The Proposed Auckland Maritime Exhibition.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 109, 10 May 1887, Page 3

The Proposed Auckland Maritime Exhibition.

■ ■ • ■» A publio meeting was held in Anokland on Wednesday evening hut, in response to an advertisement published by the Mayor, asking tho oitizens to meet and express their views upon tho proposal to hold a maritime exhibition in Auckland in 1890. The Mayor, after stating that he had called the meeting at the rtquest of the Chamber of Commerce, said he thought the exhibition would do a great deal ofSood for the place, and he moved that it was desirable that the exhibition should be held in 1890. The motion was duly seconded. Mr. A. H. Nathan, who was the prinoipal speaker, alluded to the great exhibitions now being organised in Adelaide and Melbourne. Both were on a grand scale, and he thought that the timo was ripe in New Zeala-d » * or a- largo international exhibition, whioh would bo supported by all and. they should take care that all tho provincial districts of tho colony woro -represented on the committee. The Chamber of Commerce

was not in possession of any details, and only know what Sir Julius Vogel told thorn, that the Government would bo willing to aid in opening an oxhibition in Auckland ; but before they committed themselves they wanted to know if tho people of Now Zealand, and especially of Auckland, wero willing to assist tho Government. Of course the question of finance in this as in everything else was the great subject for consideration. Sir Julius Vogel 'b suggestion was that the Government would raise tho necessary funds if guarantoeh were given ior half the amount, about £25,000. With regard to these guarantees, no ono would bo called on to subsoribe now, aud it would bo close on three years before they would be called on. The object of the meeting 1 that night was to form a committeo to go into details and communicate with the Government, and then they would be in a position to deal with the items. Ho understood that tho amount to bo guaranteed was £25,000 by the citizens, and that the Government would guarantee £25,000, and ho did not think tho amount very large, for if they got 250 people to guarantee £100 each, it would bo mot. They should not let this opportunity slip, for if they did it would bo soized by others, and the Exhibition would not only do good to tho city, but it would advertise thorn to the world, and from the thousands who would como as visitors many would permauently tako up their residonco hero. Ho hoped that tho committee would bring out tho enthusiasm which at present Boomed lacking. Several other gentlemen having spoken to tho motion, it wns put and c irried unanimously, and a committc 1 was at onco appointed to further the project.