CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION

Evening Star, Issue 23147, 22 December 1938, Page 16

CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION

FRAMEWORK OF MAIN BUILDING COMPLETED 5,000,000 FEET OF BIMU USED The entire framework of the 15-acre main building of the Centennial Exhibition in Rongotai has now been finished, two months ahead of schedule. The last roof truss was placed in position on Monday, and the contractor (Mr R. C. Love) on Tuesday reported to the general manager (Mr C. P. IJainsworth) that the structural portion of the building was complete. Work on the exhibition will now cease for the Christmas holidays, and on Friday (says the 1 Dominion ’) some 80 Dunedin workmen will leave for the South Island to celebrate Christmas at home. From Thursday the exhibition site, will be closed to the public, and will remain so till January 4. The progress of the work was attributed by Mr Love partly to organisation and to skilled workmanship, but equally to the co-operation of the West Coast sawmillers, who were able to keep pace with the work, and have now supplied the entire order of 5,000,000 ft of rimu. Without ready supplies of timber the work could not have been pushed ahead so fast. In addition, said Mr Love, the team of workmen engaged on the job had shown an excellent and willing spirit. The efficiency with which they adapted themselves to the requirements of the work was shown in the fact that though it took three months to erect the roof trusses on the southern side of the ground, those on the north side, on a similar section of the building, took only six weeks. Mr Hainsworth said that the date for the receipt of the first exhibits was September 1, 1939, giving adequate lime for the arrangement of stands before the opening early in November. It was now possible, however, that an earlier date would lie fixed for the convenience of exhibitors. There was, however, a great deal of interior work to be carried out, which would have to be completed before any exhibits could be installed.

The site has now been securely fenced, and to minimise, the risk of fires started by careless sightseers the grounds will be closed over the holiday. Any parties of overseas visitors or others who have special reasons for seeing the progress of the work will be shown over by special arrangement The public will have a further opportunity of seeing the buildings as they are to-day before the grounds are fanally closed to them from the end ot January till the opening date.