PEESIDENTIAL ADDRESS SECTION J. 431 



that such is the intention of the Government in tiie instance 

 just referred to, the experiment will be watched with some 

 degree of interest. If a verandah should form part of the 

 scheme it is to be hoped that it will be of solid materials, in 

 harmony with the buildings, and not a repetition of that 

 horrible monstrosity, the cast-iron frieze, which ruins one side 

 of George Street. There are many examples of what such 

 arcades should be — to wit, those of the Eue de Eivoli, &c., in 

 Paris, and that around Her Majesty's Theatre in London, 

 though they are rather heavy ; or, preferably, the lighter and 

 more handsome arcades of the old City of Bologna in Italy. 

 But, as I have before intimated, the combined design of street- 

 frontages is not generally applicable to our present conditions, 

 and therefore, for general purposes, the recessed shelter for 

 those who require it seems to be the only satisfactory archi- 

 tectural solution of a very difdcult problem. 



And now as to the treatment of the ordinary buildings of 

 which a town or city is mainly composed. The public structures 

 may give the key-note, but it is the every-day buildings that 

 make the complete harmony, and whether this shall be full 

 and rich or flat and insipid will depend on every single 

 architectural note. The importance of well-designed private 

 structures is therefore great ; and if every citizen could be 

 made to feel that in each new building he erects he is helping 

 to make or mar his city, and so reacting on the value of his 

 own property, one little step in advance would be gained. 

 To the credit of Australians be it said that this feeling is at 

 least as well developed as amongst the citizens of the Old 

 Country, who have enjoyed for centuries the inspiration of fine 

 examples at their own doors. There is, however, great room 

 for improvement both here and in England. The quality in 

 which such is most needed seems to be that of individual ex- 

 pression. There is a terrible sameness about an ordinary 

 modern street. The houses, offices, or shops all look as if they 

 had been cast in two or three stock patterns, and a length cut 

 off as required. There are, of course, many exceptions, 

 especially ainong the larger buildings, but sameness is the rule. 

 Warehouses and offices are often so much alike that it is hard 

 to tell from the appearance of the building which is which; 

 and the same applies, to a greater or less extent, in all kinds of 

 edifices. I w^ould therefore advocate the individualising as 

 much as possible of every class of structure. Let the ware- 

 house be as like a warehouse as it is possible to make it. 

 Stability and strength should be the leading note of a store for 

 heavy goods, and a special feature be made of the access and 

 appliances for receivmg and delivering merchandise. On the 

 other hand, in a set of offices a good entrance for foot-passengers, 

 and abundant window lighting, should at once differentiate it 



