THE EXHIBITION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 14071, 28 May 1906, Page 4

THE EXHIBITION.

(t | THE BUILDING IN CONSTRUCTION. WHAT IS BEING DONE. OYER THIRTY ACRES WILL BE UNDER ROOFS. It is now possible to form a good idea of the appearance that will' bo presented by the immense building which is being reared in the Hagley Park, and which will bo the cynosure of every eye from the beginning of November to' the end of April. •’ A large portion, or, comparatively speaking, a small portion, now represents the building as it will be seen when the Exhibition is opened. The southern end of the frontage has been practically completed, and the walls of white stuccoline shine in the sun, and I make a striking contrast with the green grass and foliage in front. Companies of men are busy all day placing huge cakes of stuecoline in position, and this work lias passed the towers, and is being pushed along on the northern frontage. The main building, ae far as the towers is all covered in on the roof, and a considerable portion of the annexes is also roofed in. Work in connectioji with the northern portion of the building will be' pushed on this week. Men are engaged on the corridor that will run from the main entrance to the concert hall and fernery, with a. depth 'of 370 ft. The concert Jiall is also being roofed and plastered, and the galleries are in course of erection. The fernery is practically finished. It has been painted green inside. This is a departure from the original idea, which was to have white paint, which would afford a. contrast to the plants placed on exhibition. This building, which Is circular in shape, ia 100 ft in diameter, and is much larger than ( might bo supposed. The whole underitaking, in fact, is on a scale that the general public especially that portion of it which is Outside of Canterbury, has not realised. Some' idea of the dimensions may be obtained when, it is stated that, when the exhibition opens, between thirty and forty acres of land will be under roof. A groat deal of this is still under grass and tussock, but every week, almost every day, sees the building-spreading itself further out and taking in more space. Viewed from the back, the building is a chaotic mass of joists, beams, girders, boards, and oorragated iron. Thousands of feet of timber have been utilised. It is estimated that when the work is completed the timber absorbed will amount to 1,500,000 ft. Rooms are now being partitioned off in the main building for offices for these connected with the management of the Exhibition. These rooms will bo off the principal corridor, and close to the main entrance. The hall, into which the main doors will give entrance will be a splendid apartment, square in shape, and with facilities for visitors to go to any part of the building. Mr J. C. Maddison, the architect, statet; that ho has no doubt that the building will he ready in time for the opening ceremony. A meeting of the Sports Committee was held on Friday, when a committee, . consisting of Messrs Grierson (Chairman), Atack, Nordon, Mason, and Aschman, was set up as an Executive Committee to carry out all details in connection with the sports arrangements. The work of the Executive Sub-committee, previously carried out, received the approval of the General Committee. An application for a considerable extent of space has been received from the Australasian Brownfields’ Potteries, Limited, of 93, Pitt Street, Sydney. The exhibit will include that company’s manufactures of teapots of various kinds, toilet sets, china cups, saucers and plates and majolica. flower-pots. A cable has been received from London making application for additional space for the porcelain displays. These promise to bo very fine, and should make an interesting feature of the British court. Representations have been mad© to the Minister of Customs, at the request of the Transport Committee, drawing attention to the necessity for better arrangements for the examination of oversea luggage of passengers. At present this business is done in the shed at Lyttelton. It is suggested that all luggage should be brought direct to Christchurch, and a shed erected in a convenient position at the station. This would enable passengers to catch the first train after the arrival of the steamer, and, no doubt, would prove a great convenience. THE RIFLE MEETING. [Pan Press Association-.] WELLINGTON, May 26. Colonel Collins, executive officer of the Now Zealand Rifle Association, has received a letter from the secretary of the Victorian Rifle Association at Melbourne, in response to an invitation to the Australian States to send teams of •eight men to New Zealand to compete at the Exhibition Rifle Meeting, stating that every endeavour will be made to forward the object, and that it is anticipated that several Australian marksmen will come over. FOREIGN 'REPRESENTATION. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, May 26. The Minister in charge of the International Exhibition arrangements, lias received, through the Governor, correspondence relating to the invitation extended by the New Zealand Government to the Governments of a number of foreign States to send delegates to the International Exhibition. . The British Ambassador at Vienna presented the invitation to the AustriaHungary . Government, which regretted its inability t,o accept it. The invitation to the United States was presented by the ambassador at Washington. Reporting on it, the Secretary to the Department of Commerce wrote:—“The attention of the Department was directed to the Christchurch Exhibition in a communication dated December 9, and a notice was put in the daily consular and trade,reports to the effect that the commerce) of the United States with British Australia is steadily growing, and the rapid agricultural and industrial development in the several colonics present an inviting field for American enterprise. The population of New Zealand, in which colony the Exhibition will be held, is nearly 1,000,000, and the value of the merchandise imported annually is more than £13,000,000 sterling, equal to about 65,000,000 dollars, of which 70 pur cent is manufactured products. The statistics of the colony for the year last reported on show that the value of merchandise imported from the- United States was, roundly, 7,500,000 dollars. • While it is not practicable for this Government to participate in the Christchurch Exhibition as an exhibitor, I believe the commercial interests of the United States -would be promoted by acting affirmatively on the invitation to send delegates to that Exhibition, and I respectfully recommend that application be made to Congress for the necessary authority for the appointment of at least two commissioners to represent the Government, and to make a full report on the result of their observations.” The Secretary of State, the Hon Elihu Root, then applied to Congress for an appropriation! of 16,600 dollars for the purposes of the delegation.