AUCKLAND EXHIBITION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 212, 6 September 1892, Page 2

AUCKLAND EXHIBITION.

WHY THE PROJECT OUGHT TO BE

CARRIED OUT.

A correspondent sends us an imaginary dialogue between two citizens, Push and Drag, on tho proposed Auckland Exhibition. Mr Push appears as champion of "the project and Mr Drag as throwing cold water upon it. The conversation ends in convincing Mr Drag of the feasibility and wisdom of the scheme. We have not apace for the dialogue, but a lew of the leading arguments advanced by Mr Push may bo given:—"A direct financial losh has (he remarks) resulted in many great exhibitions : trade has ot'ton almost come to a standstill for some time after the close, and many people have spont their earnings by patronising those costly entertainments'and by purchasing all sorts of nick-nacks as mementoca of the rare show. But then on the other hand we musb nob forget the enormous indirect advantages which,.as I know full well from persona) experience in connection with over a dozen International Exhibitions, have resulted for the cities where they were hold. Not only have labour and commerce of every description profited thereby, bofore as woll as during those shows, bub tho places where they were hold have been woll and permanently advortiwed. It ia an undeniable fact that Sydney and Melbourno, for instance, have grown wonderfully immediately after their first groat Exhibitions of 187!) and 1881, when tho many British and foreign exhibitors and visitors roturned to their respective countries with glowing reports nbout tho immense woalth and resources of those up to that time very imperfoctly known colonies. If private ontorprising people like Joubert and Twopony could manage, without any outsido assistance, to mako money out of fchoir oxhibitions in Adelaido ondChristchurch, why should not corporations succeed in doing it also ? Ib ia evidently the fault of the management if they don't. Everybody cannob havo his ringer in tho pie, bo it understood ; such an enterprise must bo based on patriotic, nob on merely mercenary principles. The four most essential points to bo dealt with aro : First, the heavy preliminary expenses which will have to be paid in hard cash before a single penny is recoived in return. Then, again, the question about a nuitablo site, the stylo and cost of the buildings, and tho time for holding tho Exhibition. As to the firet, it has been acted upon already by tho appointment of a financial committee, whose chief duty liea in tho direction of probintr tho willingness of Auckland's citizens to contribute to a guarontoo fund to be formod. Tho sucond question may probably become a burning one, since various sites havo already been proffered, none of which, to my mind, possess tho necessary qualifications, Albert Park being too pretty to allow ib to be spoilt, in addition to its being too small and not level ; tho Metropolitan Grounds also being too limited and nob level ; and the Cricket (jround in tho Domain, excellent in every other respect, being too inaccessible, especially for vehicles. But thoro are Freeman's and Mechanics' Bays, especially tha lafctor, to be considered, and tbeir final reclamation from the sea, so long planned, commencod, and delayed, would nob only remove an ugly eyesore and a dangerous plague-spot, but also creato the best, largest, and most accdssiblo Exhibition ground that could possibly bo desired. Mechanics' Bay is the spot, actually tho only one in Auckland, which will fully answer our purpose. The site finally decided upon, the style and cost of the structure will have to be considered next by a comraittoo of I practical business men, and as to your fourth suggestion, aboub the j proper time, an International Exhibition in Auckland can, under existing circumstances, scarcely be held before eprine 1895, considering that nexb year the World's Fair in Chicago and the following year the Hobarb Exhibition are coming off. Ib ought to be impressed upon the minds of our citizens that to attract (and retain na long as poS3iblo) the much undervalued tourist traffic, we must in the meantime do our very utmost to beautify our city by planting some of our cheerless, vacant spots with trees and shrubß, by erecting drinking fountains, seata, etc., and by making other equally desirable improvomenta. Our members in Parliament also, instead of quarrelling i with themselves aboub railway connection with Wellington and Taranaki, ought to i join hands in insisting on tho speedy completion of the Rotorua lino. In fact, let ua hopo that, when it comes to a teat, every i man will do his duty, and our beautiful city will rise to tho occassion, embrace the , goldon opportunity of making herself 1 known to the outside world not only as a i safe harbour for ita navies and merchant I vessels, bub also aa a health and ploasure , resort for ita invalids and tourists."