ASHBURTON'S BAY

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18548, 25 November 1925, Page 8

ASHBURTON'S BAY

EXHIBITS AT DUNEDIN.

PROVINCIAL COMMITTEE'S ATTITUDE.

The report of the remarks made by Cr. F. "W. Seldon at Monday night's meeting of tlie Ashburton Borough Council, relative to Ashburton's exhibits at the D-unedin Exhibition, were mentioned yesterday by a representative of "The Press" to the chairman of the Provincial Committee supervising the Canterbury exhibit at the Exhibition, Mr W. Machin, who was asked for his comment on them.

"This is tho only little 'rift in the lutoV " Mr Machin remarked. "Everybody haa worked exceedingly well for the Canterbury Court, from the Mayor of Christchurch (who might have been seen last week hard at work in his shirt sleeves) downwards. At a pieeting of the Provincial Committee yesterday [Monday] satisfactory reports were submitted by all the sub-committees connected with the court, and it was ar-raui'-ed that special letters of congratulation should be written to the architect, tfr 0. A. J. Hart, the supervisor, Mr G. 11. Hertford, and the artists, Messrs McKeuaie and Re'd." Ashburton Misunderstood? Some diffidence was shown by Mr Machin in expressing any opinion ou the reported remarks of Cr. Scldoh. "1 cannot help feeling," Mr Machin said, "that the remarks made must have been misinterpreted, and I have written asking that the matter sliould be put right, and that acknowledgment should b© made of tho very large amount of attention given by the Provincial Committee, right from the beginning, to Ashburton's requirements; I have asked, also, that they should corect, from their end, any suggestion that there is a division between Canterbury people in resnect of the Canterbury Court. Probably the Ashburton Committee has very good reasons for not having been able to got its exhibits to Dunedin promptly, but it must not blamrt the Provincial Committee for this. The. Provincial Committee dealt with those exhibits as soon as they came to hand, with the exception of the large block of st6he> which, being too big and heavy to be placed in tho Court, was the subject of a special deputation to the Directors of the Exhibition, who hive promised to find a suitable site for it outside. "But we mUst all work together to remedy matters in order to give Ashburton its proper place, and to ensure that Canterbury obtains the publicity that it deserves. If it should happen tha,t the report of the remarks made at Ashburton on, Monday night is correct, then it will be necessary for the Provincial Committee to place the facts before the public of Canterbury."