FOREST OF TIMBER USED

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 260, 1 August 1939, Page 6

FOREST OF TIMBER USED

Exhibition Buildings

TEMPORARY, BUT BUILT TO ENDURE The vast piles of timber which, les> than a year ago, dwarfed the contractors’ offices at the Centennial Exhibition site in Rongotai, are now shrunk almost to nothing. A forest has fallen to make the great pleasure palaces. For the construction of the main buildings, 7,500,000 feet of timber has been used. Of this 500,000 feet were New Zealand woods. The flooring of the L>acre main buildings is largely of matai. For the main timbers, however, Oregon pine was imported from North America, because of its greater length than that of the New Zealand native timbers,

Though the buildings will stand only for a little more than the period of the exhibition, and will then be demolished, they have been constructed in conformity with the regulations ordinarily governing public buildings. Ail stresses have been calculated, and iu each case double the strength actually necessary lias been provided. The buildings have been built as though they were to last indefinitely, and, indeed, they are sufficiently strong and well built to endure for half a century or more, if that were necessary.

Progress is now rapid. The last remaining pavilions are fast growing up within the grounds; the steel structure of the British Government pavilion is nearing completion, and the Australian pavilion, being in woodwork, is even farther advanced.

The British pavilion will perhaps be the most stoutly and permanently constructed of all the exhibition buildings. It has the same sturdy framework as many a great city block of offices, ami the thoroughness of its massive build is a source of constant comment from visitors.

The striking lines of the Australian pavilion are already apparent, though the building is not half finished. The most impressive features will be the 40foot high glass window forming the north-west facade—a gigantic bow window through which will be visible the people thronging up and down the spiral stairease within—and the entrance hall, 60 feet high to its decorated ceiling.

In Playland the model of the Bloody Tower of the Tower of London is nearly completed, as far as its exterior is concerned. It will house the £30.000 collection of replicas of the crown jewels of Europe. A special section will feature the Crown Jewels of Great Britain, from the reign of King Alfred to the accession of King George VI. At present some of them are showing at the New York World Fair. In a case in the Czech pavilion are replicas of the Crown Jewels of old Bohemia, placed there by Dr. Eduard Benes, last President of Czechoslovakia.

Another interesting Playland feature will be the model theatre, built by Mr. H. C. Harcourt, Taumarunui. It is a. perfect model theatre; complete from street-front facade to backstage dressing-rooms. It took Mr. Harcourt five years in the making and stands Bft. high by Bft. wide and 22ft. long. It is a complete model building, perfect in furniture and fittings. Its electric elevator works, it is fully lighted by 200 bulbs; it possesses working models of revolving stages and' every feature of the most modern theatre equipment, stage and screen. It is complete with sound equipment. The whole structure weighs three tons and is a remarkable achievement of handicraft. The detail with which it is finished is exemplified by the construction of the four glass chandeliers, skilfully made from glass necklace beads. The 1200 seats are upholstered in crimson velvet. More than half an acre of plywood was used in its construction.