THE BUILDING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1291, 26 November 1896, Page 32

THE BUILDING.

The Exhibition building is not an imposing one, the style of architecture being very unostentatious, to say the least of it. Quantity, not quality, evidently was the committee's maxim when the design was selected, for the building has certainly been designed for economy of space. The building is constructed of wood and iron, and except the painting, plumbing and electric lighting, which was done by conrtact, the whole has been carried out by day labour. The front of the building faces Cuba street, and the entrances are from Victoria 3treet and Jervois quay. The front of the building has two towers 40ft in height, between which is a centre - piece in the shape of a circular window of stained glass, constructed by Messrs Alexander and Co., and at night, when the building was lit up by tho electric light, showed ouc in contrasting relief to the somewhat remarkable Indian red and chrome yellow paint of the front in daytime. The large entrance doors open into a vestibule, and the visitor passes through self-register-ing turnstiles and gains admission to the Exhibition proper. The building is divided into four bays running from north to south, each of which is 48ft wide, giving a space for exhibits of sft on either side, 20 F t in the middle, and allowing two passages of 9ft each. The largest of the bays, immediately inside the entrance, is the first entered, and measures 272 ft in length, and provides a floor space of 13,056 square feet. Tho second bay is 25Sft long, and provides a floor-space of 12,381 square feet. The next is l(s3ft long, giving a floorspace of S<>64 square feet, and the last, which also includes a lean-to, is 152 ft long, and allows 8661 square feet of floor-space. The space set apart for exhibitors and passages is 42,168 square feet, and the total area of floor, including concert-hall (120 ft x 45ft), art gallery (64ft 6in x 41ft), and other side buildings and annexes, amounts to 57,528 square feet. The height of tho bays is 12ft on the wall plates, 15ft over the passages and 22ft to the top of the roof. Ventilation is provided for by openings at tbe ridge and gableends of the bays. The building has a frontage to Victoria street of 240 ft, and to Jervois quay of 28Sft. There aro no glass windows in the building, a space of about 2ft between the walls and the roof being covered with calico, which, besides adding to the ventilation, gives ample light, which is also strengthened by the roofs being whitewashed. Last night, when the building was lit by the electric light, tbe effect was almost dazzling in its brilliaucy. The effect was very pleasing, and was added to by each alternate light having a coloured globe. Over 500 incandescent lamps are used in lighting the building, and they vary from 50 to 60 candle-power each. The wiring of tho building was carried out by Messrs T. Ballinger and Co., and between five and six miles of wire was used in the installation. Tho whole of the lighting arrangements are controlled from a switch room which has been fitted up in the building. Outside the front entrance there is a. 5000 candle-power lamp, which lights up the street for a considerable distance, and the sports ground is lit by nine arc lamps of 2000 candlepower each. Tho concert hall is also well lighted. Tho exit.s from tho building are numerous and seemingly quite adequate in case they aro required at an emergency. THE FOUNTAIN. The first thing tho visitor is confronted with on entering the Exhibition is the largo and handsome fountain erected by Messrs Peter Hutson and Co., and which is all mado from colonial products. The foundation and base of tho pedestal are made of concrete composed of gravel and colonial Portland cement, manufactured by Messrs John Wilson and Co., of Auckland. The large basin is 16ft in diameter, and is 2ft 6in above the floor line. From the centre of the basin stands the pedestal, on which is built tbe terracotta fountain, the base of which is formed with four dolphins supporting the large fluted basin, from the centre of which rises a large nikau palm. In the centre of the palm stands a Maori girl with a flax crate on her head filled with mussels and pipis. The height of this splendid piece of workmanship is 12ft 6in. Tho water is supplied direct from the main, and there are eight jets from the side of the large basin, the water from which meets the jets coming from the mouths of the dolphins. Double circles of waters are let from the top of the Maori girl's flax crate. The effect last night under the coloured electric lights was extremely pretty. The figure was modelled by Mr W. H. J>arrott, teacher of modelling at tho School of Desi-m, and the dolphins, basin and palm bj Mr Thomas Dee, the head potter for Messrs Peter llubson and Company. Great credit is due to the burner, Mr Thomas Lloyd, who had a very anxious time during the burning of such a large and delicate piece of pottery. The erecting of the foundation was carried out by Mr Peter Hutson, and the plastering work was done by Mr Thos. Foley. Messrs Thos. Ballinger and Company supplied the water.fixings and fitted them up.