EMPIRE EXHIBITION

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 150, 22 December 1922, Page 7

EMPIRE EXHIBITION

FOREIGN. MATERIAL CONTROVERSY . * GUARANTEE FUND. ,(ritOH OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.} LONDON, 10th- November. After tile great amount of correspondence that has been carried on regarding the selection of foreign timber for the construction work of the British Empire Exhibition, the following letter from the chairman of the Management y Commitfce9 should considerably reassure the public.

"An impression seems to have got about," he writes, "that vast quantities of foreign timber are being used for this purpose, and that no attempt whatever has been made to secure the materials required, either from this country 'or from .other parts of the Empire. Of 'the sum of approximately £300,000 which has so far been spent in the construction of the exhibition, less than £1000 has been spent on materials not produced within the Empire, and that only to avoid a stoppage of work and irreparable delay in the construction of the stadium, which the council are under contract to complete in time for the .final of the Football Cup Tie in April next." Confidence in the success of the British Empire Exhibition. and its beneficial effect on Imperial trade is being demonstrated by the daily additions to the list of guarantors. Theae include large financial,, shipping, commeircifcl, and industrial interests in all parts of Great Britain. ', Among the latest re-, ceived is a guarantee for the sum of £30,000 from Sir Owen Philipps, on behalf of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company and Allied Lines, sent through the London-Chamber of Commerce. This brings the guarantee fund up to the total of over £1,190,000. HORTICULTURAL DISPLAYS. The Exhibition authorities announce that the council'have decided to allot very considerable space to horticulture. It is, pointed out that the beautiful site of the Exhibition is almost ideal for the' purpose of floral display and artistic landscape gardening. All the areas that are now beincr reserved will be .prepared with suitable soil for permanent occupation by groups of hardy trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials and all kinds, of summer flowering plants. The space originally Teserved for this purpose has been largely increased by the decision of the exhibition authorities .to "divert the Wealdstone brook to clear the large ornamental lake at tlie.northern entrance, an,d to convert it into a lovely sunk (tarcten. Suitable conditions will also be available for) a great display ;of bog. and water-loving plants, sucli as water lilies,' gunneras, and various reeds on and about the margins of tlio many lakes yet to be made in the park. The aid of all the great nurserymen and florists in the country is being sought^ and these will be assisted by the exhibition staff in the panting and caro of their exhibits. It is anticipated that tho grounds will be ready for all permanent planting by next spring. Plants should then be in growing order by April, 1924, when the exhibition is to be opened. A committee of experts ex- . perienced in the organisation of horticultural exhibitions will supervise the arrangement. There will also be! great fruit displays, and Dominions exhibitors ] should find at Wembley Park the best site for their purpose v Every facility ia to be found there. There is one large hall, now in course of erection/ with a floor area of about 12,000 sq. ft., and ample top lighting which would serveadmirably for. the purpose. AMUSEMENTS CONCESSION. The "Morning Post" has opened its columns to a discussion on the. subject of "Amusements Concession," and the asrieved correspondent is Sir Alfred . Butt. Mr.' Wintour, the ffeneral manager, maintains that. Sir Alfred's complaints are inspired by the chagrip of a "rejected suitor." "It may be so," the "Morning Herald" comments, "but we are bound to say that Sir Alfred Butt makes out what appears to'us to be a prima facie case for impartial inquiry." Both, Sir Alfred Butt and) the general manager have asked for an impartial inquiry by the Board of Trade. "We venture .to warn . both the Gowjrjmc^it'.,'* says the "Morning Post,": "and th» many gentlemen whose illustrious names are printed on the letter-paper of tha JExMbition tha,M thiie country: cannot afford to' make a failure of the enterprise. Too much is at stake. Not only is the Prince of Wales its, patron, but all the Governments of the Dominions are financially concerned, as well as. tha British Government. , If it is properly conducted it ought to be of the very greatest benefit to British trade and to the •British Empire. If, on the other hand, it is a failure, it will be a calamity to both, The management, in our judgment, have lacked faith from the start ir the possibilities of the British Empire. Neither in the materials of construction nor inj the provisions of the refreshment contract did they show the courage and statesmanship appropriate to the occasion. If the British Empire cannot produce everything required for such an exhibition, the show will become an advertisement of what the Empire cannot do as much as of what the Empire can do.' And that would be a calamity. We hope that the new president of the Board of Trade will go into this' matter with a fresh mind. It is of first-class importance iVom every point of view that this exhibition should be b"eyqnd the breath of criticism or of scandal. We do not want another Ministry of Munitions." NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIAN AGENTS. At a meeting of the New Zealand and Australian Agents' Association held last week the following resolution was passed:— "Tho ) 'New _ Zealand and Australian Agents Association believes some doubi exists as to whether affective measures will he taken to ensure that the food' stuffs for catering and other supplies to be used 'at the British Empire Exhibition, 1924, will be strictly limited to the products of the Empire. They wish to place upon record the fact that there can' bo no practical difficulty in securing' tliis desirable end, and they further wish to state they are prepared" to co-operate for thai, purpose.

(Thi; cable news in this Usnc accredited to "The Times" has appeurcd in that iauriml, but .only where esprtssfy stated Is auoh newt la» 'editorial ouimtxi of -I'l'Jaa Tlbuw."!