THE EXHIBITION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 November 1939, Page 8

THE EXHIBITION

GREATEST EVER HELD IN NEW ZEALAND REVIEW OF VAST UNDERTAKING. COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS DISPLAYS. The New Zealand Centennial Exhibition will be the greatest exhibition ever held in this country. Not only will 3 there be New Zealand exhibits on a , scale never previously attempted, but there will also be magnificent courts provided by Great Britain, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Fiji and other overseas countries. These courts will reflect the distinctive characteristics of those countries and will serve to make • the Exhibition truly representative of . the Empire. There will also be a large Amusement Park where the public will be able to get all the thrills they want with the most up-to-date fun devices ■ that have yet been produced The total area covered by the exhi- . bition is 55 acres. That is not as extensive as the areas covered by some previous exhibitions, but the feature of chief importance is that no less than 14 acres of floor space is covered by buildings. The general layout of the exhibition is particularly attractive and the architect, Mr Edmund Anscombe. has ensured that there is no waste space anywhere and that the exceptionally large crowds that are expected will be able to move about freely, whether inside or outside the buildings, with a minimum of congestion. The design of the main buildings and the standard that has been set are considered to be on a par with much larger exhibitions held in the great centres in Europe and America. PREVIOUS EXHIBITIONS. The first international exhibition ever held in New Zealand was in Dunedin in 1865. There were 800 exhibitors and 29,831 persons visited the display. Another very interesting exhibition was the one opened in Wellington in 1885. The exhibition building) at that time comprised 83,000 square feet, and there were 1500 exhibitors. It is interesting to compare that Wellington effort of 1885 with the Centennial Exhibition of 1939-40. The 1885 display was housed in a building i comprising 83,000 square feet. The Government Court alone at the Centennial Exhibition would cover 100,000 square 1 feet. The total attendances at the 1885 1 exhibition were 132,787, and it is an- 1 ticipated that at least 5,000,000 will see 1 the exhibition in Rongotai. ( One could imagine the poorly lit ex- ) hibition of 1885—that was when it was ‘ compared with modern standards. The ' lighting at the Centennial Exhibition will, be the greatest display of animatea lighting ever attempted in the country. Some indication, of the power to 1 be used might be gained from the fact that it will equal the supply required ( for the whole of Wellington city.

FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS. The Centennial Exhibition was a national venture, and this might best be indicated by reviewing the financial arrangements. The exhibition was being organised by a private company with r nominal capital of £150,000. Toward this amount the Government made a grant of £50,000 and then in November last it took shares in the company to the extent of £25,000. At the same time the Government gave an under-

taking to subscribe still further capital on a £1 for £1 basis for the unallotted shares at that time. In other words the Government agreed to take one share for. every share taken by th; public, and this meant another £13,000 as 26,000 shares were then unallotted. In addition to that the Government agreed to guarantee the bank overdraft of the exhibition company to an amount not exceeding £125,000. The action of the Government in this respect was not without precedent. The international exhibition in Christchurch in 1906-7 failed to arouse public enthusiasm insofar as share capital was concerned and the Seddon Government assumed complete control. For the Dunedin and South Seas Exhibition of 1925-26 the Government subsidised the capital of £BO,OOO Io the extent of £50,000. Still further Governmental in--1 terest in the Centennial Exhibition was shown in the fact that a grant of £75,000 had been made for the Government Court, where 26 State Departments ' would exhibit. The Government will be the largest exhibitor—a perfectly natural state of affairs on so important an historical occasion. ACCOMMODATION & TRANSPORT. Every job, large or small, has its problems and the authorities controlling the Centennial Exhibition have ne--1 cessarily given full consideration to the important issue of accommodation and transport. The response of the householders in Wellington has been most satisfactory and the Accommodation Bureau has no less than 10,(100 beds on their books and a hotel with accommodation for 600 persons has been erected on the reclaimed land at Evans Bay within 10 minutes walk of the Exhibition. The transport question has been solved and by means of additional trams and buses combined with a proposed ferry service the thousands attending the Exhibition will have no difficulty in coming and going at their convenience. There will also be ample parking areas for motor cars all of which will be within a few minutes walk of the Exhibition. The New Zealand Government Court, with a floor space of approximately

j 00,000 square feet, will house 26 State Departments divided, according to their inter-relationship, into four main groups, agricultural and industrial development, transport and communications, defence, and social and cultural services. The exhibits will be novel and interesting, and they will conform to a particularly high standard. 'i’he Dominion < 'if -iJ 1 ■ vn't' •

and. other topographical features of New Zealand. The work was carried out with great thoroughness by an army of highly skilled men and women.

The British Court and the Australian Court will be housed in independent buildings near the main entrance from Kingsford Smith Street. The Canadian Court, the Fijian Court, and other overseas courts will comprise displays that will give the visitor a good impression of the chief features of those countries. The other main courts are devoted to motor, engineering. New Zealand manufacturing industries, and general exhibits, of which there will be a very wide range.

LARGE CABARET. Among the many other featu. 's of the exhibition will be a large cabai 1 which will be able to remain open ; ter the exhibition has been closed; festival hall, surmounted by the tow 155 feet high; main restaurant a: cafeteria children’s playground; U sound shells, for band and other co certs; reflecting pools, 49ft. by 25C and outdoor courts of progress and the pioneers. The total cost of the exhibition is < Unrated at £500.000. In the total ar of 55 acres there have been laid thi miles of storm-water drains, and t\ miles of water supply pipes. Ten tho sand cubic yards of sand have been i moved, and 15.000 cubic yards of cl have been laid in forming six miles streets. About one thousand trees a shrubs have been planted around t buildings. Six million cubic feet timber has been used.

The exhibition will be the central feature of the Centennial Celebrations. It is a national effort in which every person living in New Zealand shotild take some pride and should be willing to assist in making it such an outstanding success that it will be of inestimable value in contributing to the development of this country.