IMPERIAL INSTITUTE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19759, 9 April 1926, Page 4

IMPERIAL INSTITUTE.

THE RENEWED COURTS. NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT EXHIBIT. {From Otib Own Correspondent.) LONDON, February 24. It is understood that on June 1 there will be an official ceremony, at the Imperial Institute, South Kensington, on the occasion ot the opening o£ the reorganised dominions' section of the Exhibition Galleries. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa are all keenly interested, and representatives of all these countries are there busily superintending the lay-out of the up-to-date exhibits that are to be shown in place ot out-of-date and worn specimens that have been on view for many years. The Imperial Institute was built to commemorate the Jubilee ot Quen Victoria. The space to be occupied by the New Zealand section is 120 ft x 30ft. The Australian Court, which adjoins, will be of the same width, but of very much greater length, probably some 400 ft. These galleries are in the lower part of the building, while Canada and South Africa are above. For weeks past the place has been a hive of industry—old cases being cleaned to make way for up-to-date and really representative exhibits, most of which have come from Wembley—and the work will not be completed tor many weeks yet. Sufficient progress has been made, however, to visualise what will be the result when finished. New Zealand's representative la Mr James Dykes, who has four New Zealanders work-; ing under him, and whose lay-out promises well. This court is favourably placed, access to it at one end being by a flight ot steps before descending which the visitor will always stand to obtain a general view. At the extreme end, high as on a screen, have been placed Marcus King’s fine sea paintings—the arrival of Captain Cook in New Zealand in 1776, pioneers arriving in 1840, and a modern steamer in 1026. Above these is the New Zealand coat of arms. Mr Dykes has the material to make a very complete display, and he has something of! practically everything that was in the New Zealand pavilion at Wembley. The wool section will be complete and Instructive, very fine specimens of wool having been placed at his disposal. Prominently arranged on 7ft pedestals will be four model Corriedale and Romney Marsh sheep. Several show cases of wools have been set up containing the scoured wool set alongside folded blankets of best quality, banded with coloured ribbons. A large case contains specimens of the travelling rugs, in good colourings. Grain, kauri gum, minerals, tinned foods, honey, timber, flax, milk products, rabbit and opossum skins, with the subsequent felt hats and fur coats that are produced from the skins—all these will be displayed under glass. There is a good variety of timber shown on a screen, and there is the huge specimen of “a monarch of the forest ii"ht to hear the evidence against him. Since The sports exhibits will include deer heads, which are to com© from New Zealand, and a case with fish. There, will be two cases showing different kinds of birds.. MEAT AND DAIRY PRODUCTS. Of course there is no refrigerating apparatus at the Imperial Institute, but that does not mean that what New Zealand produces in the way of meat, butter, cheese, ,and fruit will go without representation. Far from it, for this -'s where the ceroplastic art wall come in, if the experiments now in hand work out as it is anticipated that they will. It may be recollected that a few months ago Sir James Allen was very greatly struck by ceroolastic models of insects in the Natural History Museum, and the idea occurred to him that this would be an excellent medium for the representation of perishable food tor exhibition purposes. In due course he was placed in communication with Miss Edwards, the artist, and beautiful New Zealand apples were produced by her from fruit picked by Mr i'. W. Attwood. Now that the new season lamb is arriving, Mr I?. >S. Forsyth (New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board) is sending the artist one or two choice carcases as models for her to work from. He will await the result before deciding on future action. It should be feasible for butter and cheese t,o be represented similarly. .. . r ,. On© large esse contains Samoan exhibits, well shown, and another one has an artistic arrangement of Maori carvings, mats, and implements. * There are many Royal gifts, too—presentations from loyal citizens of the Dominion to the King and Queen and the Prince ot Wales. All these have to be cleaned, tor silver has a way of tarnishing. The walls of the court are to he painted in Maori decorative designs, and special lighting has to be installed. When complete, the court should be very attractive. ■ In the vicinity will be a kinema where, .films of the dpminions will be shown. It is hoped that the Imperial Institute will be visited by the public in larger numbers than formerly. The new director is Lt.-Gcn. Sir W. Ftirse. As the result of the inquiry made in 1923 bv the special committee set up, the institute has been placed under the genera' supervision of the Department of Overseas Trade; the Imperial Minenal Resources Bureau has been amalgamated with it; and the director is an administrative rather than a scientific or technical officer. The principles governing the immediate management of affairs have thus been, radically altered. . The other work of the institute might, sav s The Times, be symbolised, as to administration and execution by a kind .or Genealogical tree. From the director at headquarters issue the two important branches of mineral resources and plant and animal products., each accompanied by an Advisory Council, with Sir Richard mdyne and Sir David Drain as the r©spectife chairmen. The Advisory Councils, in their turn, are supplemented by technical Advisory • Committees.. In the Mineral Resources Department Technical ..Comluittees number 16, on which sit altogether 150 members. Each member is an expert aulhoritv m his particular subject, and capable of giving a sound opinion on any. problem that may be presented. A similar constitution applies to the Plant and Animal Products Department, where Advisory Committees on sil*. rubber, and timber haye been set up, to bo followed oy others in course of formation. . . With chairmen of high scientific distinction, and members wirciy representative of British, dominion, and colonial concerns, the two Advisory Councils can give to questions a scrutiny at onco deep and comprehensive. The Advisory Committees will supply moie detailed information on paiticular points. Scientific ns the bodies may be considered, they are at the »aroe time with the business instinct. The Impena, Institute does not want to become academic, it does want to be kept closely in touch with trade. While on both sides it is well equipped with laboratories for the investigation of raw material, it can also on both aides place at the disposal of the inquirer its marketing intelligence.