BRICK VERSUS CEMENT WORK. 933 



the same accommodation as a cemented one could be built 

 at the same cost, and where the cemented ones would always 

 have dry walls, so could the brick one be erected with hollow 

 walls for the like purpose. 



A great consideration must be given to cost, and this, and 

 the appearance as to suitability of aspect of site and surround- 

 ings, should be taken into consideration together (whether the 

 architect prefers red brick as his fad or Portland cement 

 compo for the same reason, should not stand in the way 

 of advising his client without prejudice, — this should be thrown 

 entirely on one side), and he should take his material as 

 though it were one or the other, and his design should be 

 so drawn as to show his abihty as an architect, and that he 

 was equal to any occasion where either the one or the other 

 kind of material was obtainable or desired. 



Architects prefer no doubt the brick-work, for if well and 

 handsomely carried out it shows greater ability, but at the 

 same time if thus carried out is very costly, as it involves 

 specially-made moulded bricks, strings, ornaments, &c., for 

 which many clients cannot afford to pay, whereas a building- 

 might be erected at same cost and treated the other way and 

 even have certain well executed embellishments. 



I can refer to the statue at the Australian Mutual Life 

 Assurance Office in Hobart, which is excellent, in Portland 

 cement, and also the coat of arms in the tympanum of the 

 pediment at the Custom House, Launceston. This last work 

 is in bas-relief, and is about 30 feet long by 8 feet high ; both of 

 these works are well executed and do great credit to the 

 moulder. 



Should any of the Members visit Launceston I would 

 recommend them to observe the cement-coated buildings in 

 St, John's-street, the careful manner they have been carried 

 out, the good design, and the Avay they are grouped ; any 

 man who could see nothing good in them would, in my 

 opinion, be a very discontented one ; at the same time they 

 should observe the brick buildings around same, and they will 

 be found equally as good. 



In carrying out brick buildings the bond should be par- 

 ticularly attended to ; the supervising officer should not only 

 see that the face is correct, but that the filling in and crossing 

 of joints in same is attended to, for T have often seen a header 

 put in with half a brick, it being nearest the bricklayer to 

 pick up, and as the face has the proper appearance httle notice 

 is taken ; but this should not be ; the bond, and the keeping of 



