WIRE EXHIBITION

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 178, 22 April 1924, Page 8

WIRE EXHIBITION

ALMOST BEWILDERING IN MAGNITUDE AUSTRALIAN PAVILION THE LARGEST OF DOMINIONS NEW ZEALAND’S HANDSOME STRUCTURE The Empire Exhibition is described as almost bewildering in the magnitude and variety of its contents. Of the Dominion’s pavilions, the Australian is the largest, while New Zealand’s is particularly handsome. (By telegraph—Press association.) Copyright. London, April 20. The Empire Exhibition is almost bewildering in the magnitude and variety of its contents. A mere enumeration of the main features of the separate pavilions would occupy many columns; bpt only a brief list is necessary to indicate the size of the undertaking. In tho first place the Exhibition buildings and grounds cover 216 acres. The main avenues and roads total 15 miles in length; hence the necessity for a non-stop railway around the exhibition, working on the same principle as continuous escalators. There is also provision for rubber-tired electric trolleys to take visitors around. The playground is a sort of large-scale Luna Park or Coney' Island, with its scenic railway, switchhacks, and other thrills. It is confined to a separate 50-acre paddock. The most striking view presents itself from the raroports of the Stadium walls, the exterior of which at present contains huge and ugly advertisements, suggesting that the Empire is built up on somebody’s ale and somebody else's cocoa. But these disfigurements of the wonderful Stadium structure have aroused so much Press criticism that they are likely to be removed. Beautiful Eastern Pavilions. Within the grounds one of the loveliest prospects is along the long and narrow tree-lined lake, which is traversed by quaint little bridges reminiscent of those pictured on the familiar willow-pattern china. The most beautiful vista is provided from the bridges by the White Indian Pavilion —a magnificent replica of Seventeenth Century Mogul architecture, with . a court enclosing fountains embodying the features of the. Taj Mahal at Agra and th© Jumna Masjio at Delhi. But externally the jewel of the whole exhibition is the Burma Pavilion, covered like a pagoda, tier upon tier, with the famous Burmese carved teak, and with its steeples topped by gilded umbrellas, and with temple bells tinkling in the lightest breeze. Opposite) this is a huge and ugly, but true-to-life reproduction of a terra-cotta coloured mudwalled city of West Africa. Life in Australia Depicted. Of the great Dominions the Pavilion of Australia is the largest. Canada has as large a section, but has three building’s upon it. Within tho main entrance of the Australian building a huge arched timber trophy strikes the eye, built around a largo hole in the floor in which a great relief map of Australia has been fixed. An arrangement of coloured electric lights throws upon this map the most striking facts about Australia. The wings of the building are devoted to mining, manufactures, agriculture, and theprimary industries.. The main method adopted to depict the life of Australia is a. scries.of panoramas, each 40 feet wide, with foregrounds mad© up of real fruit trees, wheat, and other growing things, backed by painted backgrounds. In a largo glass-windowed refrigerator the visitors will see samples of fresh meats, butter, cheese, fruits, and other products. New Zealand Industries Well Represented. New Zealand has also done magnificently. Her pavilion, externally, is particularly handsome owing to the use of large sculptured panels. A picturesque feature is a largo Maori community hut, full of wonderful carving. It is an historic building. These houses are becoming scarcer and more precious within New Zealand, but the one being shown at the Exhibition was rescued from the basement of tho Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington, where it had lain unseen for the past 15 years. All New Zealand’s primary and secondary industries are splendidly represented within the main hall, while plaster imitations of. Maori wood-carv-ing around all the internal doors are remarkably realistic. A Maori scheme of decoration is also effectively used in the restaurant. Unfortunately, New Zealand’s exhibits cannot be completed by the opening day. Sir James Allen states that the delay is entirely the fault of the Exhibition Board in not supplying power by the time promised. The internal feature of the Canadian Pavilion, which is arousing the greatest interest, is a scheme of coloured mural decorations and other designs, all worked in coloured seeds. South Africa is featuring ostrichfarming, diiamond-mining, and fruit-growing.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.