430 REPORT- 1891. 



tural effect. In its present form, the only improvement pos- 

 sible is "off the face of the earth." But what shall we 

 substitute? To arrive at a just conclusion, its raison d'etre 

 must be considered. Many buildings, especially shops, require 

 a screen from the blazing rays of the sun ; others, as hotels, 

 theatres, and places of public resort, a covered shelter from 

 the rain, extending from the building to the kerb, for the con- 

 venience of carriage traffic. In the former case, the recessing 

 of the shop-front, as in Farmer's large drapery establishment, in 

 Sydney, meets every need, with the added advantages of non- 

 interference with the light and rights of adjoining premises, 

 and the non-obstruction of the ordinary traffic of the footpath 

 by loiterers at the windows. Architecturally, also, such treat- 

 ment is an infinite gain, as there is nothing flimsy or un- 

 substantial to mar the unity of the design, and in capable 

 hands the varying treatment of the arcades (not necessarily 

 composed of strutted arches, like Farmer's) would be a source 

 of unexpected beauty, and the contrast of light and shadow, 

 solid and void, would add immensely to the effect of any 

 , ordinary street. On a large scale, the arcades of the Melbourne 

 and Sydney Post Offices show what power and grandeur of 

 design such a treatment affords ; and, if generally applied, our 

 streets, instead of being a reproach for meanness, would vie 

 with those of any of the older cities of the world. The majority 

 of the pavement verandahs being thus abolished, it would cause 

 little obstruction and no inconvenience to allow rain-shelters 

 to the entrances of public and other buildings to be erected 

 in solid materials, harmonizing with the structures to which 

 they belong. For permission to erect these, an adequate vent 

 should be charged, as I see no reason why the public property 

 should be used by special individuals without payment. It 

 would otherwise be unfair to those who do not require the 

 same facilities. Architecturally, an occasional projection of 

 this kind, instead of being a defect, is a distinct gain to any 

 street view, in the relief it gives to the unavoidable monotony 

 of the frontage-line. One striking example to which I may 

 refer is the portico of the Town Hall at Adelaide ; and though 

 rather heavy, its value in enhancing the pictorial effect of King 

 William Street is patent to every visitor to that well-planned 

 city. 



But there is another alternative — viz., the erection of con- 

 tinuous verandahs of the same design all round a special 

 block in which every building required such an addition. This 

 would only be feasible to a very limited extent, but might be 

 introduced in the case of street-improvements involving the 

 clearing of a considerable area of ground, as in the widening of 

 Post Office Street, Sydney. It would also necessitate unity of 

 design in the buildings to be erected. And, as it is intimated 



