1940 EXHIBITION

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 74, 21 December 1937, Page 10

1940 EXHIBITION

Fourteen Acres Of Buildings DEMAND FOR SPACE, “Although it is only a few months Since the Centennial Exhibition Company was formed, enough progress has been made to justify the hope that, this great national enterprise will be well worthy of New Zealand’s hundredth birthday as a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations,” states the general manager (Mr. C. P. Hainsworth), in a review of operations. “The wide range of work is seen in the functioning of 14 committees at headquarters, and provincial committees are arranging for the establishment of provincial courts which will show the products and natural resources of the various districts. A splendid spirit of goodwill is growing in many parts of the Dominion.

“The magnitude of the project is indicated in the capital objective of £225,000, which includes a Government grant of £50,000 and a. loan of £25,000 free of interest. The balance of £150,000 will come from the purchase of shares by the public. Already a sum of £BB,OOO has been thus subscribed and further applications are coming in steadily. A campaign to complete this financing will be undertaken soon after the holidays. “The company’s architect, Mr. E. Anscombe, is just about completing his detailed drawings and specifications, so that tenders for the buildings can be called next month. The Rongotai site of 60 acres has been levelled and everything is in readiness for the building work which it is intended to begin early in March.' The first tender will be for a huge spread of buildings—l 4 acres—for the housing of exhibits.

“The issue of the business prospectus a few weeks ago to firms of manufacturers and others in New Zealand and overseas has met witli a very gratifying response. Applications for space from many leading firms represent many thousands of square feet, and negotiations of other firms for space indicate a lively interest in the exhibition. Prompt, action by firms that have not yet opened up negotiations is advised, as the demand for the bqst of the remaining positions promises to be very keen.” Every effort is to be made to ensure that the amusement park will give the public some very pleasant surprises. Tiie selection of the principal devices will be deferred until the return of the general manager from his visit to other countries, where he will see the latest, developments in fun-making. He will also give attention to the selection of a first-class military band. The night-lighting will be a very impressive spectacle. A committee of experts has under consideration schemes of floodlighting and other decorative illumination on a scale that has never before been attempted in this part of the world.