A NATIONAL AFFAIR

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 1, 1 July 1925, Page 9

A NATIONAL AFFAIR

DUNEDIN AND SOUTH SEAS , EXHIBITION

to ni isrroii Sir,—Your editorial on the above in last night's '"Post" draw* timely attention to the all-important fact thai the Dunedin and South Seas Exhibition of 1925-26 is a national' ■ undertaking. Altiiough initiated as a private concern, as was its predecessor in 1889-90, the credit of the' Dominion stands, pledged to it. I wish to State here and now that the promoters have every reason to be thankful—more, they should be exceedingly grateful—to the late Mr. Massey for the splendid manner in which he came to the assistance of the company. In my humble opinion, two mistakes were made by the promoters. When they sent up a deputation to Wcllingtonj and asked for a modest £25,000, they must have known that their finance would be imperilled by such a small subsidy, especially after they had taken a vote from the subscribers, who had endorsed their decision to make the "show" international, and not restrict/ it to the exhibits of Dominion manufacturers, some of whom wished to bar outside exhibits. But the good sense of the Dunedin people triumphed over the senseless opposition of the Manufacturers' Federation, the executive of which, controlled from Auckland and Christchurch, tried their hardest to boycotfthe venture. Was not Mr. Massey threatened with divers. pains and penalties if he dared to give one shilling of the Dominion's moneys to bolster up this project? But having put their hands to the plough, the hard-headed Scotchmen of Otago and Southland put their hands deeply into their pockets, and found the wherewithal to start tho construction machinery for an international Exhibition of the first importance, to which these, countries that stood by us in the Great War, and helped us to defeat Hun domination, which we would have been under to-day but for their magnificent co-operation. Tho idea of ,: classing these materials and splendid Allies with our enemies of the. Central European Empires was ridiculous, and was never entertained for a single moment by my fellow colonists in Otago' and Southland. At the outset the promoters should have asked boldly for a subsidy of £ to £ up to £100,000, and I venture to say,that Mr. Massey, when seized pf the whole of the details, would gladly have helped the enterprise to that extent, for undeniably tha Exhibition will be a grand advertisement for the Dominion. The Government has certainly risen to the occasion, and its total contributions will not fall far short of the amount I have mr dicated. Besides the £25,000 advanced in the first instance, the Government has given a loan of £25,000, which 1 understand will be a first charge on thd receipts of the Exhibition, and the Do : minion will expend something like £35,----000 in the erection and stocking of a Dominion Court, which will be a veritable eye-opi3ner to the visitors from afar, as demonstrating the variety and extent of the Dominion's natural resources and products. Already the Exhibition authorities are in some difficulty about meeting the demands for space which have exceeded their expectations, and in consequence the Education Court has been commandeered, but a new Court is to be built for/ the accommodation of the thousand and one articles that are intended to display the' activities of our schools and colleges. Furthermore, the amusement area has been developed in an<: astonishing manner, and when in. full running order will cause general astonishment; and afford considerable satisfaction and enjoyment to old and young alike. Again, music and the fins arts will be liberally catered for. From England wo are promised a magnificent collection of pictures, and I have good reason for saying that many people in New Zealand who have fine collections .will help to make the arts section one •of the, if not the most, attractive features of the Exhibition. Lastly, music will be made a great specialty under the cbnductorship of Signor Slappofski, while the famous band of the Argyllshire Regiment will, among other attractions, be a pronounced success, according to reports, supplied by New Zealanders who have heard it perform in the Old Land. Given fine weather, plus cheap railway and steamer concessions, plus plentiful accommodation— the ooly point about which I have any manner of doubt—at- reasonable prices, then I venture to prophecy that tho Dunedin and South Seas Exhibition will transcend in popularity and educational valuo any show of iss kind ever held in New Zealand from its foundation as a colony. We Otagons -and Southlanders are patriotic enough to declare that, recognising the .great benefit of the Exhibition to the Dominion at large, we are prepared to lose every shilling that we have put up to advance the enterprise, fully conscious that, in so 'doing we are all performing a plain duty to tho land we live in and we love. I appeal to the people pf Wellington to show their practical sympathy with us by taking your advice, Mr. Editor, and by making a display at the Exhibition worthy of the capital of the Dominion, and in vindication of the preeminent position of the Wellington Pro-; vincial District as a manufacturing •centre, and as one of the greatest. producers of our primary products.—l am, MABK COHEN. ,