CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 June 1938, Page 11

CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION

WELLINGTON COURT OF 1925 RECALLED. BETTER DISPLAY PROMISED IN 1940. Already there are good indications that the Wellington Provjpcial Court in the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition of 1939-40 will far surpass the display in the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition of 1925-26 at Dunedin. The official record of that enterprise has this passage: —

“The Wellington Court, which was a combined display by the province of Wellington, Taranaki, Nelson and Hawke’s Bay, was an imposing structure of plaster walls, with a lofty vaulted plastered ceiling which invested it with an air of space a.nd dignity. This was further enhanced by the scheme of lighting from lamps, reflecting domes and white ceilings. The court consisted of a long main hall with one entrance in the south wall and two in the west. Two square bays opened off the east wall —one representing the provinces of Nelson and Hawke’s Bay and the district of Wairarapa, the other the Taranaki Province and the districts of Wanganui, Manawatu and Rangitikei. "On each side of the south entrance to the main hall were decorative panels representing primary and secondary industries; and revolving stands, six feet in height, carried photographs illustrating the industries, resources and scenic attractions of the four provinces. An exhibit of wool was arrayed on the north side of the first entrance in the west wall of the court. In a similar position on the far side of the second entrance was a novel display of native timbers, exhibited partly dressed so as to show both the natural state in the log and the finished appearance as represented by articles of furniture. The offices and a small lounge, cosily furnished, occupied the space between the two entrances.

“Passing in by the south entrance, the visitor was at once struck by a large painting of Wellington city and harbour, occupying the whole of the north wall at the opposite end of the main hall.' The painting was supported by a relief model showing the whole of the harbour and the business portion of the city, the whole being a very effective and faithful piece of work.

“In , the centre of the hall was an electrically operated relief map of New Zealand. Intermittent lights of different colours showed the course of roads and railways and marked the towns en route, while illuminated changing panels gave a statistical summary of the industries of the four provinces concerned. This was the only exhibit in the body of the hall. On each side of it was a generous provision of accommodation for footweary visitors.

“The bay devoted to Taranaki, Wanganui and the Manawatu contained a model dairy farm, representing their chief industry. Two of the three walls bore large paintings of Mount Egmont, New Plymouth and Wanganui. The third illustrated the Manawatu flax industry, with a foreground exhibit showing the various stages of manufacture of flax from the growing plant to the finished product. “The Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa and Nelson bay displayed paintings of Napier and Nelson and the Wairarapa Valley, as well as a model sheep station, which, like the model dairy farm, revealed the intriguing miniature perfection of detail. “The Wellington Court had the honour of displaying New Zealand’s record deer-head, s-'”'-pointer.”