BRILLIANT SIGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23276, 20 February 1939, Page 9

BRILLIANT SIGHT

TREASURE ISLAND SAN FRANCISCO EXHIBITION TRIAL ILLUMINATION EVE OF THE OPENING By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received February 19, 5.5 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 18 The Golden Gate International Exposition, on its 400-acre site on Treasure Island, broke into a blaze of glory to-night, when a ray from the noon sun over Bombay set off a radio signal and turned on the 1,500,000-dollar lighting system. This was the climax to a week's Wild West festival, in which citizens wore Spanish or pioneer costumes, and hundreds of men grew beards to lend realism to the scene.

The Governor of California, Mr. Culbert L. Olsen, using a 35,000-dollar jewelled key, will open the gates tomorrow. President Roosevelt will speak over the radio from a battleship off the coast of Florida. This* 50,000,000-dollar rival to the New York World's Fair will run until December 2, and it is expected that 22,000,000 people will attend. EXPOSITION OPENED PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 100,000 PEOPLE PRESENT THE AUSTRALIAN PAVILION (Received February 19, 8 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 18 One hundred thousand people witnessed the ceremony of the opening of the Golden Gate Exposition to-day. President Roosevelt, in wishing the exposition every success by radio, commented: "It is an instrument of international goodwill as well as an expression of the material and cultural progress of our West and our Pacific Ocean neighbours." Forty thousand people to-day visited the Australian pavilion, one of the few national exhibits completed in time for the opening ceremony. A successful feature was a huge map of the Pacific showing the lines of communication Trith Australia, actioned by flashing lights which synchronised with a recorded talk and a Beries of national colour photographs which changed every 10 seconds. Australian movies also drew crowds. The director of the pavilion, Mr. Arthur O'Connor, has four Australian assistants.

[ The Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island, San Francisco Bay, is being held to commemorate the building of San Francisco's two great harbour bridges, one, the longest in the world, and the other the world's largest single-span structure. The amazing island has been reclaimed from the bed of the Bay. It is the largest man-made island. On it has risen a city which is more like a myth than a reality. Tall spires and minarets reach out to the sky, massive towers gleam white in the sun ; while palaces and temples of the Orient, haciendas and patios of Latin America, touches of- the South Pacific, of Europe and Africa bring to the busy city and port of San Francisco a veritable treasure island likely to be visited by millions of people from every quarter of the globe. ► New Zealand is included among the 37 foreign countries and United States territories represented, and has a Court covering 2000 feet of space, devoted mainly to the erection of a model Maori pa. There will be 10 main exhibition buildings constructed principally of wood, and a central tower, and two others. The central tower has been named the Spire of tho Sun. It is 400 ft. high and is topped by a golden Phoenix. From this tower a 44-bell carillon will peal a welcome to visitors. One of the loveliest courts on the island will be the Court of Flowers, where exotic blooms will blend their colours and fragrances. The Lake of All Nations will be notable chiefly on account of its association with the Temple of Music. Seats for thousands of spectators will bo erected on a series of gigantic barges which, during musical performances, will gradually drift across the lake and approach the great proscenium in front of the Temple. The Temple itself is patterned after the East, and its colours and ornamentations will at once dazzle and intrigue. Under floodlights, the whole magnificent scene will I be clearly reflected in the still waters of the lagoon. . Another fascinating exhibit will be the Hall of Mineral Empire, a mountain 50 feet high and 280 feet in length, with underground shafts and tunnels, where actual mining for gold and silver will be carried on. The House of Jewels will contain £1,000,000 worth of gems, mostly from South Africa. Every precaution has been taken to defeat the would-be robber. Standing ominously in the centre of the hall is a look-out tower from which guards will keep watch. The mere pressing of a button in this tower will bring steel frames down over the entrances with the snap of a guillotine. All corners of the building will be in range of specially mounted machine-guns, and gas projectors will be ready to hand. Lest this should not, be sufficient, an armoured car will stand in readiness and, both inside ana outside the hall, pillbox turrets are already menacingly placed at close intervals.