THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION BUILDINGS.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 133, 29 June 1880, Page 3

THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION BUILDINGS.

The following extract fram the Australasian will be perused with interest by the many who contemplate visiting the Exhibition during the coming summer, and specially by intending exhibitors : On Saturday the great hall of the Melbourne International Exhibition was thrown open for the first time to the general public, and although no official intimation was given of the fact, something like 2000 visitors availed themselves of the privilege during the afternoon. All the scaffolding having been removed, an excellent view of the interior was afforded; and as all work was suspended, visi-

tors were enabled to explore every part of the building without. fear . of being knocked about by falling timber, -or getting their clothei’S poiled by splashes of paint. The decorations were generally admired, but by far the greatest interest was manifested in the architecture of the dome, under which a crowd with upturned faces was assembled until the time for closing. Most of the visitors found their °way up to- the open platform round the interior dome, from which elevation the view of the city and suburbs was greatly enjoyed. The day was very favorable, considering the season of the year, and from the expressions of gratification at the sight afforded, it may be confidently predicted that the terrace will become a very popular place of resort with those who do not object to the climb of 100 ft. Although the crowd on Saturday was small when compared with the attendances that may be expected during the Exhibition, serious inconvenience arose from the fact that only one staircase has been provided. There is only room for two or three persons abreast, and the streams of ascending and defending passengers were necessarily mixed, ladies and children being a good deal hustled about in the throng. It will be necessarly to provide a second staircase in the western tower, so that visitors may ascend by one and return by another way. The picture galleries have been divided down the centre by a wooden partition reaching to the ceilin" —this contrivance adding considerably to the space for hanging pictures, in addition to ensuring the better diffusion of light. The orchestra or choir gallery, which is to afford sitting accomodetion for 1000 instrumentalists and choristers, is finished, and the space underneath has been utilised for the construction of a complete suite of retiring rooms for the performers. The organ, which is to exceed in size that of the Town Hall, is well forward, a number of the larger metal pipes being placed in the gallery, read for fitting up. Altogether, the main building may be considered completed, only a small amount of decoration remaining to be performed. Visitors recently from Sydney stated on Saturday that the arrangements for the Melbourne Exhibition are even now further advanced than they were for the Sydney Exhibition on the day of opening.

The temporary courts, which represent about seven-eighths of the entire exhibition, were also invaded by visitors. She extent of this part of the Exhibition astonished everybody. The buildings cover nearly ten acres of ground, and when completed will furnish considerably more than half a million feet of space—the total area of the Sydney Exhibition. The offices for the use of the Commissioners are being erected close to the main buildings on the west side of the transept. They occupy a large amount of space, but judging from past exhibitions they will not be found more than sufficient for the purposes to which they are to be put. The machinery annexes —forming the permanent wings of the main building—and which are to remain after the demolition of the temporary courts at the close of the Exhibition —are finished, with the exception of the floors ] but as this work is well advanced, the reception of machinery exhibits need not be delayed after the earliest date fixed by the Commissioners. The cellars and culinary department, lavatories, etc., were all thrown open for inspection, and were viewed with the greatest interest.

The foundation-stone of the main permanent building was laid on Feb. 19, 1879, so that the work of construction has occupied a little over fifteen months. When first accepted ihe design was for a wooden dome, and only one machinery annexe — placed at the rear of and parallel with the main-building—but subsequently it was decided to construct the dome in brick and cement, uniform with the remaining part of the edifice, at an extra cost of £7781, bringing the aggregate cost up to£G9,lBB. Instead of one annexe it was also determined to construct two —expressly for machinery in motion—at a further cost of £18,500, but even these have failed to provide sufficient space, as a temporary building is now being put up specially for British machinery exhibitors, by whom a demand was made for increased accommodation. The temporary courts, which are to be taken down and the material sold at the termination of the Exhibition, have been constructed with astonishing rapidity. They will furnish the space required for the industrial part of the Exhibition, the main building being required almost exclusively for fine arts and other valuable exhibits.