CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION

Evening Star, Issue 22627, 20 April 1937, Page 13

CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION

APPOINTMENT OF ARCHITECT MR EDMUND ANSCOMBE CHOSEN WELLINGTON, April 19. Mr Edmund Anscombe, head of the firm of E. Anscombe and Associates, of Wellington, was to-day appointed architect for the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition. It is probable that an assistant architect to Mr Anscombe may be appointed later. DESIGNER OF LAST EXHIBITION , Mr Edmund Anscombe has been wisely chosen as the architect for the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition not only because he was the prime mover in the project of the last New Zealand Exhibition, but because of his valuable experience as architect of that highlysuccessM enterprise. On January 27, 1923, the ‘ Evening Star * published a letter by Mr Anscombe wherin 'the suggestion of an exhibition on a major sca!e_ was made. _ A firm believer in the axiom, _ “ Exhibitions are the best-known timekeepers of the progress of the people,” he wrote that he was strongly of the opinion that the time was opportune to successfully carry out in Dunedin an exhibition which would eclipse anything previously attempted in New Zealand—the symbol of New Zealand’s spirit typifying the enterprise, and progress of the Dominion. ; Recognising the value of Mr Anscombe’s suggestion the ‘ Evening Star ’ immediately sought the views of prominent business men and representatives of public bodies, the opinions expressed being in accordance with Mr Anscombe’s ideas. At a public meeting in the Town Hall unanimous approval of the holding of an exhibition was expressed, and later the initial steps to bring the scheme into effect were taken. Mr Anscombe was _ appointed architect to the Exhibition Company on January 24, 1924, the plans which he prepared provided for a series of seven pavilions grouped on two sides of a grand court and converging by colonnaded passages toward a Festival Hall crowned by a magnificent dome. Covered passages connected these buildings, thus allowing visitors the opportunity of making a complete tour of the exhibition under coyer. Ho also designed a special standardisation scheme for the erection of the exhibit buildings with a view to expediting the work of construction. The result was most gratifying, as months were saved in the construction period, the cost was decreased, and the labour problem was solved. The official record book of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition published the following significant figures“ The seven pavilions covered 11 acres, and for _ these buildings alone there were 470 similar roof-trusses, 4,111 similar studs, 176 similar doors, 450,000 square feet of 6in flooring, 519.000 square feet of malthoid roofing, 93,838 square feet of rolled ribbed plate glass, 246 flagpoles carrying 5,000 square feet of bunting. The timber used would have made a 12iri board-walk 550 miles in length. Not only did Mr Anscombe attend to the design of the buildings, hut he was entrusted with the task planning the Amusement Zone, including the importing, arranging, and installing of the seven main, devices. Credit is due to the architect and associates for the successful completion of these elaborate structures by the Queuing day. Durine the five and a-half months the exhibition was open staking tributes were paid to Mr Anscombe’s work in the design of the buildings, and Dunedin firmly believes that the selection of the same for the forthcoming exhibition at Wellington has been amply justified.