EXHIBITION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

Evening Star, Issue 12767, 21 March 1906, Page 6

EXHIBITION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the above Committor) was held in the Town Hall last evening, Messrs T. W. Whitson'(in the chair), D. M'Pherson, P. C. Corliss, A. Moritzson, J. Hazlett, F. O. Bridgnian, J. Davidson, R. Brinsley, D. Tannock, R Ferguson*, and E. F. Duthie (hon. secretary) being present. Apologies for unavoidable absence were received from Messrs W. Fels, James Allen, M.H.R., L. Langlands, Nees, M'Donald, and Timson. The Chairman of the Dunedin Stock Agents and Wool-brokers' Association wrote in regard to. support suggested to the New Zealand International Exhibition: "This Association consider the matter one more for agricultural and pastoral societies, but that individual firms will do what they can to assist the object. I am sure that all firms will be glad to assist you in anv way in their power, and I trust the result will be satisfactory to your Committee."—ln commenting upon this communication, Mr Duthie said he had seen several members of the Association, and they had promised to render as much personal assistance as they could. Mr J. A. Doull wrote intimating that he wished to exhibit three lines of oatmeal, and he asked what quantity of each line would be required for judging purposes, and also desired to know whether he bad to secure space, and' when his exhibits were to be intheir places.—Mr Duthie informed the Committee that in respect to this communication ho had written to the secretary for the Exhibition, and bad received the response that flour-millers could make exhibits for competition, but such exhibits must not exceed the maximum quantity in sacks or bags that are sold to retailers. As this information was not considered over-explicit, he had written asking for extended data. Mr Letbaby had written asking for space in the Exhibition for the manufacturing of umbrellas, and desiring to know if be would be allowed to sell same. The secretary of the Exhibition had replied that the matter would be considered bv the Selling Eights Committee at their first meeting. In regard to arts exhibits, the Exhibition Committee wrote: "An art gallery has been set aside for the purpose of exhibiting loan and sale pictures to be procured from Home and the Continent through the High Commissioners. Space, however, has been reserved and allotted to the Australasian art societies. .These art societies have been empowered to collect, approve, and forward pictures for their district, which are to be placed in that portion of the art gallery reserved for them, therefore, artists in your district who cannot arrange to have their pictures approved by the Dunedin Art Society, and included m the society's exhibit, will have to come under the heading of ordinary exhibitors—that is to say, pay ordinary exhibit rates. \ it P r °P°? l ed *° set aside a certain portion ' ot the Exhibition for exhibits by artists who are desirous of placing their pictures in the Jixmbition as ordinary trade exhibits ou a sale basis, but a commission of 25 per cent will be made on all sales effected in the Exhinajpn. It was resolved to write to the Art bociety asking if they would take charsre of pictures sent in by non-members. «. r e xi Committee wrote saying that the Horticultural and Landscape Committee had decided to adopt Mr Tannock's suggestions regarding competitions in landscape gardening; Sections of ground would be set apart and allotted to nurserymen for gardening purposes. The Committee had further expressed their desire to receive more suggestions from Mr Tannock, who tabulated His ideas as follow:—I would suggest two competitions: (1) Villa garden, say, qnarteracre in extent; (2) cottage garden, say oneeighth acre in extent. Villa garden;' The competitors should first of all snbmit a plan tor the laying out of the aection for a garden round a villa, showing flower beds borders, shrubberies, paths, etc. They should ?f„ llld what plants are to be used to nil the beds and how they are to keep up the show throughout the season. Plans should be submitted as soon as possible, so that the Committee have time to select those to whom sections are to be allotted—that is if there is only a limited number of sections! The exhibitors should lay out and plant all the flowers and shrubs, but the after maintenance should be done by the Committeeall plants to be provided by exhibitors. All plants should have a label showing plainly the botanical name, common name, and craxden variety. Cottage garden: The section, say, one-eighth of an acre, should be laid out as a garden round a workman's cottage, with flower border, shrubbery, and vegetable garden. Plans should be submitted same as in the other competition, and the same conditrons enforced. In making the suggestion, in the first place I thought that a number of flower beds indicated in the general plan of the grounds could be allotted to nurserymen throughout the'colony, to be filled with whatever they made a specialty of. For example, a nurseryman in Dunedin might be willing to exhibit a bed of carnations and one of cactus dahlias, if these beds could be worked into the general plan. The Committee would be saved the expense of forwarding plants, and the nurserymen get an advertisement. A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Tannock. Mr George Hart forwarded plans of the Exhibition, and in an accompanying letter said that the assertion +hat nllotmerrfc space had already b6en made to those paying a premium of 25 per cent, was not correct. A i-ctification had been issued to tie effect that corner spaces could be applied for on pavn tnt of 25 per cent, extra, but thit the aJJotmtnt would be made by the Space Committee. No allotment of any space whatever had been made.—Received. Regarding representation and cost, Mr Duthie said he had sent a telegram to the Exhibition Executive asking if clause S of thj Empowering Act applied 10 the di ,f raying of the cost of colleo-iug and exhn-. t t?ng tirade exhibits and manutacr.-.ir'id goo.ls, or onlv to products of districts, and also if all applications received from Otago would be included in the provincial Mr (1. S. 3rcnro, Executive Commissioner, had replied that, as h.j Tead clause 9, it applied to any expenditure in connection with th* district representative exhibit, whether such were trade exhibits, manufactured goods, or products generally. All applications from Otago would be included in the Otago court, unless the exhibitors themselves desired otherwise. A telegram was also received from the consulting Exhibition sohcitor, and expressed the opinion that clause 9 applied to products and natural resources of any district, but not to n-anufaefcured goods or trade exmbrta such as were manufactured or produced in the district. From that it would be understood that the money could not be used to promote exhibits of imported trade exhibits or imported manufactured goods. The Chairman said they had now to cons:der the matter of persuading local bodies to assist in the promulgation of an Otago ccurt, in the way of granting subsidies. Most of the other districts seemed to have taken 3,360 ft of space. The spaces were divided into blocks, with a frontage of 24fi and a. depth of 140 ft. He presumed that machinery would not be placed in the provrneial court, but in a place specially re- 1 served for such exhibits.. If the Committee j took a block, the cost of it would be £336, and the Committee vvoidd, so to speak, havo ■ to work it off on local exhibitors. .Answering a question, the Secretary said i the CcflJ.mittee had sent for 500 ft of space I direct. He had personally approached some 1 of the principal manufacturers here on the matter of showing at the Exhibition, but they had very definitery replied No. Mr Moritzson said he had also interviewed the principals of several local firms, who seemed to think the cost of exhibiting would far exceed the advantages to be gained. ; i Mr; Whitson said of "course tie £336. mentioned as the cost of sriace was really only: a

drop in the bucket. They would' want quite £I,OOO to meet initial and incidental expenses, and it seemed to him the best plan to adopt was-to. apply, to the local bodies for.the necessary backing up. The .matter was discussed at some length, and it was eventually' decided to appoint a sub-committee, consisting of Messrs WHtsOn; Bridgeman, the commissioners, and the secretary, to consider the advisableness of making application for a block of space for an Otago exhibit, ■■ and to interview probable exhibitors. Some weeks ago the Victorian Government decided that Victoria would not be represented at the New Zealand Exhibition, but since .then the Victorian Chamber of Agriculture, have approached the Government of the State, representing the desirability of that decision being rescinded. The matter may again be considered by Ministers, but the general idea (says the 'Argus \ as shown by opinions obtained by Premier Bent in connection witji the proposed Victorian. Exhibition, does not appear to favor the holding of international exhibitions.