VISIT TO EXHIBITION

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 154, 25 March 1939, Page 10

VISIT TO EXHIBITION

Sir Harry Batterbee Deeply Impressed

HAD NOT IMAGINED IT WOULD BE SO LARGE “I was extremely impressed by the scale on which the exhibition is being planned and also with the progress of the building,” said Sir Harry Batterbee, High Commissioner for the United Kingdom, after visiting the Centennial Exhibition grounds in Rongotai yesterday. He said that he had never imagined that the buildings and courts would be so large. Sir Harry was accompanied by the mayor of Wellington, Mr. Hislop, chairman of directors of the exhibition: Mr. C. P. Hainsworth, general manager; Mr. Edmund Anseombe, architect; Mr. R Love, contractor; Mr. A. G. C. Deuber, assistant to the United Kingdom Trade Commissioner; Mr. G. <l. Pratt, architect for the British Government pavilion; and Mr. E. Dyinock, clerk of works. In brilliant sunshine they inspected the grounds, visited the most interesting portions of the main buildings, and saw the progress of the modelling of the Dominion court. Afterward Sir Harry recounted his impressions in an interview. “I was very glad to have so early an opportunity to see for myself the progress of the exhibition buildings, he said. “I was most interested in all that I saw, and was impressed by the stage to which the work had advanced. “Naturally, I was delighted that the United Kingdom Government had been given so excellent a site for its pavilion. The Government proposes to spend some thousands of pounds on making its exhibit, which is intended to show the development of transport through the ages, a striking and valuable addition to the exhibition. “An Admirable Site.” “'Phe site which has been chosen for the exhibition is, I think, admirable. I was specially interested in the Dominion court, which will give a graphic representation of the scenery and industries of the Dominion. The restaurant arrangements, always an important aspect of such an exhibition, were also remarkably thorough. I was interested to hear that the Government court is to be 475 ft. long; this means that the court will actually be about as long as Salisbury Cathedral is high ! “I should like lo congratulate everybody concerned on the really splendid progress which has been made, and I look forward to revisiting Rongotai m three o r four months, when the United Kingdom pavilion will be considerably advanced. “If only the weather during the exhibition period is as good as it was this afternoon, the exhibition is assured ol a complete success.” (Picture on Page 9.)