CONFERENCES DURING CENTENNIAL

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 151, 22 March 1939, Page 10

CONFERENCES DURING CENTENNIAL

Exhibition As Suitable Venue FOCAL CENTRE OF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Centennial Exhibition authorities hope to make the exhibition premises iu Rongotai the scene of as many as possible of the many important congresses and conferences that will be held in Wellington during the Centennial celebrations. The general manager, Mr. C. P. Hainsworth, said yesterday that from now onward they would be prepared to consider dates for the purpose of arranging such fixtures. He said that the management was very desirous of arranging for as many as possible of the commercial, professional and scientific gatherings during the Centennial to be held actually at the exhibition. Every facility would be provided—assembly ball equipped with stage and cinema screen, anterooms, restaurant, and every convenience for the entertainment of delegates. It was hoped as far as possible to make the exhibition the focal point of all such activities during the period it was open. It is expected that during the Centennial many national and international gatherings of the nature indicated will be held in Wellington, as the Dominion centre of Centennial celebrations. In addition, many sports fixtures, championships and important matches are to befficld in Wellington at that time. A special sports committee has been set up in conjunction with the exhibition authorities to co-ordinate times and places.

In addition, it is hoped to make the exhibition the centre of many other types of social activity. Requests have been received from various interested bodies anxious to make use of the festival hall for special displays such as folk-dancing and so on. Recommendations are being made by the music and entertainments committee to the board of directors that a number of specialized short-period exhibitions of various kinds should be arranged, and suggested subjects were model engineering, model aeroplanes, sketch club and camera club work. Such exhibitions should remain open for, say, three or four weeks, and should be arranged In conjunction with the various interested clubs and organizations. This proposal was decided upon by the entertainments committee at a meeting last Friday; it has yet to be considered by the directors, to whose approval it is subject. In addition to these activities, an extremely varied and interesting programme of lectures, talks and demonstrations on many subjects is being arranged by the women’s section.