TARANAKI COURT

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 55, 29 November 1937, Page 10

TARANAKI COURT

Centennial Exhibition Proposal COMMITTEE SET UP With the object of having a committee set up to organise a provincial court for Taranaki at the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition, Mr. R. H. Nimmo, Wellington, a member of the board of directors of the exhibition company, gave an outline of the plans for the exhibition to a meeting of Taranaki local body representatives at Stratford last week. A provisional committee was set up to gather information and report with recommendations to a further meeting of local body representatives.

Mr. Nimmo emphasised the point that it was a national and not a Wellington exhibition. It was essential that the organisation should be controlled and run by a company on account of the need to raise capital. The authorised capital of the company was £150,000, and the Government had given a £50,000 subsidy and loaded £25,000 free of interest. A sum of £90,000 had been applied for to date by way of shares, leaving only £60,000 to be found. The Government would make provision for public bodies to take shares. The return from the Dunedin exhibition was 16/1 in £l, but it was anticipated that the return would be more from the exhibition at Wellington. The attendance at Dunedin was 3,250,000 and the most conservative estimate at'Wellington was 5,000,000. Special provision was being made for provincial courts. The interest and enthusiasm and the realisation of the value of those courts were so great in the Auckland province that North Auckland had set up a committee and intended to have its own court. There was a similar move in the Buller district. The Government was co-operat-ing and the exhibition would have the aid of the resources of all departments capable of exhibiting in the Government section.

The exhibition buildings would be the largest block St the kind erected in the Dominion, and as an exhibition it would be the largest venture of its type in the southern hemisphere. Sixty acres of land had been obtained at Wellington, and 15 to I’6 acres would be covered by buildings. Mr. Nimmo said it was anticipated that one of the Guards bands would be brought out from England. Possibly some of the British Dominions and the United Kingdom might decide to construct special exhibits. Referring to the great enthusiasm at Honolulu, he said it was hoped that some Hawaiian singers and dancers would attend. At Suva there was the same enthusiasm. Mr. J. W. McMillan, mayor of Stratford, who presided, said he was confident that there would be the same enthusiasm in Taranaki. However, Taranaki had to commemorate its own provincial centenary and provide some memorial to mark the event. They were now asked to contribute to the share capital of the Dominion exhibition, and also to a provincial court. All those problems had to be carefully considered. The fact that the Government would validate any local body expenditure would be a great help. There was no doubt that Wellington people were going to got all the benefit of the exhibition.

Wellington to date had contributed £25,000 by way of share capital, said Mr. Nimmo.

In reply to Mr. J. E. Campbell, mayor of Hawera, Mr. Nimmo said that there was to be no profit on the investment, and no pecuniary gain for anybody. In the event of any profits, they would be distributed among charitable institutions for charitable purposes.

“I will not be surprised if the number through the turnstiles approaches 7,000,000,” Mr. Nimmo declared. “It would be quite safe to say 5,000,000 at the very least.” The buildings would not be permanent structures, he said, in reply to a question. Everything had to be molishedQuestioned regarding the provincial celebrations of the centennial, Mr. E. R. C. Gilmour, mayor of New Plymouth, said that nothing was yet known of the amount to be allocated to each district, though £250,000 had been earmarked for that purpose. Nor did they know how the money was to be allocated, on a population basis or otherwise. No definite information could be obtained.

The provisional committee that was elected at the meeting consists of Messrs. Gilmour, Campbell, McMillan, J. B. Richards and J. B. Murdoch, president of the Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association.

Mr. Campbell is to visit Wellington this week to discuss with the manager of the exhibition and executive officers the proposals for-a Taranaki court.