BY H. C. RICHARDS. 125 



conditions Avith respect to moisture ; it has not Aveathered 

 well in this job, but this is not a fair example on which to 

 judge the stone. The more important structures of this 

 stone are the additions to the Old Goa ernment House 

 (University) in 1901, the major portion of the Executive 

 Buildings (1901-05) (see text fig. 11), all the internal 

 sandstone work in St. John's Anglican Cathedral (1909- 

 11), the main George Street entrance to the Government 

 Printing Office (1912), the facings, sills and keystones 

 of the Central Technical College buildings (1912-14) 

 and the Government Savings Bank in course of erection 

 since 1915 (see text-fig. 12). In this latter structure 

 the manner in which stones showing rather pronounced 

 purple colouration when freshly dressed and put into 

 position, tone down a few months after has been well seen. 

 The renewals of certain weathered sandstones near the 

 base of the General Post Office were made with this stone, 

 which was also used for the stone facings in the Elizabeth 

 Street front of the General Post Office. At Ipswich, the 

 stone was used in the Bremer Bridge (1897) and in the 

 additions to the Post Office. At Toowoomba, it has been 

 used in the Willowburn Asylum. 



This stone weathers well provided it is kept drj-, but 

 water to any extent and especially constant moisture is 

 fatal. It should never be used in the base courses. The 

 effect of using it in the base courses maj^ be seen in the 

 renewed stones of the General Post Office. Within the space 

 of three or four years after being put into position they 

 showed signs of fretting away, which is steadily increasing. 

 In the administrative block of the Central Technical College 

 the sandstone facings in the base courses at both front 

 corners showed fretting within two j^ears of erection. The 

 cementing medium expands when wetted, contracts when 

 drying, and as such a large percentage of the stone is cement- 

 ing material, disruption is soon brought about by repeated 

 wetting. The stone should be well protected from the 

 ground moisture by a waterproof course. The effect of 

 smooth dressing does much to disturb and weaken the sur- 

 face of the stone, so that the use of rough-dressed or rock- 

 faced stones in the base course might be made with 

 advantage if the material is to be used there. 



