THE EXHIBITION SITE AND BUILDING.

Evening Star, Issue 7799, 21 December 1888, Page 4

THE EXHIBITION SITE AND BUILDING.

THE EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER'S

REPORT

The following report, which has: been addressed to the directors of the Exhibition by the Executive Commissioner, was received at a meeting of the _ directors verierday, when it was resolved to publish it . Dunedin, Tuesday, December 18,1888. possible for me to ' b^l ~ of the site for tions with regard *hej^, ° ]f of the the and gladly avaiijr, g suggestion made at t. } yesterday that 1 snou i j hiye public expression jo the uiea formed on the question. »™ u - t todosobec«nse,nowtwtJ™ P d fhe tion c have a right to look to Fre / 8 ' : the matter, and my personal «^SSSth?= T&l™X?™<tel younotice as facilitating that I brought under your u the enterprise admirably and the central o te, between C * t b a the continuation of Cumbrian railway overbridge. This point a your attention, and you the hSd to consider thedesui»omy m Since then I nave oeeu private, definite opinion m the matter over! from a feeling that _i; was to benefit of outside sugges ag the investigation of^he.r m read pr rtwirthe various proposals that have w th attention the vanoub v f and f- JSSi too Bmall, and inaccessible points being much too smau, * near SSlh anSthetic enthusiasm has suggested W TWs desSe or beauty of surroundings hoe • v a ♦£; nLioritv of Press correspondents to inclined the majority ot x ffa f. t 6 rta i S°conshlerable attractions in practical considerations this respect. » £ helllling again st this »re, to my minu, ov« . x uldßeot h ft t SS^^sS^» t -om for the buildtherewouu"" b t a couplo of 108 It! at Seta k/which would be very fh«!Ttivß bush could not be replaced. Mr tokin«in the side r»d H 7 !^T O k as near the hill as practicable, and going tack as near £Sr My est mate has from the outset been for five acS. under cover, and it would be very unwise to begin building n any site winch did «Kve room for possible, and I would almost say SableTurthe? expansion. But supposing Sfthe building could be m*. the ground by various extensions ncrties, and cutting down part of the "ill, there mifn« what in mv judgment is an absolutely of the town. This, according to Mr Hay's report, Sone mile and three-quarters, and practically a tramway journey of sixteen minutes from too Bank oT&w Zealand (.cconling to the preset, timetables). The difficulty of access would Kit with special severity by the populous STsScts of South Dunedin and the Hat, and the suburbs of Caversham, Roslyii, and Mornbgton, whoso residents would have to Sake a double tram journey o get to the wound As you so forcibly pointed out at ywgSi Committee meeting, trams tunning every three minutes, each containing forty Sns, would only take 800 norso.is down m Sn hour, and on Saturday n.gits we shouM look for an average attendance of about 3,000 nearly all of whora.it must bo borne m mnul will want to come between half-past raven ami half-past eight, and leave together in a mass between a quarter to ten and ten o clock. It is Sthat the Melbourne Exhibition is largely served by trams; but it is no reflection upon Z tramway company, who pioneeredthe way for the Victorian improvements, to point out that the swift, trequput, and comfortable cable tram service in Melbourne is a very different thine from anything that is possible under our circumstances: Then the distance to the Exlubition from thecentre of Melbourne cry, say corner of Collins and Elizabeth sheets, is less than a mile, or Httle more than half the distance from toe Octagon, whilst as regards the residences o 111 working classes who form the backbone of the evening attendance, which >s adways tho principal attendance, the Melbourne txkb.tion could scarcely be more central y situated in any theoretical site. It lies at the junction of North Melbourne, Carlton, and Fitzroy, the principal working-class suburbs, and can in no seme be said to be at one end of the town, as would K So caw in Dunedin if the Exhibition were placed opposite tho Botanic Gardens. Besides, the practical man who observes actual c'.rcum*Ks and the habits of men wdl recognise that the residents of a large town like Melbourne think less" of distances than we do in Dunedin, and that scarcely anyone In Mo - bourne thinks twice about a tram farej: whereas during the last year or two the tramway company have good reason to know that «.reeoence u a consideration to many people We and a double journey and return faro Wdd n ot *» wo o ™* o ™* with il tl l e re f ired f frequency. Moreover, the practical centre of Jhe town is rather the Cargill Monument, where r*il and road and tram meet, than the Octagon, from which, in deference to Mr Hay's measurements I have taken ray distances. All these considerations reinforce the commonsense of the position, which is, that if the Exhibition were situated in or opposite the Botanic CKdenß people would go down there occasional], the Exhibition itself, but it could not heeome a place of regular and constant resort, ««*&* it must be to attain any considerable jmecess. and there would, in my opinion, for what it is worth, be a real and serious risk, I won't say of failure, because that the public BDirit of the community puts out of the question! bat of partial and qualified success and 5 financial loss. It is very difficult, indeed, to estimate the difference which one site would make from another in the attendance; but if, as Kb* I can show, the Crawford street ntecan bo made thoroughly attractive, I believe that weihould draw there nearly half as many Zple again as to the Botanic Gardens. And let Ine add that in this matter there is scarcely any difference, as has been argued, between financial considerations and general success. A well attended Exhibition is in the main a successful Exhibition, and in tho rough it comes true 6 ttSSSr people visit the more likely they are to see the exhibits. This Sesmore especially to visitors from outside Xo cannot in any case go very often and being messed for time will not be inclined to frequently repeat long crowded tramway drives to the •™?M!n. whilst if the Exhibition is close to Kir hoteT they will naturally be tempted to stroll in for half an hour after dinner. That the Crawford street site o»n bo made attractive may at first thought appear difficult, andnodoMbt the uncouth surroundings are an obiection whieh one ha? to take into conSratfon. But I believe tins objection STbe minimised to a point which will be generally admitted to be inconsulorablo in g with tho immense advantages fftrite offers in point of centrality, acand building considerations. The °%SS2be do2 by apian which will, I hope, VSSSZSSZ continental prettiness and pwssen* i« entirely novel in AustralJSLTSMtob««S the Exhibition building sCldte constructed in a hollow square or 5C »ith the gardens in the middle. A t I ? g, ~r (roZh should face the visitor as he will Scarcely be seen. The building itself wilThide to surJoundings. unless anyone cares objectless ourney round the out--I^^-^estftKS eSly things of beauty to wander round ; (2) ?irs -Itl «^% nl r walk round and a dreary one from want fflpother people? (3) that ither and be amused—tne exhibits are a *condar7 consideration, and the instruction SSSmsmther from them is derived insensiMy ialrat before their eyes in a striking way. But suppose an exhibition with the chief at ♦rations concentred at the further end-oj there mwt be a handsome and dignified entrance to strike the first lmpresT Ji ttoSSdens in the middle, that is «on-and tne garu wall^o f the building. by wSttoSta with be bound to 1 rouTthe building to get to the. attracZ ™> tKuX d^f an e d xhSs £? they will think

the Exhibition considerably larger than it really is in comparison with other exhibitions. Every exhibitor will also get the opportunity of having his exhibit seen by everbody, and thus the usual attempts to job tho f rentage to the main avenue will lose their raison d'Hrc, and all the exhibitors will be equally pleased. The public, too, will not bo able tohelp derivingmore instruction than they know, and that without being " bored," if tho round is made pretty with plenty of tlags and sudden surprises of moving machinery and bits of Nature. But if they do get tired of the exhibits thero will be exits into the gardens, where they will find fountains played upon by the olectrio light through colored glass and a baud discoursing sweet musio; and restaurants, where you can get a cup of coffee or a glass of Australian wine; and verandahs if it should be wet; and cool grots

and mossy cells, hiding corners and protuberances of the building, with ferns and mosses brought from the far country; and nice gravel paths to walk up and down, and well-shorn lawns in the middle. All these concentrated attractions can be comparatively cheaply provided in a central garden, which will not be so large but that everybody can see everybody else. Another important consideration iu this climate is that the garden will be sheltered from the wind by the walls of the budding, and owing to the comparatively small size-about six acres—the gardening can be carried to a much higher degree ot perf ction than considerations of economy would allow in the case of a large, rambling garden, whilst we should ea«-e the expense of fencing, since the building will form its own fence. From the garden the heights of Morningtou and Roslyn, Wavcrley, and Anderson Bay will be visible, but none of the unsightly surroundings which offend the esthetic sense; and the whole idea, even if imperfectly carried out—for, of course, we cannot expect to come up to the ideal—will be something out of the ordinary, and different from anything that has been seen in Australia. Another advantago of this plan is that the flower, fruit, fowl, dog, and other temporary shows and sports which must be got up every week through tho Exhibition, if we mean to keep the interest alive, can be held in this central garden without the expense of special buildings. It is also worth pointing out that by this method elasticity of construction is secured, and the erection of the further end of tho Exhibition can be deferred till the last moment, thus avoiding the necessity of having to throw out annexes which are rarely visited, and keeping the whole building compact, symmetrical, and systematic. Tho chief objection to tho Crawford street site is that it is only 100 yds broad, but this can be remedied by taking in the continuation of Cumberland street, which would give another two chains. This part of the street is little used, and could be closed to traffic without any serious inconvenience to the public by a special Act of Parliament, bimilar to that passed in 1885 for closing Babance iitreet. Wellington, for the exhibition there held. A shed is in course of erection upon the ground which would be a great obstruction, but from inquiries I have made I believe there would be littlo difficulty about stopping its completion upon reasonable compensation. The accessibility of this site needs no comment. It is at tho very centre of the tram system, and within a single tram ride from every suburb of the City ; whilst visitors staying in hotels will stroll in for half an hour in the ovening for want of something better to do, even if they do not care for the Exhibition itself. Further, there is a saving of expense in tho level surface of the ground at this site, which can be put in order for building at small outlay. Nor should it be forgotten that a railway siding runs on to tho ground, affording a considerable convenience and economy to exhibitors, whose interests must be carefully studied if we want the Exhibition to succeed in every sense. The Southern Reserve, which appears to me the second best site at a considerable interval after Crawford street, has some advantages over it in allowing the building to bo seen right down Princes street, and in the superior beauty and suitability of the Oval for holding athletic sports. But I find there would be a very large expense in levelling the ground, which is broken up by raised paths and drains, and perhaps some difficulty about cutting down all the trees that have been planted, as well as dangers in regard to drainage and floods. The extent of this danger it is for an engineer to estimate ; but we are hardly justified in running any ncedlesfl risk, and the greater centrality and economical advantages of Crawford street give that site the preference. The Rattray street site, behind the railway station, I would place third in order of merit as of centrality, though very far behind the former twe sites. There is plenty of room there, but the expense of putting the ground in order would be consideiable, and the walk down is far from attractive. Besides, it is a peculiarly isolated site; whilst there is a considerable population at the doors of both Crawford street and the Southern Reserve. Although of necessity hurriedly expressed, the above considerations are the outcome of a careful thinking out of the whole question and a practical examination of the sites by a man who has not only taken part in exhibitions in Paris, Sydney, and Melbourne, but of his own jud"ment selected sites for exhibitions at Perth, Adelaide, and Christchurch, which achieved a certain amount of success. This experience does not, I am aware, carry with it infaUibility, and if the shareholders decide against my views they may depend that I shall feel it all the more necessary to put my utmost energy into tho undertaking in order to minimise the increased risk and difficulties which I shall believe to be entailed. But I trust the public will at least give the same attentive consideration to the above opinions that I have given to the various suggestions that have appeared in the Press.—l am, etc., R. Ernest N. Twopeny.

MR R. HAY'S REPORT. • The following report by Mr R. Hay was also received at yesterday's meeting -. Dunedin, December 20. In accordance with your instructions, I havo made the necessary surveys and inspections of the various sites proposed for the Jixhibition, with a view to reporting on the respective general features thereof, having relation to their adaptability or otherwise for tho required purpose, and I have the honor to report accordingly, plana being attached showing the locality. and form of the various sites. In estimating the comparative distances I have .taken the Cargill Monnment for my starting point, measuring thence to the nearest point of each sito. Tl>e immediate locality of the monument represents the business centro of the town, and is the focus of the railway and trom systems, besidesbeing nearly equidistant between the outside boundaries of tho north and south suburbs—viz., 'Waltham Riso in the one direction and Normanby in the other. The sites that have been brought under my notice are twplye in n timber, as follows : 1. Triangle, 2. Reclamation befeind railway station. 3. Reclamation, Crawford street. 4 South Dunedin Recreation Ground (Oval). L L I 5. Musoum Ground, Great King street, fi Forth Dunedin Recreation Ground.

7, Botanic Gardens, North-east Valley. K. Land opposite Botanic Gardens. !). Asylum Ground, behind High School. 10. Victoria Park, Serpentine avenue. 11. Montecillo, Eglinton road. 12. Forbury Park. And I will now shortly enumerate the merits and demerits of each position a* numbered on the plans herewith. Site No. I—better known as the Triangle—ib the most centrally situated, and is easy of access from all quarters, the ground being level and all available for building. The area of tho reserve is two acres, but this can be increased to three acres by encroaching on Cumberland and High streets. The aroa thus obtained will be an irregular one—very nearly triangular in shape—and cannot readily be increased without further encroachment on the street lines. The

Corporation sewer and water system can ho utilised on this site for drainage and water supply. The railways and wharves are contiguous, but lines would have to be laid for conveyance of goods direct from either position, otherwise everything must be carted. Site No. 2 is represented by the partly rec'aimffl land behind the railway station. Tho total area that could bo utilised is twenty-six acres; is centrally situated and accessible by the production of tho Castle street tram down Stuart stret, and the Princes street tram along Rattray and Burns streets. The railway station is also in close proximity, while goods lauded at tho wharves could be taken direct into tho grounds by means of a temporary line of rails, the seven-ton crane bring available for heavy lifts. There is a considerable amount of levelling to be done in some parts-, but the silt or sand at the derricks can be easily jot for the work. The partly reclaimed portion can be used for ornamental ponds, but would require concreting for the retention of the water at a permanent level. Thegrouud, after levelling, wouldbe ready for building on, but I am unable to say whether it is sufficiently consolidated to carry heavy machinery. However, the matter could be settled at once by sinking a few holes Water for power and other purposes can be had by extending tho Corporation mains, and drainage by connection with the High street aewer. The harbor on the north side could be utilised by enclosing a portion for boating and experiments with marine exhibits. This site is exposed to the full effect of the N.E. winds, and the smell from the harbor is rather prominent, owing to the deposit of refuse from the sewers discharging on the foreshore. The sand, or silt, over the greater part of the area would require covering with some material to prevent it blowing about in dry and windy weather. The distance from Caigill's Monument is twentyseven ch .in.".

Site No. 3 (Crawford street) is situated south of the overbridge, thirty-five chains from the monument. The land rs perfectly level, and can be built on at any time, no outlay being required for preparation, and it will afford good foundations without tho necessity of sinking. A rectangular area of nine acres can be obtained by taking in two-thirds of Cumberland strcot and one-third of Crawford street, and without interfering in any way with the street traffic. A further area of three acres can also be enclosed if required. In Crawford street about six telegraph posts will require moving, but that would be o very small matter. The position is central, and a siding now runs along tho northern end of the ground, communicating with tha railway system, which is also connected with tho Jetty street wharf. Connections for branch sidings could also be put in, by which meacs all material, goods, or exhibits would be conveyed to any part of the building, the rails being laid to the level of the floor, and left in for the future removal of the exhibits and dismantling tho building. If arrangements could be made with the railway authorities, a platform for exhibition trains might be erected on the main line, at the Cumberland street frontage. Tho Manor street sewer crosses the ground immediately to the north, and the Silverstream main traverses Crawford street on the west side, from which an abundant supply of water can be obtained, which with tho pressure obtainable at this point (about 1651b to the square inch) will provide a useful power for driving small machines and exhibiting water engines at work. An important feature in this and other proposals is the possession of an ample supply of water for fire-extinguishing purposes, with an adequate prefsure that can be laid on all over the building, with fire-plugs at frequent intervals. The value of a water supply of this nature for insurance purposes and the protection of valuable exhibits can hardly be over-estimated. If the whole width of tho site (132 yds) were occupied from side to side by the building, no fencing will be required. Site No. 4 is the South Recreation Reserve, known as the Oval, and is twenty-four acres in extent altogether (the Oval being four and a-half acres), and is distant half a mile from the Monument. This site is surrounded by roads, and accessible by trams from town and suburbs. It has no direct connection with the railways or wharves, but no doubt one could bo made without difficulty; and a water supply similar to that in No. 3 site is easily attainable Tho drainage of the land is defective on account of its being lower than the surrounding roads, and it iB also liable to be flooded in heavy rains and during high spring tides. The ground to be occupied by the Exhibition building and gardens would require raising to the level of the surrounding land before operations were commenced, and foundations for heavy machinery would be difficult to obtain and costly to construct, owing to the swampy nature of the land. Site No. 5 (the Museum) is constituted by the balance of a five-acre block, after certain portions for the museum, post office, police station and Union street School have been abstracted, leaving a balance of three anda-quarter acres of irregular shape, distant from the Monument nearly a mile. This -site is accessible by the King and Castle street trams. Good level building land, with water and drainage, are available for their several uses. The Pelichet Bay railway siding is about thirty chains distant, and goods could be delivered at the railway siding and carted to the ground. Unless the tramway is connected with the railway and wharves, all material and exhibits must be carted to this site, Site No. 6 is the North Dunedin Recreation Ground, which is a five-acre block, distant nearly a mile and a-quarter from Cargill's Monument. If the trees surrounding the ground are left standing the area available will be reduced to four acres. My remarks on Site No. 5 in other points will also apply to this posiSite No. 7 —The Botanic Gardens, distant about one mile and thiee-quartersfrom Cargill's Monument, embrace an area of fourteen acres on the flat, and are laid out in ornamental gardenc, which will in a great measure be destroyed by and during the erection of an exhibition building. Tho site is accessible by the Castle and King streets trams, and looked upon purely as a building site is suitable for all such purposes. For the transport of goods, tram lines and cartage must bo relied upon. Site No. 8 is situated on tho opposite side to the Botanic Gardens, and is distant about one and three-quarter miles from Cargill's Monument, and is accessible by the King street trams, and also by tho Castle street line, which might be extended alongside the Leith into King street. The land is, generally speaking, a narrow strip bounded by a road on the one side

and the Leith stream on the other. Bends in the Pine Hill road and the Leith practically cut the land in two. The portion facing the main road consists of five and a-half acreH, but of this only four acres are available for building; while if a rectangular area is wanted, three and a-half acres only are then obtainable, and to get this the Pine Hill road must be diverted into the boundary road as shown on plan. If it was thought desirable to have gardens detached from the main building, the back portion of the land, some five or six acres, could be utilised accordingly. The whole site is undoubtedly a picturesque one, commanding a good outlook, but the shape of the ground iB not conducive to compactness of building and other arrangements. Thefenoing of the land will also form a considerable item, aB the Leith, when at its ordinary level, does not act as an

effective boundary. Facilities for building, drainage, and water supply are at hand; but the carriage of goods, etc., must be'effected either on tho tram line or by cartage. The Leith might be utilised for ornamental purposes, but thty would have to run the chance of the floods which occur in this stream at frequent intervals, Site No. 9, tho Asylum Ground behind the High School.—This area is flat, and about throe acres could be obtained, situated at a level of 270 ft above the Triangle; access for passengers by tho Roslyn cable line; all goods and material would have to be carted up Stuart street and Albort street, and this operation would form an expensive item in the cost of tho building and the conveyance of exhibits. Drainage might be obtained, but the water supply could only bo depended on for steam purposes and any ordinary domestic requirements, as in the event of the reservoir being low there woald be very little available for fire-extinguishing purposes during the night, and none during the daytime. The distance of the site from the Monument is three-quarters of a mile. This, with other hill sites, commands magnificent views of the harbor, ocean, and surrounding country. Lite No. 10, Victoria Park, distance half a milo for persons driving or walking to the lower end of the park. Cartage or carriage to the upper end is nearly one mile. An area of about three acres could be obtained on the highest part by some considerable expenditure in levelling, and the elevation above the Triangle will bo 320 ft. My remarks on sito No. 9 in other matters, such as drainage, water, and carriage, also apply to this site. Access can be obtained by the Mornington cable tram, about 12 chains distant.

Sito No. 11, Montccillo. —Ample area nf a fairly flat nature is here obtainable, distant 70 chains from Monument, and situated at a height of 210 ft above the Triaßgle. Access by the Mornington cable tram, passing about 30 chains to the westwatd. My remarks on cartage, drainage, etc., in site No. 9 also apply to this proposal. For water a special main 30 chains in length would have to bo laid, at a cost of about L6OO.

Sito No. 12, Foibury Park.—l understand it u proposed to erect the necessary buildings insido tho running track. This is private property, and devoted to certain purposes, such as horse-racing, coursing, etc.; and Ido not think tho erection and maintenance of an exhibition building and its adjuncts in the desired position would conduce to the success of the Dunedin Jockey Club's or Coursing Club's operations. The distance from the Monument is about twomiles and a quarter, and access for passengers and goods would be ensured by the trama and Ocean Beach Railway. In heavy rains the land in question is liable to bj flooded. Tho water supply would have to be obtained from South Dunedin or Caversham mains.

There is one point I will touch on that might bo of assistance in arriving at a conclusion—namely, taking a population basis—as between a central City sito and say one at the North end. The population of the boroughs of Roslyn, Mornington, Caversham, St. Kilda, and South Dunedin amounts to 16,371; that of North-east Valley, Maori Hill, and West Harbor, 5,904. To each of these add half the population of tho City proper (23,243)—5ay, 11,621. This will give 27,992 that a central site will accommodate against 17,525 convenienced by tho northern sito. Then, again, the exoursion traffic will be landed at the main railway station within a few chains of any of the central sites. The residents from the first-named boroughs wishing to tram it to a northern site must pay fares on both lines—one each on tho suburban and City trams —while those rosiding in the northern boroughs can reach tho central site by paying only one fare each way. The railway syntem and the trams from Ocean Beach, St. Clair, Caversham, South Dunodin, North-east Valley, Mornington, Roslyn, and the City all concentrate their traffic practically in the centro of the City, The above figures are given simply from a gate-money point of view, but can bo discounted by any special attraction that may be found to exist in sites other than central ones.

I would recommend that, in discussing the question, the various sites be shown on one of Messrs Park's City and suburban plans, where their relative positions will be seen at a glance. It is not within the scope of my instructions to recommend any particular site for the require 1 purpose, and I have given, as far as I am able, the information regarding each proposal that, in my opinion, will prove of value to your directors in recommending a site for tho consideration of tho shareholders. R. Hay.