CLOSING TODAY

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 187, 4 May 1940, Page 13

CLOSING TODAY

Record Crowds Likely At Exhibition 28,865 YESTERDAY Governor-General To Attend Tonight the Centennial Exhibition, which in the last six months has been visited by more than 2,500,000 people from all parts of New Zealand, will close its doors. Thousands of people visited the Exhibition yesterday, making the most of the warm autumn sunshine and the fine night, but record crowds are expected for closing day, when the previous best figure of’ 62,500 is expected to be surpassed.

The closing ceremony this afternoon will be performed by the GovernorGeneral, Lord Galway, at 3 o’clock m the bandshell area if the jveather is line and if not in the assembly hall. Addresses will be given by the chairman of directors, Mr. Hislop, mayor of Wellington, by the president of the exhibition Company, Mr. .Sullivan, Minister of industries and Commerce, and by the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser. A prayer by the Archbishop of New Zealand, Most Rev. C. West-Watson, will be followed by the hymn, “O God Our Help in Ages Past,” the benediction and the National Anthem, which wnl close the ceremony. Ticket-holders are , expected to be in their enclosure on the platform by 2.40 p.m. Arrangements have been made for the gates to be kept open till 11 p.m;, and admissions will be available up to . that hour.

The Exhibition authorities announce : that congestion at the turnstiles can be considerably eased and admissions ■ expedited by the public making use of the gates at the Stadium and car park entrances. Access to these gates is obtained from Yule Street and Lyall Bay Parade respectively, and they are available for pedestrians as well as for 1 motorists. Delays cau also be avoided i if everyone tenders the correct change ■ entering the gates, because the officials ' have instructions to adhere strictly to tlie rule under which no change is ' given at the turnstiles. Fate of Pioneer Hut. It was announced yesterday that ■ Lady Roberts, chairman of the loans | committee of the women’s section, had ■ bought the North Island pioneer hut I for presentation to the Wellington I Early Settlers’ Association. Lady Roberts said that the hut had been made from wood and stone from i the old Barton homestead, Heretaunga, i and thinking it a pity that it should ! have to be dismantled, she had bought | in from the owner, Mr. E. Grant-Taylor. ! “I am hopeful,” she added, “that, when i a suitable home is found for the | pioneer hut, the people who so kindly i came forward with the antiques with ■ which it has been filled, will give them ' to the Early Settlers’ Association. Such 1 a collection would be of immense in- ' terest and historical value, and doubtless people with antiques which were ; not included in the Exhibition collec- ’ lion will also be anxious to give them as soon as they know where the pioneer ' hut is to be placed.” To date the Exhibition ambulance men and nurses have treated approxi- ■ mutely 3050 cases, mostly minor injuries, but others potentially serious. They are expecting and are prepared for a busy day today, and between 90 and 100 will be on duty. Centennial Holl. Yesterday COOO visitors to the Exhibition signed the National Roll of Commemoration. This interest in the roll has occasioned the addition of staff to cope with the huge demand expected for today, as the roll closes tonight at 10 o’clock. Every signature will be preserved for all time in the Dominion Museum after i he close of the Exhibition. Today is t he last chance for visitors to sign the roll and thus record their association with the centennial celebrations along with many thousands of other New Zealanders. In 100 years’ time the people of the Dominion will have in the Centennial Roll a national autograph book presenting a personal contact. with their ancestors. Every signatory receives an official attendance certificate that is in itself one of the most valuable souvenirs obtainable, because its interest will grow with the passing years and always it will be a link with New Zealand’s first truly democratic document. Honest and Orderly. Comment on the orderly behaviour of the Exhibition crowds and their honesty during the whole period of the Exhibition was made in an interview yesterday by Sub-inspector D. J. O'Neill, who is in charge of the Exhibition police. Under bis control are De-tective-Sergeant P. Doyle and six other detectives. Sergeants D. Beard, A. Johnston, W. Brown. P. Alsop and a complement of 20 constables. “I feel that we have had ir really successful time,” said Sub-Inspector O'Neill. “There has been very little crime, petty thefts have been conspicuous by their absence and the general public lias really been marvellously well behaved considering that more than 2J million people have passed through the turnstiles. They have been most honest and orderly, and the same can be said of the numerous exhibitors and stallholders.” There had been very few arrests for drunkenness in the Exhibition grounds, and though there had been some minor thefts (lie high percentage of detections showed tlie efficiency of the Exhibition police. A spirit of harmony lard prevailed between tlie police and everybody concerned with the administration and general running of the Exhibition. Approximately 1000 articles of vari-

ous kinds, ranging from false teeth to umbrellas, hats and gloves, and including many purses containing money, had been handed in at the police public office. Sometimes fairly substantial sums of money had been handed in and restored to grateful owners. “We have made many friends while we have been here,” added tlie subinspector, “and we shall remember the Exhibition as a very happy period. In fibct, I cannot recall a single unpleasant incident during the whole six months the Exhibition has been open.” Port of London Exhibit.

On Monday morning, packing up operation’s) will begin in the Port of London Authority's pavilion. Everything in the building came out from England, and will be shipped back to London at an early date. ‘•Looking back on the six months of the Exhibition, 1 am thoroughly convinced that tlie Exhibition has been well worth while,” said Mr. T. R. Toovey, manager of the pavilion, in an interview. “Enormous handicaps caused by the outbreak of war and other consequential factors, have been overcome to a very large extent by foresight and efficient administration. “The Port of London Authority's pavilion has created a great deal of interest—considerably more than 300,000 people have visited it during the Exhibition. There have been moments of the greatest interest and pleasure for me. Several men who in the past were employed by the Port of' London Authority, have come to see me. Only today a man, his father and his two brothers, who were employed by the Port of London Authority at the Royal Victoria and Albert Docks, came down from the country to see me and to ask if I knew their relatives. I was able to say that I knew them quite well. “Generally speaking, with the exception of a few people—chielly women who have walked into the pavilion without looking and who have walked out saying that there was nothing in it to see —visitors to the pavilion have expressed admiration of the model of the River Thames and the London docks. Many people have been astounded at the ramifications of the Port of London Authority and the enormous extent of its docks and wharves.

“I am sure that the large body of New Zealanders have now a much better idea of the size not only of the Port of London but of London itself as the result of visits to this pavilion. Visitors have shown the utmost courtesy and with the exception of the very little damage done to the model at the beginning of the. Exhibition, have taken care to avoid doing any damage. “During the past few weeks, vast numbers of school children have visited the Exhibition with their teachers. It has been a pleasure to explain the exhibits to them. Teachers have invariably expressed their appreciation and have asked for pamphlets giving full particulars of the port of London and its activities.

“While one has heard lately a great deal about the financial side of the Exhibition, I feel very strongly that one cannot weigh properly in the balance the amount returned to the shareholders with the educational value and the pleasure that has been given to so many people. On the whole, I feel that the Exhibition has been not only a great success, but from the Dominion point of view a real financial asset.”