MINISTER PLEASED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 109, 4 November 1939, Page 10

MINISTER PLEASED

GOVERNMENT COURT

EXHIBITION PREVIEW

CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT

Speaking to the controlling officers -of Departments before they began a preview of the New Zealand Government Court at the Exhibition yesterday afternoon, the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. 'i Sullivan) said "Thank you" to all who have been associated in the project The Minister described the display as a glowing example of what could be achieved by co-operation from many

units directed through one channel. Before he rose to speak the floor foreman of the court, on behalf of the workers on the job, presented the Minister with a handsome table lamp stand made of New Zealand woods, and with it, he said, went their sincere wishes for the success of the Exhibition. The Minister, in expressing his gratitude to the men for the gift, said he felt that, instead of tire workmen making \'-<t presentation to him, he should really be making one to them as a token of his appreciation and that of the, Government for the very'excellent .services they had rendered. (Applause.)

Many thousands of visitors to the court would have the opportunity of seeing in a most informative and practical way the work of the Government Departments, and the development that had taken place in their supervision of related activities in the nation. He thought, too, that the heads of Departments would derive an immense amount of satisfaction from the work that had been accomplished in the court. Undoubtedly, those to whom the work had been entrusted had done their job faithfully and well. MET EVERY DEMAND. Government representation at the Exhibition.called for something out of the ordinary, and the display in the court fulfilled every expectation and every demand. Through the control? ling officers he wished to congratulate the twenty-six Departments represented in the court for the excellent showing they had made. Others to whom the Minister paid tribute included the architect, Mr. Edmund Anscpmbe. the Government architect (Mr. J. T. Mair), the contractors, Messrs. Fletcher and Love, the Irjo-Maxvol Laboratory Propriety, the British General Electric ' Co., the clerk of works (Mr, E. Dymock), the manager of the court : (Mr. G. Sara), and his assistants, Mr. L. C. Dunshea and Miss Jordan, the display architect, Mr. S. W. Nelson, from America, the chairman of the court committee, Mr. F. Johnson, and the Under-Secretary of the Department of Internal Affairs, Mr. J. W. Heenan, The Minister also paid a special tribute to the artists and the trades men. . "I need not stress the fact that the Exhibition is of paramount importance in the Centennial celebrations —the focal point from which all other activities will radiate," the Minister continued. "We must, therefore, see to it that our. individual interest is notpsrmitted to flag. Throughout the entire period of the Exhibition individual and collective interest must, be inaintained in the respective sections of the court} That this interest will be maintained I know." The Minister ■added that he; was sure that they with him were anticipating the creation of a more widespread interest in and a healthier conception of the activities of the civil service on the part of all who would use the court. A greater and clearer understanding on the part of the public could not 'do other than have beneficial results for the public itself and for the Departments concerned. . ' Educational value. The Minister urged that visitors to the. Exhibition, instead of making just a hurried trip through the various' courts, "sliould study' the displays:-A wonderful collection of exhibits was presented, and they offered opportuni- ] ties for education in its most pleasant '■ and attractive form. The Exhibition ; was an adequate and suitable com- < memoration of that great event—the ] completion of 100 years of our national « life, the history of -which constituted < a romance. The Minister paid warm < tribute to the pioneer settlers ot the £ country, specially mentioning the part s played by the women. What had been ( achieved in a hundred years was a j miracle. ' ' 1 As chairman of the court committee; 1 Mr. Johnson said that the Minister's "Thank you" gave them an immense j amount of satisfaction. The manage- t merit committee had been a most solid t one; radiating from it were other com- a mittees which also had done a remarkable amount of work. He also made special reference to the work of Mr. Sara. In explaining the court, Mr. Johnson said that it had been built in four sections —land development, social services, transport, and defence. Et had worked out, he was sure they would all agree, most successfully. Afternoon tea was served before a tour was made of the court.