MASTERTON'S NEW SHOWGROUND

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10162, 11 February 1911, Page 5

MASTERTON'S NEW SHOWGROUND

SOME OF ITS EQUIPMENTS. The new showgrounds at Sol way. Masterton, which are to be officially opened on Tuesday •le.vt, ore equipped on a scale which makes for convenience, comfort, and permanency. The' building work has been carried out; by day labour, undo; - the supervision of Mr John Tait, an expert masterbuilder. Tli© grandstand, in itself, is a work of which the Association might well be proud, and a brief description of it will not be out of place. There aro 164 yards of concrete in the foundations, which wore started on September 12th and finished on October 11th. The first two sections of the frame wero set up on October 27th.' There are seven girders, 33ft long, 16in by 6in, and'weighing about 22 cwt each. Thes-.; woi\? procured, from the Old Country. f iho front oi tiie grandstand is carried on eight ironbark posts, each ,24ft long, Bin x Sin, in the procuring of which some difficulty was experienced. The three did.not come to hand until December 19th. i The last principal in the roof waj hoisted in position on December 28th. The quantity of timber used in the building is just i.pon 100.000 feet, , of which 31,000 feet is dressed. About twelve tons of. iron has been used on the ro if, and under '.he seats. The stand is fastened to the concrete with 310 bolts, and their 1046 bolts in the 'stand altogether. On the floovs of the building there his been placd 111 yai ds of concrete Seven hundred and fifty fee" of spouting has been used, and about two tons of nails, including lead-heads. Over 1500 feet of glass is used in the. lighting of the building, and there is over half a mile of seating* Since September 12th' last there ha; been an average of over ten carpenters on the ground. The sale ring is 40ft by 40ft, with seating accommodation for over three hundred peiple. Horse stalls have also been provided for fifty horses. There are" three sets of latrines, sixteen in number, on different parts of the ground. The old booth has been re-fixed on new piles, with a new floor, and the secretary's office has been re-fixed on piles. ' Tli^ agricultural hall has. been enlarged, and a rotunda, has been provided for the band, to say nothing of | the splendid sheep pavilions. The; work has been carried out in m con scientious and expeditious manner under the supervision of Mr Tait, upon whom it reflects the utmost credit, v V