WARY OF CARNIVAL

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 175, 12 April 1923, Page 8

WARY OF CARNIVAL

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ADVISES CAUTION

/ LOSSES IN AUCKLAND

A* warning against possible loss through holding a carnival was sounded by the Chamber of Commerce delegate to the Carnival Committee yesterday, the chamber endorsed tho view put forward, and expressed its opinion that the time chosen — the middle of winter—was very inopportune.

When the Chamber of Commerce met yesterday afternoon, Mr. J. R. Salt addressed the meeting, reporting oil the deliberations of the Carnival Committee. “We want-to be very careful,” said Mr. Salt, "as they are losing money over the Auckland carnival, and they will have to meet their deficit from an art union. There are two reasons for the failure of the carnival. It was hold a fortnight before Easter, and they ‘got the backs up’ of certain church people, who considered it was wrong to hold tho carnival during the Lenten season. The country popple put off their holidays till Easter, io visit Auckland, to see the races, rather than the carnival, and it was found that tfiv only people that patronised it. were those within easy reach of tho city by suburban train or by tram. Tho carnival was advertised all over New Zealand, but they did not attract cue number of people they expected.” Only a couple of years ago there wr-s a carnival at Wellington—at Lyall Bay —and it was not a success, continped the delegate. The chamber had adopted a. certain policy in regard to- publicity, and he did not wish to see tho chamber’s identity o submerged! in anything that might go up like a packet of crackers, so to speak. It would .>e well to conform to the present/ policy of getting information through the proper channels. “

Auckland and Wellington. « “Every time you go to Auckland, you get very little news regarding Wellington; unless there is a murder, or soihetlnng sensational,” gaid'Mr. Salt, in expressing his regrets that matters of interest to business men concerning this city never appeared in the Auckland Press. On the other hand, Auckland doings were, fully reported in the Wellington Press, which gave a good ■ boost to. other, towns. They should encourage and educate the newspapers to give a fair measure of support. to the business community, and to send out news regarding Wellington. The managing director of one of the biggfst concerns in Christchurch had told him that Whakataue was the most progressive port in the North Island; the speaker discovered the reason for tTiis illusion in the action of a newspaper man in Whakataue, who sent' out daily reports of the doings of that centre to all parts of tlie Dominion. (Laughter.) Mr. H. H. Oxley moved, to express sjtoipathy with the movement, but, that the chamber .take no action. The chairman (Mr. A. F. Roberts): Tlie time chosen—July—is tho. worst period of the year for a carnival in Wellington.

Mr. L- A. Edwards: It would be dangerous for us to engage in it. Auckland is very alive to civic* nfovements, as witness tho amount they have collected for the war memorial. We would be ill advised to take part in the carnival.

After a general discussion, which was opposed to taking part in the proposed carnival, the motion was withdrawn, and the report of the delegate received.