TWO FINE COURTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 30, 4 August 1939, Page 10

TWO FINE COURTS

GREAT BRITAIN AND AUSTRALIA

INTRIGUING EXHIBITS

THE IMPERIAL NOTE

Excellent progress is being made I with the United Kingdom and Australian Pavilions at Rongotai, and when j they are finished they will form an impressive entrance to the Exhibition by the avenue between them from Kingsford Smith Street. The lay-out of the Exhibition as a whole strikes visitors with surprise. Mr. G. H. Meadmore, M.8.E., the Commis-sioner-General for the United Kingdom Pavilion, said that he was surprised at the progress made with the construction of the Exhibition buildings, and was greatly impressed with the lay-out as a whole. "It is extremely attractive, and from what I ! saw of the exhibits already being installed or in preparation—and I am 1 speaking with a fairly large experience of exhibition work —I am satisfied that it will be an exhibition that will be very, very creditable to ills organisers and everybody connected with it, and I am sure that it is going to be of vast and tremendous interest to the public." The United Kingdom Pavilion was due to be completed at the end of September, said Mr. Meadmore. He had made several trips to Glasgow in order to insure that the steel framework would be so cut and drilled that it would be no trouble to erect, and he had been delighted to learn that it had gone up so easily, a credit to the manufacturers. 20-FOOT STATUE. Describing the lay-out of the pavilion, he said that on entering the building one would come to an open court with a high special roof and indirect lighting. • In the centre would be • a symbolic figure by the wellknown British sculptor, Maurice Lambert, depicting "Power." It would be 20ft high, and would typify the general theme of the court's exhibits, transport and communications, and the power suggested, such as that of electricity, would be shown emanating from the figure and surrounding the world. The sculpture was definitely of a modern character, but not of the aggressively modern type. There would be two big bays, semicircular in shape, about 100 ft long. On one side would be aeroplanes, which would show development from Hhe earliest times to the present day, including famous machines like that of Jean Batten, the Mayo composite, and almost every type that was known. ! These would be scale models. On the other side would be shown the development of shipping, from the earliest coracle up to the Great Eastern and modern mammoth liners. Both with the aeroplanes and shipping an endeavour was being made to present them in a natural setting. The aeroplanes would be seen from a balcony and an awning, with the sky as naturally presented as possible, against which background the aeroplanes would fly in all directions. The ships also would travel against a scenic background of sSqj- and sea in such a way that the ships would seem to be actually travelling across the ocean. Behind these bays were other bays, one of which would be divided into two. It would show on one side a cavalcade of motor-cars, including famous machines, such as those of Malcolm Campbell and Eyston, and on the other locomotives from the earliest types to the streamlined Coronation. AN INTRIGUING EXHIBIT. j In a wing behind. the aeroplanes would be what Mr. Meadmore considered the most intriguing exhibit the pavilion would have, being in the form of an enormous map of the world, about 40 feet long, let into the floor. The land surfaces would be illuminated, showing the more or less recognised green and blue colours of contour maps. There would be real water in the tank, and on the water would be small models of ocean ships, each I travelling on its own particular route, j A series of model boats would trade continuously between England and! America across the Atlantic, and in I the same way there would be ships travelling between England and New ! Zealand. There would be no confu-' sion of the routes. Across the land j surfaces would be tube lighting showing the Imperial air routes of the world. In conjunction with this there would be a machine showing a transparency which would tell the story of the development of the Dominions to date as far as aeroplanes and ships were concerned. The time it took a sailing ship from England to reach New Zealand 100 years ago would be told in another story, and on its reaching New Zealand, the contour colour of its illumination would change to Imperial red. All air routes from England to Australia and on to New Zealand would be similarly illuminated. The same thing would happen with all the Dominions. This would not only be interesting but most educative, said Mr. Meadmore.. The system of lighting in the pavilion is all artificial, and will be kept at fairly low intensity, except in the case of exhibits which will be brightly lit. There will be a cycle of colour changes in the lighting which will give the hues from sunrise to sunset. Exterior lighting will also be a feature. It is anticipated that the building and its exhibit will cost £60,000. AUSTRALIA'S DISPLAYS. The Australian Pavilion, said the Australian Trade Commissioner, Mr. C. E. Critchley. would present very little of the goods from the country, but it would be rather a prestige exhibit. All the internal decorations were being prepared in Australia. There would be a certain number of electrically motivated exhibits, and a considerable proportion of the displays would deal with tropical Australia. At the entrance of the court there would be a few examples of the developments in primary products. The dining-room would be in the form of a circle, but would be open to the rest of the main court. Next to the dining-room there would be a display showing Australia's modernity, and next to it would be a collection of j Australian gems. Tropical Australia, with its flora and fauna, came next. An interesting display would be Australia's territorial responsibilities and possessions. Another display would be of tourist attractions. Australian textiles would form another, and some secondary industries would be shown in modern manner. A small picture theatre would show national and scenic features. There would be an art section, showing Australia's development in sculpture, while throughout there would be a scheme of murals !in a modernistic style. I