Page 17 - CR-95

£180,000 was invested by the Bank on the by the Auckland City Council on Much of the internal decorative work was
guarantee of gentlemen, whose names are not 31 December 1993. done off-site. For example, all the plaster
disclosed. A further £25,000 was added, work such as panthers, lions, buddhas,
apparently for extras. We have the Construction of the Civic began in January elephants, monkeys, decorative mouldings, all
extraordinary position in Auckland of a 1929. Workmen were brought from Australia consumed over 500 tons of plaster cement,
theatre being built with over £200,000 of the to assist and the pace was frantic. With the 20 tons of modelling clay and 500 tons of
bank’s money, and into this venture not one depression looming, those who could not keep fibre. The scale and workmanship involved in
penny of other money went. It is extraordinary up with the pace were dismissed and there was the huge task was quite unequalled in New
that a company should be formed without any a queue of others to take their jobs. Zealand’s building history at the time. The
capital being paid up.” In reply, O'Brien said Notwithstanding Government concerns about bronze chandeliers each weighed two tons and
that Mason was misinformed and that he had funding of the project, the largest theatre in required six men to help lower them for
personally expended a sum running into some the country was opened on 20 Dec 1929, replacement of lights.
thousands of pounds before any money was having been completed in just 8 months by
advanced by the Bank of New Zealand. In two building firms - the Fletcher Construction The architect for the Civic was Charles
return for the lease of the land, O’Brien agreed company, and the Super Construction Bohringer, who had recently designed several
to construct and operate the theatre. As part of Company of Sydney. At times, up to 2000 theatres in Australia, and the interior designer
the deal, the Civic would revert to ownership workmen were employed on this building site. was Arnold Zimmerman.

CINEMARECORD # 95 17