EMPIRE EXHIBITION.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 April 1924, Page 1

EMPIRE EXHIBITION.

A WONDERFUL DISPLAY

LONDON, April 20. The Empire Exhibition is almost bewildering in its magnitude and variety of contents. The mere enumeration of the main features in the separate pavilions would occupy many columns but few are necessary to indicate the size of the undertaking. In the first place, the Exhibition’s building and grounds cover 210 acres. Its main avenues and roads stretch tor fifteen miles, hence the neces-

sity for a non-stop railway .around the Inhibition, working on the same principle us continuous escalators. There is also provision for rubber* tyred electric trolleys to take visitors around. The playground is a sort of a large scale Luna Park or Coney Island, with its scenic railway, switchbacks and other thrills, confined to a separate fifty acre paddock. The most striking view presents itself from the ramparts of the Stadium, the walls and exterior of which, at present, contain only huge ugly advertisements, suggesting that the Empire was built up on somebody’s ale or someone else’s cocoa, but these disfigurements of the wonderful stadium structure have aroused so much. Press criticism that they are likely to

ho removed. 'Within the grounds, one of the loveliest prospects is along the narrow tree-lined- lake, traversed by quaint little bridges, reminiscent of familiar willow pattern china. The most beautiful vista is provided from the bridges by the white Indian pavilion of magnificent seventeenth century Mogul fountains, embodies features of the Taj Mali! at Agra, and the Jama Ma.sjid at Delhi. But externally, the jewel of the whole Exhibition is the Burma pavilion, covered like a pagoda with tier upon tier of famous Burmese carved teak, with .teoples topped by gilded umbrellas and with templo hells tinkling in the slightest breeze. Opposite this is a ling-' ugly, hut true to life, reproduction of a terra-cotta mud-wallcd city of West

A f rica. Of the great Dominions’ pavilions, Australia’s is the largest. Canada has as large a section hut has throe buildings thereon. Within the main entrance of the Australian building,

a huge arched timber trophy strikes the eye, built around a liii-m, hole, on the floor of which a great relief map of Australia has been five '. An arrangement of coloured electric lights I brows upon the map the in is: st iking facts about Australia. The wings of the building are devoted to mining, manufactures, agriculture and the primary industries. The main method adopted to depict life in Australia is a series of panoramas, each forty feet wide, with foregrounds made up of real fruit trees, wheat, etcetera, hacked by scene painted backgrounds. In a large glass windowed refrigerator, visitors will see samples of fresh meats, butter, cheese, fresh fruits and other products. New Zealand has also done magnificently. Her pavilion externally is particularly handsome, owing to the large sculptured panels. A picturesque feature is the large Maori I wluirepuni, or meeting house, full of wonderful carving, which is closely associated with -Maori history and traditions. New Zealand’s primary and secondary industries are splendidly represented within the main

hall, while plaster imitations of Maori wood carving around all the internal doors are remarkably realistic. The '.Maori scheme of decoration is also effectively used in tlie restaurant. I Unfortunately, New Zealand's exhibits cannot be completed by the opening day. Sir J. Allen states that this is entirely the fault of the Exhibition hoard in not supplying power in the time promised. The internal feature of the Canadian pavilion which arouses the greatest interest, is a scheme of I coloured mural decorations, and other designs all worked in coloured seeds. South Africa is featuring ostrich •farming, diamond lnining and fruitgrowing.