THE AQUARIUM

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2169, 6 June 1914, Page 5

THE AQUARIUM

FINEST IN AUSTRALASIA. The material for the aquarium to bo presented by the Government, through tho Hon., F. M. B. Fisher (Minister of Marine) to tho Wellington Zoo was shipped,at Auckland yesterday in the Hinemoa for transport to Wellington. Yesterday afternoon the Hon. . Mr. Fisher, Mr. G. Frost (chairman of the Rosorvos Committeo), and Mr. W. H. Morton (City Engineer) went out to Nowtqwn Park to discuss, on the ground, plans for the setting up of tho tanks containing the fish. Mr. Frosb informed a Dominion reporter that tho design submitted by the engineer was approved by the Minister and that Mr. Morton would at once put in hand the preparatory work. It was hoped the aquarium would bs in position by the end of June and that Professor Prince, Commissioner of Fisheries for tho Dominion of Canada, now in New Zealand reporting on our fisheries, migbfjibe Jiera'tafsee-.tho wor ]j Completed, f> f,,,,. -.: r + j:, O .;> Tho aquarium' will be "eot up on the slope of tho hill above the lions' cage. There are sixteen.tanks in the exhibit,' and'each tank is 6 feet long and. 2ft. 6in. high. With the concrete and other work tho whole aquarium will be about 120 feet long. To make a seating for the tanks a sm'allcut will be mado in tho faco'oftho hill. Between the tanks will bo miniature rockeries, built up on a baets of concrete, and over every tank to protect tho fish from the sun will bo an arch made in rough rubble concrete to produce a grottolike effect. The exhibit, when it is completed, will be tho finest aquarium in Australasia. In addition to tho fish already in the tanks, the Minister has promised to present to the Zoo for addition to the collection some fish now on the way from Japan.