BY H. C. RICHARDS. 99 



Stone structures have an air of solidity and quality 

 Mhich the best imitations of cement, etc., fail to reach and 

 which will always call forth from the people a demand 

 that their important structures be built in stone. 



The feelings of security and trust engendered in the 

 public mind by adequate solid stone Government Build- 

 ings, Banks, etc., are by no means unimportant and are 

 Mell worthy of encouragement and development. 



The policy which Queensland has adopted of utilising 

 stone in the construction of the very fine structures housing 

 the various Government Departments, is one which causes 

 much admiration not only from the citizens of this State 

 but also from visitors. 



A considerable number of different stones ha^■e been 

 used in Brisbane, and other Queensland towns and, in many 

 cases, the buildings containing them ha\e been erected for 

 upwards of half a centurj^, so that an investigation into the 

 manner in which these stones are weathering is one that 

 can be made with much ad\antage. 



Brisbane has a kindly climate for building stones and 

 yet evidence of badly-weathered material is available in 

 many places. 



Owing to the high initial cost of stone structures, a 

 long life is a necessitj^ so that the greatest insistence should 

 be placed on the sound Aveathering qualities of the stone. 

 The abundant evidence as to the cost of repairs and upkeep, 

 through unwise selection, furnished by the older European 

 cities, the American Cities, and even our own city, should 

 impress us forciblv with the wisdom of exercising all possible 

 caution. In the Official Year Book of the Commonwealth 

 of Australia, No. 9, 1916, there is a section dealing with the 

 Building Stones of the Commonwealth. Under the Queens- 

 land sub-section, however, it is stated :^" Unfortunately 

 there is not sufficient information available to permit of a 

 detailed statement being given in regard to the quantity 

 and quality of Queensland Building Stones."' 



As the author has been collecting the available infor- 

 mation for some time and has studied the question somewhat 

 closely for some years it is hoped that the present paper will 

 help in the direction of furnishing that information. 



