Ceremony launches expo build

For quite a year past the idea of holding a great international Exhibition in Dunedin has been steadily looming larger and more vividly before the public mind. The task is an enormous one in every way, and it is safe to say that the public has no conception of the extent of the preliminary work necessary before an Exhibition can come into being. The public in this case has every reason to be assured that the work is being very thoroughly done, by a board of directors who know what is required and are devoted to the welfare of this city and dominion. A very important stage in the preparations for the Exhibition was reached on Saturday afternoon when the first sod was officially turned on the Exhibition site at Logan Park. The citizens of Dunedin, and especially those directly responsible for the big enterprise have the great satisfaction of knowing that the work has now actually begun. Every care was taken to mark the historic occasion with fitting and memorable ceremonial. The touch of winter in the air quite failed to damp the enthusiasm or cool the interest either of the public or of those actively taking part in the ceremonial. Everything went off practically according to the prearranged plan. The contractors’ preparations at the park were very thorough and well conceived. In front of the platforms a stout semicircular railing kept the crowd back for a considerable space, thus enabling the ceremony to be carried through with dignity and to be witnessed by a large number of those present. A row of stout flagpoles held aloft national flags ready to be broken at the right moment. In spite of the unpropitious weather there was not a vacant seat on the platforms, and there must have been some thousands of the public gathered to watch the proceedings. The proceedings opened when a lorry drove in to the enclosure in front of the platform with the first load of timber for the Exhibition buildings. The Union Jack was broken out and the Band of the 1st Batallion brought everyone to their feet with the National Anthem. The President, in opening the ceremonial, said he had much pleasure in accepting that first load of timber. It gave him great satisfaction to say that the timber was entirely New Zealand wood. Mr D. Larnach, chairman of the Otago Harbour Board, said that on behalf of the Board he had great pleasure in passing over to the president possession of Logan Park for the purpose of the erection of the Exhibition. The actual ceremony was now proceeded with. The architect, Mr E. Anscombe, with a few appropriate words presented to the president, Mr Ross, a silver mounted spade for digging the first sod, and to Mrs Ross a very handsome green-stone model of the spade to keep as a personal memento of the occasion. Mr J. Fletcher, on behalf of the contractor, presented Mr Ross with a beautiful silver-mounted casket of New Zealand woods in which to deposit the first sod. Mr J.S. Douglas, chairman of the Works Committee of the Exhibition, held the casket while Mrs Ross very deftly removed a neat square sod and deposited it in the casket. Mr Douglas subsequently handed on the casket to the Mayor for safe preservation among the historic archives of the city. National flags of the United States, France, Belgium, Italy, the Argentine and other lands were simultaneously broken out, and the Third Artillery Band played patriotic music. The National Anthem brought the formal part of the proceedings to a close a few minutes later. — ODT, 30.6.1924

Compiled by Peter Dowden