THE EXHIBITION,

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 75, 25 September 1907, Page 3

THE EXHIBITION,

FULL INFORMATION DEMANDED AX AWARD QUESTIONED. DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. In the Ilouse of Representatives yesterday afternoon reference was , made to the late. New Zealand International Exhibition. "I have again to remind the Premier that early in the session h-? promised to lay before Parliament full information in connection -with the cost of the Exhibition," said the Lender of the Opposition. "No information oi that sort has yet been provided. We have an idea that the gloss cost of the Exhibition was something like £150,000/ and the r-et cost about £75,000, but we are entitled to know more. The management of the Exhibition afforded plenty of material for adverse criticism. I am informed that one North Island cheese factory decided to exhibit, and enteredi into negotiations with the general manager in regard to space. Owing to the alteration of the- time for receiving entries, the exhibit was never forwarded, but recently the factory received an imposing 'highly commended' ceitificate for the exhibit that was never forwarded. If that sott of thing is possible, the certificates, cannot be of any gTeat value." ilr. C. il. Gray : That is not the only one. Mr. Massey : I have no doubt that Mi 1 . Gray is in a position to know. If these certificat-'s have been awarded to articles intended to lie exhibited, but not exhibited, what is Cue use of the certificates at all? Parliament should have full details of revenue and expenditure in connection with the Exhibition. Mr. HeTries tirged that the Government should set up a Royal Commission to enquire into the management of the Exhibition. (Laughter.) He quite understood that the Canterbury people did not want a Royal Commission, but there was a large number of people who would) like to know how the money was sunk. He did not believe that the Government dared to bring down a truthful statement of irbat had been spent on the Exhibition, dixectly and indirectly. He challenged them to bring down such a statement. He quite allowed that they were entitled to put revenue against expenditure, but at the same time he urged that they should bring down a statement of what the Exhibition had* cost the colony, and ho believed it would leach enormous proportions. Mr. Flatman : Wait until the old timber is sold. Mr. Herries said that judging from what had been going on there was no old timber to be sold. Ho, understood they pulled the towers down glass and all. Mr. Gray (Christcbnrch) said he had criticised the Exhibition before and he stood to that criticism. "It is a greet waste of money to have s, man employed in Christchurcb at £800 per year to smoke- cigars a,nd watch other men saw up wood which will scarcely pay for cartage. At the $ame time, I will defend the Government to the best of my ability for having arranged and carried out the Exhibition. It was a magnificent success for tho colony in. spite of the- management. It was characterised by gross mismanagement from the very first, but the membern who have been complaining could have secured the information they asked by looking at tho Financial Statement. The total expenditure was £200,000, of which sum £75,000 came from tho Consolidated Fund. The balance of £125,000 was made up of various receipts. In addition, a further sum of £15,000 has been ropaid to the Government, leaving a debit balance of £60,000. As against that sum the colony has additional receipts, . from the Railways, Customs, • and other departments amounting to £160,000, go that there is, a credit balance in connection wilh the undertaking of £100,000. Tho Premier, in replying, said there was the incontestable fact that the Exhibition had done far better than that hold at Melbourne, where there was a very much larger population. Why did members not wait for tho artual figures? It had been saiil that the Exhibition commenced with a .scandal. lie did not know what tho first one was, but he did know what tho second was, and ho questioned tho taste of any one to referr to it. Ho was a poor, unfortunate man who had been blod by money lenders and thereby driven to do an improper thing. Tho man was serving his punishment and it was not fair to lay blame on the Government in this connection. Tho Government would court the fullest enquiry into the Exhibition.