N.Z.'S PROGRESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 265, 9 November 1939, Page 14

N.Z.'S PROGRESS.

SEEN AT EXHIBITION.

LORD GALWAY'S TRIBUTE. THE OPENING CEREMONY. (By Teloprapli.—Press Association.) WKT,LL\< I TON', Wednesday. "To obtain iiit accurate impression of tin? progress made throughout the country, one tiiii*i-t travel and Met' for oneself tlii' excellent roads, up-to-date railway system, splendidly laid-ouf eitie~ and towns. fa(i|ori«'s awl warehouse*, power stations. well-ma naired farms, fin/,' schools ii lid universities, hospital*. C-,v----fM'iiinont *iiul 1 •services—in fnct, all that goes t ( > make up the system of modern civilisat ion and comfort," declared the < lovernnr-fJeneral, Viscount j (•alwav, at the opening of the Centennial Exhibit ion this afternoon. "In addition New Zealand has one outstanding asset in which the hand of man played no part—its natural beauty." tn reference to the Maori people, the (Joveriior-I lenera I sa id the fair and equitable treatment they received at the hand* of Governor I fob son in the first place ami later as a. result of wise government by some of the earlier administrators, notably Sir Ceorge Grev. was such that they readily appreciated the advantages of British rule and living among British people. "The fact that wiit hin tlie last II) or 12 vearn. the Maori population has increased bv over 2S per cent indicates that thev have now definitely adapted themselves to present -day conditions of life, and the manner in which they are now living in harmony with their |kikeha bivth'-e.i is. indeed, most grait itfv iiig. "I hope all who visit the exhibition will make a oareful study of everytli*n _r on view. If they do they cannot fail to leave it feeling proud of their Oentennial Kxhibition an<l those who are responsible for it ami at the same time clear ill mind as to the part they ;'iemselves will plav in the country's future convinced that only bv clos<> co-opera-tion and collaboration lietween all interest.*. between primary producers and secondary producers, between employers and employees, iK'tween master and man, and by mutual harmony and sympathetic outlook can they hope to enhance the credit of New Zealand in the eves of the world and achieve that happiness and contentment in life which we all seek. Question For Young Men. "The occasion is one when New Xcalanders. and es|>ecially young New Ze.ilanders on the threshold of life, should reflect on t.lie great work done by the pioneers and recognise that there are ■still vast areas of land to !>e brought into profitable . ultivation. That this involves hard work I admit, but I would remind them that only by hard work and self-sacrifice can one hope to ~ucceed. To young men about to leave college I would seriously a.sk: Which would you prefer —10 or l.> years' hard work, developing later in proportion to the work put into the land to an easier life, a well-established and more or lesrt self-contained home and subsequent independence, or a lifetime of work in cities or towns with only little prospect of achieving imle|>endence or aflliicn.-e? I say definitely, New Zealanders mur.t continue to recognise that their t >rem T profession, the land, must be worked to the best possible extent and production increased if a reasonable standard of living is to be mainta-hie 1."

Inc nr <iuvi x win merit', tlif. Hon. I). Sullivan. said the exhibition was to be the focal point in tlie Centennial celebrations —the centrepiece <>f onr expression <>f appreciation to the pione-ers who laid tin* foniulation of our palieka settlement. "I feel the exhiliition will serve a very useful purpose,*' said the Minister. "Defence and increased production are two very important necessities in our national life, but equally important in the task of maintaining morale. It has been well said that a man or nation can light a tangible enemy —can grapple with problem* —but the hardest thing to tight, if it can be fought at all. is indecision. A feeling of frustration, of doubt, of uncertainty, could soon spread through the country if a decisive lead was not given. In carrying on the normal life of the community we are contributing to the common cause, the. universal purpose of winning the war." Local Industries. .Mr. Sullivan said he wan particularly interested in the development of manufacturing industries. During recent yearn steady progress had been maintained. For instance, when the Dunedin Kxhibition opened ill 192.> there were 4547 factories in the Dominion, employing 80,327 |>ersons. The annual wage* bill was £15,000,000, and the value of factory production was £84,101,000. On the last available figures we now had 5924 factories, employing 102,344 persons, producing goods to the value of £113.691,000, and distributing £20,981,000. The chairman of the Kxhibition Company, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, Mayor of Wellington, said the purpose of the exhibition had bee.il to bring into being something that would tell the story of Xew Zealand and, in the telling, call forth a spirit of gratitude to the courageous past and inspiration for the days to come. He expressed regret that the Prime Minister, the Kt. Hon. M. >f. Savage, was unable to be present. Immediately after the formal opening, the. doors of all buildings were thrown o|ien and thousands crowded in. All afternoon every court was thronged and the amusement devices of Playland did a roaring trade. In the past few days enormous quantities of display material had been brought in, with the result that very little was incomplete in either the official or the commercial sections, and visitors had much more than could be seen with comfort in one day, or even in several. To-night, when there was the. added attraction of brilliant illuminations, even greater crowds continued to pass the gates. Altogether it was an immensely successful day, the attendance being approximately 00,000. SENDS GREETINGS. BRITISH LABOUR PARTY. JX)XDON, November 7. The Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons, Air. C. R. Attlee, lias sent a message to Xew Zealand as follows:—"British Labour sends greeting* nil the occasion of your Centenary, and congratulations upon your great economic and social progress. We welcome your efforts to co-operate in the struggle to maintain democracy in which you are nurtured, and for the downfall of a dictatorship threatening our freedom and existence.''