UNIQUE PRESENTATION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1761, 28 May 1913, Page 10

UNIQUE PRESENTATION.

. TO MR. HENRY E. WHITE. A surpriso was sprung upon Mr. Henry E. White, architect, structural engineer, aiul builder, at the conclusion of last evening's performance at His Majesty's Theatre, when, ho was presented by tho foromcn Mill heads of departments concerned in tho construction of Messrs. John Fuller and Sons' now theati'o in Courtenay Place, with an artistically-illumin-ated address. The presentation was mado by.Mr. John Fuller, junr., who referred to tho great work Mr. White had accomplished in tho building of the theatre. He stated that tho first of the steel used ill tho work only arrived at Easter last year, and within nine months tlie theatre was opeuod to the'public, this being a very remarkable work, and probably a record in theatre construction. It hnd been held by experts and by the firm (.T. Fuller and Sous) to bo tho finest; theatro in Australasia, and was a work which he was sura was highly appreciated by the people of Wellington. Continuing, Mr. Fuller referred, to tho good work which had been done by the various heads j.of departments. This was all the luoro remarkable, seeing that Mr. White was the architect, structural ongineer, and i builder of tho theatre. The total cost of I the theatro was .£35,000, of _ which sum ! .£SOOO had been spent in overtime and the I \vngos of extra men engaged to push the work on. The theatro had been built | by day labour, which ho had at first rei garded witli fear and trembling, but seo- ! ing tho zest with which the men worked, and tho great results achioved, he, as representative of tho firm, was quito satisfied with the dnj'-labour scheme. Tho building, from a structural point of new, was a model one—it was as nearly earthquake proof as possible, anil was a credit to tho workers who hid been engaged upon it. AVhen it was considered that .£70,000 was being spent in tho erection of two theatres, it showed the confidence that was felt in what Wellington was going to bo. On behalf of the foremen, Mr. Fuller then handed the address to Mr. White.

Mr. White said that lie could confidently say that lie had never hnd so good a staff 'as lie had in Wellington. He thanked them for the handsome memento, which was one he would always treasure, iiud especially thanked Messrs. Simper Jury, IVny, Mason, and Rodgers and others who had helped him to carry out the work.

Mr. White's health' was then drunk. Subsequently Mr. White proposed the health of Messrs. John Fuller and Sons. The man who built tho theatre was nothing compared with tho men who spent (he money. ' They mndo their money in New Zealand, and unlike some (who mado it here and went away), tliev spent it in New Zealand, (Applause.) The toast wa« drnnk enthusiastically, with musical honours. ■