578 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



have here a piece of board taken from the original building, 

 which is in a good state of preservation. Here, also, is a section 

 cut from the wall of one of the first seven cottages built at Turua, 

 where the first steam sawmill on the Thames Eiver was erected 

 in 1868. It shows a portion of the ground plate, studs, braces, 

 and weather-boards. You will notice that the stud has the bark 

 on one corner, showing that it is sap-wood. These houses are 

 eighteen years old, and the specimen I show is a fair represen- 

 tation of the state of preservation in which they all are. It has 

 never had a coat of paint ; in fact, only one of these houses has 

 been painted, and the only parts which have been renewed are 

 the verandahs and the heart of kauri shingles which covered 

 them. I show you, also, a split kahikatea shingle taken from 

 the roof of a house erected in 1872, which has stood the weather 

 for fourteen years, the average life of heart of kauri shingles. 



I could produce numerous other instances, from buildings at 

 the Thames and elsewhere, of the weather-enduring qualities of 

 Thames kahikatea ; but these are shown as cases of severe trial, 

 and I claim that the record will compare favourably with that of 

 any other of our local building timbers i;uder like conditions. I 

 know that cases have been recorded where portions of buildings 

 have gone to decay in four or five years, and I do not doubt the 

 truth of the statement ; but what does that prove ? 



I have here a piece of 9in. x 4in. heart of kauri joist, and a 

 piece of flooring of the same timber, which were taken from the 

 floor of a room in one of the public buildings in Auckland. 

 This floor had only been laid six j-ears, but it was so completely 

 rotten that it had to be entirely renewed. I could cite other 

 similar instances which have come under my notice ; but would 

 they prove tbat heart of kauri is almost worthless, when used 

 for joists or flooring ? Certainly not. I doubt if even kahi- 

 katea could have lasted any longer under the same conditions. 

 Investigation into the circumstances will show that it would be 

 absurd to suppose that any timber would have lasted long in 

 Buch a place, being exposed to the dampness of the ground, 

 which was within a few niches, and so completely enclosed that 

 there was not the slightest chance of ventilation. 



This is but one instance of the unfair treatment which our 

 timbers are constantly receiving at the hands of sawmillers, 

 architects, and builders. The logs are cut up at the mills, and, 

 before the boards have had, in many cases, even a week to dry, 

 they are hurried into their places in the building, painted, or 

 papered, just because the contractor has only a few weeks to 

 complete the work, or he will incur pains and penalties. 

 Imagine the close, musty, fusty atmosphere the timber in the 

 walls of such a house is subjected to, and say if it is any 

 wonder it rots, or that fungoid growths and boring beetles are 

 developed. 



