AFTERMATH OF THE PANAMA EXHIBITION

Evening Star, Issue 16088, 13 April 1916, Page 8

AFTERMATH OF THE PANAMA EXHIBITION

[Specially Written for the ' Stah.'J

Slowly and apparently with undisguised reluctance the buildings' of the panamaPacifio International Exposition are being demolished. Even though over threo months havo elapsed tinco the Exposition officially closed, not on© of tho colossal exhibition palaces presents a chauged appearance outwardly. Inwardly, however, a transformation scene is noticeable, for all tho thousands of exhibits from the United States and the outside world have been removed, a large percentage to th« Exposition of Southern -California at Sati Diego. The New Zealand pavilion, the erstwhi'.o Mecca of eucli crowds of patriotic British* ers from all parts of tho Empij'o art which, the sun never seta, is now ,jv deserted building shell, denuded of all its former w»t> droits exhibits, awaiting tha liacndt 01 the ruthless "wrecker," who in a £w weok# will havo swept tho ground and' have left nothing of tho New Zealand participatiaa but a. pleasant memory, and withal a particularly cherished memory. The adjoining British participation, that of Australia, lias further advanced from tsW> wrecker's point of view, for at least half the Commonwealth building has already been demolished. Most of the. State buildings have been entirely swept away, but tho neighboring Canadian pavilion stands as stately as ever, arid (retains its pristine beauty. Tho Japanese buildings are only a memory, and tho Cuban and Norwegian buildings aro out of existence. The French pavilion—ono of the largest .011 the Exposk tion area,—is still untouched, as ttvttoh time has been spent in the careful removal of the exquisite exhibits which wcro eentfrom. war-flung France, and many of which aro now installed -it the San Diego show. The extensivo gardens south of tho Palace of Horticulture have all been shorn of their beautiful flowers and shrubs. The amusement "2ono" is slowly being dismantled, and some of tho leading attractions have been transferred to New York and Chicago. A difficult 'has been the disposition of the gigautio Tower of Jewels, which, rises to a height of nearly 500 ft. The Exposition directors- havo been bombarded with nil kinds of suggestions, most of a ludicrous and impracticable character. Naturally, the übiquitous and enterprising moving-pictn.ro concerns saw an excellent opportunity to secure a picture full of features. One firm mado an offer to the company which purchased the immense steel tower of £2,500 for tho exclusive privilege of taking a pictorial record of the toppling over of the gigantic monument. No decision lias yet been announced. The Califomian city of Ran Jose lias inaugurated, a civic organisation, with the -slogan "The Tower of Jewels," for San .Fuse is firmly persuaded that the tower should not be destroyed, but be retained as a permanent memorial of the Panama Exposition.

.Mr James A. JJarr, director of conpresses of tlio Exposition, says in his final report, ■\vhch. has just been issued, that fix millions sterling was spent in San Francisco through convention attendance. Despite tho European "War, which undoubtedly interfered with tho plans of many foreign organisations to meet iu San Francisco, tho Exposition drew 928 gatherings to or near San Francisco. Of this number, 61 were of international character, 541 national, 94 Facihc Coast organisations, and 233 California!! organisations. The International CcmgTe?s of Education and tiro International Piesa Congress were among the most import-ant. As many as 00 conventions were in session on" the same day, with an attendance ranging from 25t0 15,000. Tho 928 gatherings held in or nea? Sa.n Francisco were in session for a total of 2,927 days, representing a. period of eight years. It is estimated that the 5.854 Laifday sessions were attended by a total of 1,756,000 persons. .San Francisco's Exposition established a r.°w world's record, the number of conventions held in- that city during 1915 being more than donblo the number of those held at the St. Louis Exposition, n.nd nearly fire times as many as those, at tho Exposition in Chicago. Director Barr and his staff! devoted) four years to tho task of •working out the Exposition's convention programme. Tnvitations to meet in> or near San Francisco -were sent out to 6,850 OTganisationa of all kinds. Pieces of literature'distributed and letters sent totalled 2;835,000.

—Send-off to Commissioner Clifton.—

.Mr Edmund Clifton, who for the last two years has acted in the capacity of Trade Commissioner in the United States for tha New Zealand Government, and had charge of the New Zealand exhibits at tho Panama-Pacific Exposition, was accorded a enthusiastic send-off when, accompanied by Mrs Clifton and his son, he left San Francisco for Ids home. On tho eve of his departure Commissioner Clifton entertained a number of his friends at the Colonial Hotel in San Francisco to dinner, and tho healths of the Commissioner and his genial spouse- were drunk wi,th much enthusiasm. -During his stay on tho Pacific Coast Commissioner Clifton endeared himself to a. largo circle of friends, particularly in the commercial world, where ho laid the foundation for a considerable volume of trade for New Zealand with America. His frequent addresses beforo trade organisations in various centres of activity m tha Western States were always eulogistic of British institutions, and particularly tocussed on developing a mutual trading between tho Dominion of New Zealand and tho United States. As an authority on agriculture, and especially on the she»p industry, it was readily admitted by American experts that ho had no equal in America, as evidenced by his addresses ab San Francisco and Salt Lake City recently beforo the American National Woolgrowers' Association, whoso delegates kept him busy answering a batterv of questions relative to the sheep and wool industries in New Zealand, so anxious werft thev for knowledge. At the Panama Exposition Mr Clifton became the acknowledged most popular of the foreign Commissi on ers, and his opinion on' diversified subjects wns frequently sought. Commissioner Clifton was held in the highest esteem bv the imposition directorate, a fact which "was f unattested when ho bade fareVell to San Francisco, for, assembled at the IVrry Building—one of tho gates on tho world's a large and important deputation of the Panama Exposition Executive, who included Commissioner Chas. A Vogelsang; who welcomed most of tho foreign > delegations to the Exposition; Commissioner T. G, Stallsmith, who was one of the Panama .Commissioners who visited NW Zealand; Jdr D. 0. Lively, the Chief r>t the Live Stock Department; and Mr Cummings, Chief of the Staff of President Moore, -whom he represented at tho leavetaking of the Clifton party. Tho Australian Commission was represented by Mr Fricke, Commissioner for Victoria-' and the New Zealand Press, to whom Mx Clif» ton extended the greatest courtesy whilst at oan Francisco, by your correspondent. Mr Harry Johns. After liberal handshaking and the expression of cordial good wishes, the New Zealanderspassed through the ferry gates and crossed tho bay to Oakland, whero they entrained - bv the Shasta Minuted for Portland- on route for Vancouver and Auckland per s,s, Niagara. —'New Zealand Exhibit in New York.-. The possibilities and potentialities of New Zealand from a tourist's standpoint, and more particularly on account of the Dominion's ability to -supply America with many essential products, Were demonstrated at the interesting exhibition recently held in New York tinder tho regis of the Panama-Pacific Exposition Medal-winners' Association. New Zealand's participation at this show was of an exceedingly interesting character, was a leading feature of the exhibition, and had been very carefully arranged bv Mr \V. K. Dallas, an official of the New Zealand Department of Agriculture, who had materially assisted at San Francisco at the Dominion's display at tho Exposition. Commissioner Clifton journeyed to New York to be present at the official opening, and remained there during its short currency. On his return to San Francisco Mr Clifton, referring to the Eastern show, said: "The main idea of tho.-New York exhibition was that those wbo had high awards

at-San.Francisco's Exposition should avail of the opportunity : of: bringing to the notice of the enormous population of the Eastern States the character of the successful exhibits which had-gained the World's Fair prizes, and had been so favorably commented upon by. visitors to the Pacifio Coast. In a peculiar degree there was an • especial' opportunity presented to New Zealand, inasmuch as the great consuming centres on the Eastern siaboard—the territory to which New Zealand desires to appeal—had had no convenient chance of realising the comprehensive claims of New Zealand. Consequently the opportunity was availed of by making a display in Now York under the egis of this association. "The medal - winners themselves, however, did not respond to the number anticipated, Many promises were broken, and the originator of this Eastern event lound himself forsaken by tnafly who had offered »upport. # Despite this drawbadt, eo far aa the «xhibjte w«rs concerned, $ {reasonable display was provided, and there weie inanv •most «shibiW. Among v'ero v&netaes 01 steel-working, the display setting out thd Application of manitold musical instruments controlled >by ianohanical means, including {v mayvelloue exhibition of mechanijal violin-playmg. So perfect, indeed, was the device that, any j but artist3_would have been deceived. The I steel working was intensely attractive, esi pacially the flame audi the wonj derful cutting abilities, together with the t welding of massive steel forginge. ! " The display of cut-glass was also most j interesting. In the electrical world, in- ; genious installations vied with, scores of j aluctrical inventions, which were promin- } «snt features of the s3}ow> There was a |. hiecaanfcal typewriter with every vansj.tfcui imaginable, and the dictaphone in all ! its elaborations. New Zealand displayed I vJiera an epitome of its product!!. It was, .; unfcnfojnatels, the only exhibit sotting oui ■ "hh jih.at.fi of exposition, and comparisons I w«vo out of the emestiou. j "As a -whole the attractions failed to I bring to the New York exhibition a popujUr - attendance. It was but poorjv :itj tended, and especially by that particular 1 class of people to whom -f,h>j.?o products j would appeal. The faihira rsav ho atj tributed to a great, if p.>t t-.> :.u Vbsolnte, extent to the absence of su®c£;>-:tt publicity. It is ?.n accepted fact itaUi to fittract people in New York publicity tzAd' the ordinary acceptance -.vX;ald be Tmcr,iji. ing. It required undoubtedly a v»vy great expenditure of aioney, and possib-v such an expenditure that "the organisers did not feel themselves warranted" in incurring. Unfortunately this caused an ab-s-ence of interest of persons to whom the participators at this Exposition desired id secure. New Zealand Was the only British community exhibiting, and also the only foreign nation represented there, although many had promised to be present. Those in charge of the exhibit did, however, manage to obtain, apart from tho Exposition, a reasonable notice in the Press, and in this particular New Zealand was prominent. Generally New Zealand, by its show in New York, gained some_ advantage, for it is there that the Dominion's future trading with America will principally centre." Mr Clifton' stated that he had been invited to meet sovernl business people when passing through Portland. " This will be in the interest of future business, especially as it is to the State of Oregon that New Zealand may expect a demand for the high class sheep of the Dominion, particularly the Romney. Prominent breeders there have already availed themselves of stock from New Zealand, and are reaping a benefit from this introduction of stock by the increasing demand for the progeny of these sheep. I am firmly convinced that by keeping the importance of the stock of New Zealand before the people of Oregon State a very large importation may be anticipated." He felt assured that in the future there would be a greatly increased volume of trade, especially in the direction of New Zealand live stock, to the American Continent. In the meantime Mr Niel Nielsen, ex-Minister of Agriculture in New South Wales, and now Trade Commissioner for that same Government, will answer any inquiries received at his headquarters of the Australian Government representation in San Francisco, Mr Nielsen being thoroughly conversant with New Zealand and its claims upon Americans.