FOREST OF TIMBER

Evening Star, Issue 23351, 22 August 1939, Page 3

FOREST OF TIMBER

CONSTRUCTION OF EXHIBITION BUILDINGS GOULD LAST INDEFINITELY IMPORTATION OF FOREIGN WOODS The vast piles of timber which, less than a year ago, dwarfed the contractors’ offices at the Centennial Exhibition site in Rongqtai, are now shrunk almost to nothing. A forest has fallen to make the great pleasure palaces. For the construction of the main buildings 7,500,000 ft of timber has been used. Of this 500,000 ft were New Zealand woods. The flooring of the 15-acre main buildings is largely of matai. For the main timbers, however, Oregon pine was imported from North America because of its greater length than that of the New Zealand native timbers.

Though the buildings will stand only for a little more than the period of the exhibition, and will then be demolished, they have been constructed in conformity with the regulations ordinarily governing public buildings. All stresses have been calculated, and in each case double the strength actually necessary has been provided. The buildings hare been built as though they were to last indefinitely, and, indeed, they are sufficiently strong and well built to endure for half a century or more if that were necessary.

Progress is now rapid. The last remaining pavilions are fast growing np within the grounds; the steel structure of the British Government pavilion is nearing completion, and the Australian pavilion, being in woodwork, is even farther advanced.