 

 safety, as the roof behind was infinitely more than a counterbalancing 

 weight, as was shown by the naked walls of the Post-oflice having 

 stood for the last eighteen months without floor or roof, and after being 

 exposed to extreme heat. So far as the arches were concerned, they all 

 curved to the abutments, for the reason that there was nowhere else to 

 butt them to. For the safety of the building now he could not answer ; 

 but before it was destroyed by fire he would have stood in any part of it 

 during the severest shakes he had felt here or on the west coast of 

 America, and have had perfect confidence in his safety. He denied Mr. 

 Maskell's assertion that buildings were not put up in Wellington to resist 

 earthquakes. Here, as elsewhere, money entered largely into the quali- 

 ties of a building ; and, speaking personally, he used to tlie utmost every 

 precaution that the money at his disposal would allow him, and he was 

 sure tliat his contemporaries would do the same for their own sakes ; 

 therefore it was neither just nor fair to an honourable profession to make 

 such an assertion — not even by a gentleman vi'ho confessed that he knew 

 nothing about it. He agreed with Mr. Maskell that the Corporation by- 

 laws ought to be more explicit. There was not one word about the 

 quality of the brick or of the mortar, or how they were to be laid together, 

 and other important matters. Clearly, their City Fathers had paid more 

 attention to the fire-insurance agents than to earthquake-agitation. He 

 thought it was time that the city should have a Building Inspector who 



