Fair Opens Tonight

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32072, 21 August 1969, Page 1

Fair Opens Tonight

A thousand trades* men, designers, artists, supervisors and labourers converged on Addington yesterday to prepare the New Zealand Industries Fair for its opening this evening. In some cases they were merely adding finishing touches to displays; in others they appeared to have barely started, although the fair di-

rector (Mr R. T. Alston, director of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association) had no doubts that everything would be ready in time. As many as 25 men were working on a single stand, sb his confidence was understandable. For families, the most popular aspect will be the determined attempt that has been made to keep down the cost of taking children to the fair. The association is spending about $l5OO providing free

entertainment, including a pixie-town with hand-made moving models; food and drinks will be available at reasonable prices; and Mr Alston understands that several of the side-show proprietors have reduced their charges. . The Railways Department has mounted a large model railway which will have two trains in continuous use, and other working models are being demonstrated by the Ministry of Works and by the Meccano Club. There are 76 displays, and Mr Alston estimated that the value of articles on show would be considerably more than $500,000. A number of the exhibitors will give away samples of their products or hold competitions, and the value of the prizes alone is expected to exceed $lO,OOO. This year, with three industrial fairs being held in New Zealand at the same time, there is no Australian representation at Addington. However, every inch of the space left by this—some 5000 square feet, or the floor area of four roomy houses—has been filled by New Zealand manufacturers and merchants. Mr Alston said the exhibitors had taken much more care with the design and appearance of their stands than in previous years. As an example, the painted canvas banners, once so prevalent, had now virtually disappeared. “There was only one in the whole fair,” Mr Alston said yesterday. “The exhibitor asked me what he should do with it, and I told him.” (Fair Display: P. 6 and 7.)