THE EXHIBITION

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 132, 1 December 1938, Page 6

THE EXHIBITION

MANUFACtURERS' PART

APPEAL FOR SUPPORT

Worthy representation of the manufacturing industries of the Dominion at the Centennial Exhibition in 1939-40 ?was urged by the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) in his capacity as chairman of directors of the Centennial Exhibition Company, when addressing the annual conference of the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation yesterday afternoon.

. Mr. Hislop said that he was taking ] advantage of the presence in Wellington of the delegates to the conference, representing a branch of industry which all hoped would become much ibigger in the future, to refer to the \Exhibitiqn, which was to be the principal feature of the Centenary celebrations. The Exhibition had the very strong backing, financial and moral, of the Government, and for the purposes of organisation , |the control took the form of a public company. At the present time the share capital was practically all arranged for and he was not askling the manufacturers to take shares j although it was open to them to do so [if they wished.

The first block of buildings at. Rongotai would be handed over by the contractors in February and the other buildings two; months later. It was certain, that every part of the lay-out would be ready for the" official opening in the first week of November next year.

An invitation for the delegates to: inspect the work at Rongotai was given by Mr. Hislpp, who said that it was most impressive. He described the proposed attractions and general scheme of the Exhibition and said that of the 350,000 square feet of space available for exhibits just over 75' per cent, had been sold or firmly reserved. What was desired was as big a representation of the New Zealand manufacturing industries as could be made, so that the people Of New Zealand could see what those industries were doing and how they had grown through the years. At the -Dunedin Exhibition in 1925 2,500,000 people passed through the gates. In the immediate vicinity of Wellington there, was a population two arid a half times greater than that' of Otago, and there was not the slightest doubt that 5,000,000 or 6,000,000 people would go through the gates at Rongotai. The representation of , the industries could be either by groups or separately. - A very small part of the space had beentaken up so far by New Zealand manufacturers and the company would be grateful if those who intended taking space would do so as soon as possible.

"I appeal to you to get behind the Centennial Exhibition not only as citizens of New Zealand but as representatives of the New Zealand manufacturers,'" said Mr. Hislop. "I ask you to support the representation of the New Zealand manufacturing industries in a way that will be worthy of- this country." . ,

The president of the federation (Mr. J. T. Spears) expressed the thanks of manufacturers for the goodwill shown by the Exhibition Company in the wide use of New Zealand-made materials in the buildings.