AN EXHIBITION TOPIC.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 108, 7 May 1913, Page 4

AN EXHIBITION TOPIC.

A matter lias been brought under onr notice in connection with the Exhibition which seems to us to demand prompt consideration at the hands of Government. As everybody is aware, the exhibits of the various State Departments arc generally among the most popular features of the A. and P. Shows held periodically throughout the Dominion; and one of tbe most attractive and valuable of these is. always the collection exhibited by the Agricultural Department. It might reasonably be expected that, considering the scale on which the Auckland 'Exhibition has 'been planned, Gov- , ernment would take steps to ensure thoroughly comprehensive displays by all the Departments under its control. But in this case, it seems that the Agricultural Department at least has not made arrangements for anything like adequate representation. At ordinary annual exhibitions like the Auckland and Dunedin A. and -P. Shows the Agricultural Department usually secures 5,000 ft of space, and we understand that it has already applied for G.OOOft at the forthcoming §how at Palmerston North. But for Auckland Exhibition the Department has applied for only I,oooft, and this is obviously nothing like the amount of 6-pacc that it needs to make a decent display. The difficulty appears to be that the Exhibition Executive is charging the Departments on the ordinary scale for space; and -as Auckland Exhibition ie being run on local lina-ncc without any I Government subsidy, this seems reasonable The. point -we wish to urge is that it is surely well worth Government's while -to make •pecuniary- provision for a laTge and effective display by the Agricultural Department. We understand that the Railway Department has applied for o.OOQft, .and if our railway system is worth advertising to that extent surely our agricultural resources ore well Avorih .at least tho same public expenditure." The promoters of the Exhibition .can hardly be expected to hand oyer valuable space to the State Departments free of charge when they are gettin?; no help from Government. The difficulty, therefore, lies apparently in the small amount of money available for this purpose, co far as the AgricTiltural Department is concerned, nnd this is a defect that ought io be remedied at once. Tn every large centre of population in Australasia— in r-ydney and Mel-, boiirne. as well as in Christchurch and nuncdin and Auckland—the exhibits of the Agricultural Departments are always an object of general puhlic rntcreet nnd attention. As an impressive form of advertisement and an instructive ohjeet Ueson in the development of our natural resources, such displays are manifestly of great value- to the country and the State: and in our opinion it will be very short -sighted policy on the part of Government to stint the Agricultural Department at such a time as this and prevent, it from taking the place it fthonW hold at Auckland Exhibition. We hope that Mr Mawf.r, who. as everybody knows, is sincerely interested in our agricultural poesibilrties. will look into this -matter at once, and make certain that the Agricultural Department shall be. a.hl« to secure at Auckland Exhibition at least the amount r*f space that it considers -necessary for a decent display at an or-dinarv local show.