EARLY PIONEER HOME

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 144, 14 March 1939, Page 4

EARLY PIONEER HOME

Decision At Loan Exhibition Committee Meeting

Pioneer women of the North Island will be represented in jibe women’s section art the Centennial Exhibition by a model home depicting in authentic detail the type of abode and manner of living of the earliest settlers. This decision was arrived at yesterday by the Loan Exhibits Committee presided over by Lady Roberts, which met in' the office of the women’s section of the Centennial Exhibition, Brandon House, Wellington. The replica of the settlers’ home will be included in the North Island section arid will show the interior of a oneroomed dwelling of raupo or some imitation of this adaptable reed, from which the earliest temporary houses were built after the Maori example. Though the South Island section at the exhibition will .portray the life of pioneer women in a similar manner to the North Island exhibit, the pioneer room planned by the South Island committee is different in man) - respects. To begin with, it is the interior of one room only, and that of a later period. The antiques and historic articles collected to furnish the room will be representative of those brought, to New Zealand by settlers of some Substance, whereas the North Island home will contain only the bare necessities of life. In addition, a dropscene showing the sea with a ship on the horizon, watched by the figure of a pioneer woman, has been suggested as a scenic touch to complete the atmosphere of the North Island exhibit.

The Loan Exhibits Committee expects to have no difficulty in obtaining the necessary furniture and other historic articles of the day necessary for tile interior of the “home.” A meeting has been fixed for early next, week by which time members will have made inquiries regarding the required materials and have settled other details. This morning the Advisory Committee of the Women’s Seel ion of the Exhibition will pay a visit to the buildings nt Rongotai, when an inspection of the area provided for the section will bo made.

Many applications from people wanting to exhibit have been received by the organizing secretary, and plans for the various sections are now well under way. Finality regarding some of the lectures on (lie programme has also been reached, one of the most interesting being the bi-monthly subjects of sociology and psychology, which are expected to attract considerable attention.