Government Court Returns To Fair

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28888, 7 May 1959, Page 20

Government Court Returns To Fair

The theme for the Government Court at the fair is “the Kiwi is Flying,” and a visit to the court leaves the conviction that the kiwi is also really • going places.

To emphasise the theme, a wind-swept kiwi astride a glowing rocket confronts visitors at the beginning of the display. The court sets out to show Government activities to meet the needs of the expanding population; and from booth to booth the face of New Zealand changes—from primary production to research, from manufacturing to railways, from housing to power problems.

By static photographic displays, animated models, colour transparencies and the skilful use of lighting, the National Publicity Studios have produced a Government Court that compares favourably with those of the past—the Government did not take a full part in last year’s fair. To show just how fast the.kiwi is progressing, the display records that the Dominion’s population will reach 3 million in the 1970’5. Every year, therefore, New Zealand must expand its manufacturing industries to provide more jobs. A power-hungry kiwi tells visitors that 20 years ago his father only used 660 units; today 2480 units are used by each New Zealander in a year, and more generation must be provided.

Three sources of power—water, coal and geothermal steam—are shown in coloured photographs which slowly fade, to give way to an electric iron, a toaster, water

heater, table lamp and a photograph of a twinkling city by night; but they in turn fade to be replaced again by the display of power sources.

Colour transparencies show bow the kiwi communicates with his neighbours and his business contacts overseas, and the Post and Telegraph Department’s display has a dial by which visitors can dial the colour transparencies they wish to see light up. Schools, Hospitals “Building for Tomorrow,” the title given to one bay of the court shows the Government’s wide interest in building not only of houses, but also of schools and hospitals needed to meet the growing demands for education and social services for the increased population. Scale models of a linear type school and a new maternity wing at a hospital display the Ministry of Works designs. Another

model is of> flats for higher density housing to reduce urban sprawl, and for these the Ministry of Works has gone back to the atrium or enclosed courtyard of ancient Rome and applied it to modern housing needs. The Gisborne departmental building models serve the dual purpose of demonstrating a new office block design and how much the Government departments have expanded with a policy of decentralisation to smaller centres outside Wellington and the main cities.

A control tower built at Ron gotai, but made standard so that it can be built elsewhere with only minor modifications reflects the increased use of aviation in New Zealand, and the improvement m facilities at airfields.

The building display is completed by pictorial representation of the Government’s part in providing State rental houses and flats and in advancing money to allow people to build their own homes Highways Highways for the future are the subject of a bay dealing with the work of the National Roads Board and of the highways laboratory established by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to control and check the quality of materials used in bitumen highways. A sectional model shows how much preparation is needed to build a road to carry New Zealand’s present-day heavy motor traffic.