THE EXHIBITION

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 81, 3 October 1938, Page 15

THE EXHIBITION

NOW FAIRLY LAUNCHED

AUSPICIOUS OMENS

TABLET LAID

Under auspicious omens of brilliant sunshine and peace, with a pleasant, light breeze, the first official step in the launching of the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition was taken at Rongotai on Saturday in the laying of the commemoration tablet by his Excellency the Governor^ General, Viscount Galway, in the | presence, on a high dais, of some 200 invited guests, comprising the leaders of municipal and county bodies, the representatives of commerce, law, and culture of the Wellington district, and directors of the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition Company, and their wives. Seated on piles of lumber, or standing in the foreground, were some 800 interested citizens. The dais, erected on the site of the festival hall, was some 400 yards inside the main entrance, and from it could be obtained a better idea of the large floor space awaiting its buildings, and of the Government Court, already partly erected, than has hitherto been possible. At 3 p.m. the viceregal party arrived, escorted by a section of the motorcycle unit of the Wellington Regiment. Her Excellency, Lady Galway, took her place on the dais and his Excellency, accompanied by the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, president of the Exhibition Company, and the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop), who is chairman of directors, inspected the guard of honour drawn from the First Battalion the Wellington Regiment, the band of the regiment . meanwhile playing appropriate " music. SUCCESS ASSURED. After his Excellency had taken his seat, Mr. Hislop, referring to the purpose for which they were gathered, said that during the past two years many of them had been working hard .to lay the foundations of the Exhibition and to ensure its success. It had •been only recently that it had been possible to take active» and definite steps to bring ideas into concrete form, but now they were so forward that they were receiving the encouragement of the public, and success was definitely assured. Much of the actual work that had been done was now out of sight, just as what was being done today soon would be. The engineering ■work carried out by the City Engineer (Mr. K. E. Luke) had involved so much that it was difficult now to give an idea of it. On the area of fifty acres on which they stood there had been laid three miles of stormwater drains, two miles of drainage for sewerage, and two miles of drainage for water supply. Ten thousand cubic yards of sand had been removed where the sandhills stood, and in addition to other things 15,000 cubic yards of clay had been laid to form the streets, which, in the case of the main streets alone, covered six miles. The buildings they saw represented only one-sixth of the total buildings that would cover the site. Fourteen acres of floor space would be covered, by ..these buildings, and of this space already no less than 80 per cent, had either been let or definitely taken. He referred to the space taken by other countries. The court of Great Britain would cover 30,000 sq. ft. and there was also guaranteed by Australia, always helpful and generous, a .fitting representation', while though it was not yet definite, it was practically assured that South Africa would also .participate. He spoke of the wonderful illuminations which had been arranged for, something that had not only never been seen in this hemisphere, but which had not been even imagined. Based on the experiences of Paris and Glasgow, they would astound everyone. The effect the Dominion Court, arrangements for which had only been completed in the ast day or two, would have on visitors, vas stressed. The Exhibition would ?>e in every way worthy of the national centennial. Mr. Hislop concluded by giving thanks to all who had assisted in making the progress achieved, and in laying the foundations for success. PIONEERING STILL ESSENTIAL. The Hon. D. G. Sullivan spoke of the pride in achievement which New Zealanders justly felt, and of the part played by the pioneers, but it must be remembered, he said, that there was too much of a tendency to consider pioneering as belonging to the past, whereas the need for pioneering was as great as ever, and continuity of effort, and sacrifices to ensure the progress of the Dominion were just as essential. Rapid as progress had been for fifty years, more rapid progress still must be expected, The revolutionary ' encroachments of science into every phase of life sometimes be- ' wildered, while they urged a realisation of the countless opportunities for advancement being showered upon the people, giving rise as they did to better living and greater happiness. There was the sheer necessity of keeping oneself mentally fit to keep pace with the inarch of time. : Mr. Sullivan traced the growth of exhibition popularity since the Dunedin Exhibition of 1865, and spoke of the significance of the 1940 Exhibition as a record of progress for the last 100 years, and an interpretation of present activities. "As president of the Centennial Exhibition, I am particularly happy to be present at this initial ceremony, and feel sure that the Exhibition will be a credit to all who are assisting towards its success, and that it will indeed be a distinct feature in the Centennial Year 1940," he concluded. HIS EXCELLENCY'S ADDRESS. "In eighteen moriths' time New Zealanders will commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi which marked the welding of the two races in New Zealand into one nation under -the British Crown, and it is indeed appropriate that that year should be marked by the holding of a New Zealand Centennial Exhibition," said Lord Galway. "Since the days when Governor Hobson read the Proclamation at Waitangi, wonderful strides indeed have been made in this country, and so great have been the many : changes that, could any of those who were present at the signing of the : Treaty return to our midst today, they certainly could not credit that the pro- [ gress made in the country in the in-j terval has been the result of human I. endeavour. , "At various stages in its brief his- j tory New Zealand, like all other coun- < tries, has experienced many difficulties ] —periods of both good times and bad i: times, of depression and of boons. How I the people have been able to overcome tHe .many difficulties which have j beset their path of progress may be ' judged by the splendid ports, cities, j and towns, roads and bridges and ] means of transport which now exist in ] the country* Evidences of .the rapid |j progress are shown also in the coun-1 j try districts where bush land and marsh I (

land, hill and plain, good country and bad country, have been brought into profitable cultivation —in practically every case as the result of the energy and enterprise of the early pioneers.

"It is indeed fitting that the Centennial Exhibition is to be held in this capital city, as it was on the shores of Port Nicholson that so many of the early settlers first arrived in New Zea-' land. Of those early settlers no one can speak too highly, for in the face of almost insurmountable difficulties they carved out homes for themselves and brought the land into a fit state of cultivation. It was they who, in the absence of roads and bridges, of most of the ordinary comforts of life, and, in many cases, of medical aid and other facilities, proved themselves the confident strong-minded and hardy pioneers who make the success of any country. A FAVOURED LAND. "No one will deny that New Zealand is a highly favoured country in many ways. It is most fortunate in having a climate which is ideal for human life; it is equally ideal for animal life and plant life and has been gifted, in addition by a bountiful Nature, with an abundance of mineral and forest wealth, together with a scenery which is unsurpassed in any part of the world. With these natural attractions, along with the Exhibition, the authorities concerned should feel that they have very good ground for anticipating that the year 1940 will be an outstanding one in New Zealand's history. "In regard to the Exhibition itself, I am of opinion that the site chosen could not have been bettered in Wellington, and in the minds of all those who visit New Zealand and the Exhibition, there will doubtless remain most favourable impressions of the standard of progress achieved by New Zealand to date. The laying of this commemoration tablet is, of course, in the main, a matter of form, but before undertaking the ceremony I should like to take the opportunity of wishing all those connected with the Exhibition every success in their great national enterprise." Declaring the tablet well and truly laid, his Excellency wished the Exhibition every success. The inscription reads: "New Zealand Centennial Exhibition. Held at Wellington 1939-1940. Commemorating the dauntless courage of our pioneer men and women, typifying the resources of our Dominion, and symbolising the progress of industry, science, and art from 1840 to 1940. This tablet was placed in position by his Excellency the Governor-General of New Zealand, the Rt. Hon. Viscount Galway, P.C., G.C.M.G., D.5.0., 0.8. E. Wellington, October 1, 1938." Then follow the names of the president, chairman of directors, vice-chairman, directors, architects, and contractors.

On behalf of the Protestant church, the Yen. Archdeacon W. Bullock, Vicar General of the Diocese, conducted a short service and the ceremony closed with the National Anthem.