THE EXHIBITION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2702, 23 February 1916, Page 6

THE EXHIBITION

, SEVERAL ADDRESSES WAR ON GERMAN TRADE VARIOUS VIEWS The Patriotic Exhibition was continued m the Town . Hall yesterday. Good crowds attended throughout tlie clay, and in the evening the hall was packed. A demonstration was made by the Wellington South Nursing Division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, under Miss K. Preston; and addresses were delivered by the Hon. G. W. Russell, Mr. T. M. Gilford, M.l\, Madame" Boeufve, and Miss Beatrieo Day. The Hon. G. W. Russell (Minister of Internal Affairs), congratulated the manufacturers on the show that they had made. • The Exhibition was a thoroughly worthy one. All had made up their minds on one thing—that the Allfcs were going to win the war. It might Be a long way to Tipgcrary, but we were going to get there. One day Chero would be such a glorious victory that Prussianism would be thrust into the (fust for a long time to come. We should ask ourselves how it was that Germany had been able to meet the tremendous forces of wealth and strength which had been brought against her. Of course, she had been preparing for forty j'ears,' but what were the qualities which had characterised her? They were good organisation, careful attention to detail, anticipation of events, and concentration of elfort to carry out plans. Thoso wero the lessons which we should make up our minds to learn, and it was only a fool who would not profit by a lesson. Need for Alertness. Germany had realised that she needed wealth, and that the way to attain it was by the establishment of trade, so she liad endeavoured by fair means and foul to gain ill commerce. After the war Germany would bring all her ability to bear in an effort to regain her prostige, and we needed to be alive to meet the situation. Therefore, he welcomed what.the Exhibition was doing. The eifeefc of the war would be to bind tie British Empire more closely together, and in the future the Hun commercial traveller would find a deaf eai furned toward him. . New Zealand pcojfle from now 011 would know' that it t'iiey could not'buy New Zealand-made gooSS" 'their _ money could at least bo spent in building lip our own Empire, lie Tiopsd this Exhibition would be followed by one of New Zealand-made goods. He congratulated the Technical College on its display. Mr. Russell predicted that in the days to coma New.Zealand Would bo a great industrial anil maritime country —a Britain of the South. • ■ . Stop Importing Cerman Goods. Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., said thai there .was one note missing from the ipeeches previously delivered at the Exhibition. Who, he asked, wero running ■ these stalls, this Exhibition ? Importers were. Who could put a stop to German goods in New Zealand'! Importers coiild. What was the good of talking about the purchase of German goods when that, kind of purehaso could bo stopped in one act by tlie importers not importing German goods? In the futtire, were tlie importers going to act according to trade, or according to patriotism? Were the importers going to buy and sell as traders or as Britishers? If the importers wero not patriotic , enough to refrain from importing German goods, the public wero helpless, and this Exhibition was futile. Another tiling was that the naturalisation laws of the country would have to be altered. He reminded the audience that on July 22, 1913. there was passed the German Imperial State and Nationality Law, which'provided: "With a view to meeting business requirements, a German shall not lose his nationality if before acquiring a foreign nationality he obtains the permission of the florae authorities to retain his German nationality." That was a special Act providing for dual nationality. Women's Appeals. Miss Beatrice Day, in the course of her. address, said that. the British people had in many ways been asleep while Germany gained -advantages. She urged that in future people sliould buy British goods, and refrain from buying (Jrcrman goods. Madame Boeufve referred to the ob-. iects of the Women's Anti-German League.' She advocated the use of trade channels, which were open to. all, for the purpose of meeting our foe in a way lie sliould he met. She also urged that New Zealand should protect itself against the German spy menace The speakers were thanked for their addresses. ' This Evening's Programme. This evening addresses will he given by Mrs. A. M'Vicar, Miss Holmes, and the Hon. A. L. Herdman. Part of tlio entertainment will be free movement in dumbbell drill and brass rod exercisesby women of the Y.M.C.A. gymnasium, under the conductorship of Mr. M.. Tracy. Exhibition to. Open at Noon. At a special meeting of the committee held last evening it was decided to open the Exhibition daily at noon, instead of at 2 p.m., as has been the' case. The hours wilf now be from' noon to C p.m., and from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m