THE EXHIBITION

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 13, 16 January 1926, Page 8

THE EXHIBITION

NO FREE TRIPS FOR CHILDREN

SIB JAMES PAEE'S BEGEETS,

(Bt mi-iBAPH.-PRISS USOCUTIOM.)

DUNEDIN, This Day.

Friday's attendance ,at the Exhibition was 20,397, making the grand total 1,040,084.

Speaking at a dinner given by the British Commissioner, Sir James Parr congratulated the Exhibition authorities on the triumph they had achieved. They deserved the thanks of the Government, which had doubted the success of the project at its initiation. He was proud to know that, although Auckland was "backward in coming forward," thousands of Auckland people were now coming dovvn and filling the pockets of the citizens of Dunedin with Auckland's golden sovereigns. That was the only consolation he had, that Aucklanders had given their personal support.

Tho Minister said he agreed that every chil.l should* have the opportunity of visiting the Exhibition, but this could not be done free. ' Each parent, even with the help of the Education Department, would have to find £5, £7, or £10. The children of working people were' thus debarred from coming. When ho asked for a grant of £5000, he placed the position .before the Cabinet, but it could not 'agree to help. He hoped even yet that the Government might be able to assist in bringing children from Christchurch in the north and Bluff in the south, to the Exhibition. He wanted to show that it was not the Minister's fault that every child was not given the opportunity of being present.