NEWSPAPER COMMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 112, 13 May 1911, Page 9

NEWSPAPER COMMENT.

"NO COMPARISON."[BX TELEGKAPH — SPECIAL TO THE POST.] ' Auckland; This Day. • In an editorial reference to the protest oJ The 'P-o&t against^ -Government subsidy being granted' to the proposed Auckland Exhibition, tho Star says: — "The Wellington Industrial Association, Tho Post informs us, is getting no bounty from the State, and it draws the inference that we should expect nothing either. But surely there is no comparison in importance or in public interest and value between the displays of local! products that are held at frequent intervals in every city in the Dominion and an international exhibition of the sort that we propose to hold here two years hence. Without going into details,* it is enough ior th© present to say that the promoters intend to make this the largest and most representative exhibition ever held in New Zealand, and that if it is carried out successfully, not only Auckland, but the whole Dominion, will Becure_ great and permanent advantages from it. When Mr. Seddon proposed in the House a Government subsidy for the Christchurch Exhibition ho dwelt at great length on the benefits to be secured by advertising the natural resources of this country, and by attracting exhibits ■and visitors from all parts of the world, and every argument that was employed, ivith so much success to secure State aid for the Christckurch. Exhibition on the ground that it was a national undertaking, applies with at least equal force to the exhibition that we propose to hold here. We have instanced the case of the Christchurch Exhibition because it is the handiest and most appropriate illustration of a. public enterprise of this sort here for which a substantial Government subsidy has been asked and obtained. We are aware that tho original estimate in this case was greatly exceded, and that the country eventually paid £60,000 and more for the privilege of managing a- project that was originally supposed to coit it lebs than half that sum, but there is no rea&on why financial mismanagement of this sort should be repeated here, and if Mr. Seddon and his colleagues were prepared to vole £25,000 or moie in tha first instance, and to help along the Christchurch Exhibition on the ground that it was a great national undertaking which by its success would permanently benefit the whole country, we are quite justified in asking for a Government subsidy now." The Star adds: "No single public body can be regarded aa representative of a whole city, and in our opinion it is time for the Chamber of Commerce to invoke the assistance of the City Council and the general body of the citizens, so that any request put before Government or Parliament may be backed b.v the whole strength of Auckland's public opinion."