SHORT OF FUNDS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 286, 17 August 1926, Page 6

SHORT OF FUNDS

TO LIQUIDATE WELLINGTON COURT COST

AT DUNEDIN EXHIBITION

CITY’S GOOD NAME IN JEOPARDY

Mr. J. R. Simpson, chairman of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, headed a deputation from the Wellington Court (Dunedin Exhibition) Committee, which waited on the finance committee of the City Council yesterday and asked for a further donation towards liquidating the debt on the court. Mr. Simpson recalled that when the directors of the Exhibition visited Wellington, a meeting of representative citizens was held at which the then Mavor (Mr. R. A. Wright) presided. That meeting was attended by representatives of all the local bodies, and at a subsequent meeting a select committee was 'appointed with power to act, and was told to go ahead. He (the speaker) went in as chaii-man of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. G. Mitchell represented the Harbour Board, and Mr. C. J. B. Norwood subsequently came in as Mayor of the citv. The cost was originally estimated'at £BOOO, but it had only been £7OOO. The court had been visited by over 2,000,000 people, and 5000 booklets on Wellington had been distributed The court had been described as one of the best in the Exhibition. He was very well aware that some had condemned it, but in most cases those people had first inspected the British court, and then the Canadian court, after which they had visited the Wellington court, and had made comparisons that were quite ridiculous. Every province had been behind with its money, but all of them had paid up except Wellington. Certain firms had guaranteed the money, but the members of the committee had given their bond that the money would be repaid. They had. made a canvass of the business community, which was a somewhat costly business, and had raised £250 The sum of £5OO would liquidate the debt, and the deputation asked the City Council to help. “We don’t want to run houp-la or get up some gimcrack show to raise the money,” proceeded Mr. Simpson, “as we do not want the other provinces to be in a position to say that we had a fearfully hard time getting it. We originally asked the council for £2OOO, anfl you gave us £L)00. I believe there was some money left over from the entertainment of the American fleet. The Mavor: I don’t think that can have any relation to the matter ot your discourse. , Mr. Simpson: Very well, we are only here to ask the help of the council. That, gentlemen, is my case. Councillor W. H. Bennett expressed his'personal regret that such a large amount of money had been spent in the embellishment of the court, There was more spent in that direction than at any other provincial court in tne exhibition. Mr. Simpson: Many remarked on the artistic beauty of the Wellington court. That was one of its' distinctive features! . Mr. Bennett: Wasn’t there some talk of holding a carnival or something ot the sort to raise funds? I would like to know if anything has been done in that direction. . Mr. Simpson: of course we might hold a bazaar or something of t’ie kind, but I would remind you that Welling ton is enjoying a wave of prosperity at present not generally shared by other provinces. ... In the case of Auckland the business people found the money, but I am afraid the business people of Wellington are rather more apathetic as to the general interests of the proV Councillor Bennett: The point is, what can we say to the ratepayers when this money has to be accounted f °Mr. Simpson said there were lots of things quite clear to the committee now that were not clear when the project was originated None of them knew very much about exhibitions and the way to go about things. Councillor M. F. Luckie: Did the Auckland City Council contribute towards Auckland’s deficit? Mr. Simpson: The business men found the money. The Mavor said that all members of the council regretted the position that the Exhibition Committee found itself in The efforts that had been made were made unselfishly. They had worked for a common end, to ao some tiling for the district, and the council appreciated that very much. The request would have to have very careful that form of liberality practised at times bv the business community could o be practised bv a local body. Mr. Simpson had made no bones m representing that the business people 1 ad h e him, and what thev had failed to do he was asking should be done by 3 All we want is to get the tronev without lowering the name of Melbngton