32 



Building Materials. 



seded the slow and tedious operations of hand moulding and 

 smoothing^ and the work of one man is now equivalent to 

 that of six under the old style. The fashioning of bricks is 

 not the only use to which the plastic clays are adapted. The 

 fabrication of draining pipes and tiles employs a large capital 

 in England^, and the success which has there attended the 

 manufacturer has been of incalculable value to the Agricul- 

 turist. It has sufficed to bring under cultivation many 

 thousand acres of land^ thereby increasing the demand for 

 labour in all classes^ and proportionably lessening the evils 

 due to a surplus population. 



The Melbourne bricks^ as they are now manufactured^ Avill 

 be too costly when we shall have brought in the aid of 

 machinery. With the ordinary appliances^ a mill^ a moulding 

 machine, and kilns, the clay in this neighbourhood could be 

 wrought into pipes for seAverage,flower-pots— indeed, into every 

 article, whether of utility or ornament, for Avhich there is such a 

 demand ; and not of an inferior quality, but quite equal to 

 what is imported. 



If time permitted I would willingly advert to the manifest 

 dangers attending the use of *ill-burnt bricks in large buildings, 

 such as hotels, stores, &c., &c. It is not a matter entirely 

 confined to the occupant and the proprietor. Many of these 

 edifices abut upon our public streets and promenades, and 

 though in all probability the greater number of them will be 

 taken down ere many years pass away, it would be a much 

 better state of things if done forethought preceded their 

 erection. 



In concluding this paper, I would beg reference to the 

 accompanying Table, wherein I have stated as accurately as 

 p(5^5ible, under present circumstance, the most characteristic 

 properties of the Melbourne Building Materials : — 



