THE BIG EXHIBITION

Evening Star, Issue 18333, 21 July 1923, Page 3

THE BIG EXHIBITION

A NEWSPAPER’S ADVICE. ‘ CANTERBURY MAKING ITSELF RIDICULOUS. [Se/ICIAL TO HIE ‘ Star.’] CHRISTCHURCH, July 20. In an editorial, to-night’s ‘Star’ says’. The Canterbury Industrial Association is in danger of making itself ridiculous in meddling with those who are promoting the Dunedin Exhibition. However strongly Die association may feel on the importance of encouraging local industries, it is obvious that the Dunedin people hope to go in for someDung much bigger than a local industrial exhibition. The fact that it is to be an international exhibition will not cause much loss of sleep among local mauufaci arers, who are bound to support the exhibition whatever title it may go undir. As a. matter of fact, New Zealand's progress as a manufacturing naDon would appear to he very much more impressive by comparison with (he output and quality of tho goods of other countries. A purely local industry exhibition gives only one side of the picture ; and, after ail, Die local product nas lo compete in the open market, where, its competitors are judged largely on quality and price. An industrial exhibition, such as Christchurch had last year, often brings the smldon -realisation that articles are being produced locally that have all along 1 1 ecu' regarded as an imported monopoly, lint the most important exhibitions that an industrialist is concerned with are those on the shelves of retail shops, iinched up bv persuasive salesmanship. To take one' instance, tho Canterbury Industrial Exhibition brought to notice (be fact that shaving brushes were being manufactured in Christchurch, yet. how many men are ever shown a local shaving brush in the average shop? Then, again, the Canterbury Exhibition lose a great deal. In fact, its exhibits were not priced, and a visitin’ was unable lo make, any economic comparisons with imported articles, linked, the industrialists should not rely too much on exhibitions when tho real need Is for an educative camnaign on Die importance of using local products. The Canterbury Association affects _to he very much annoyed by the decision to hold mi international 'as against an Imperial exhibition; hut so far the local industrialists have been fighting perial goods pretty strenuously, and as a body the association is not at all concerned with (ho fate of the British manufacturer, except as a less objectionable competitor than the German. Half of the exhibits at. the Canterbury Exhibition consisted of goods, such as hoots, clothing, and so on, that were in competition only with overseas British products, and this fact alone should make Die association approach Die Dunedin Exhibition cautiously.

INTERNATIONAL OR IMPERIAL 7

MR JENKIN IN REPLY,

“A SCRAP OF PAPER.”

[Special to tub ‘Star.’]

CHRISTCHURCH. July 20. The status of the exhibition to bo held in Dunedin in 1925 is at present the subject of considerable, interproyincial controversy. Dunedin presumably wants an international exhibition, while Canterbury and other centres, as represented by the local industrial associations, want the status of the exhibition to be no wider than Imperial. A statement from the president of the Dunedin Manufacturers’ Association criticising the. attitude of the Canterbury Association appeared in the Press to-day, and a reply thereto was: made to-night by Mr W. J. Jenkin (president of the Canterbury Association), who was also president of tho New Zealand Corporation when the headquarters of that body were established in this city at the conference held in. February last. It was at tins conference that the decision was arrived at approving of an Imperial exhibition, but not one of an international character.

The president of tho Dunedin Association, says Air Jenkin, declared that tho citizens of Dunedin had nothing to do with tho matter of the status of tho exhibition. “ I say the citizens of Dunedin had everything to do with it,” adds Air Jenkin, “ and I will produce proof. In February last, when the Corporation Conference was held in Christchurch, myself presiding, at the deputation headed by the then Alayor of Dunedin (Air Douglas), what did Air Douglas say? These arc his very words taken from the official report of the proceedings of the conference ;

“ I am here as tho representative of tho citizens of Dunedin, and at tho request of the citizens of Dunedin as the outcome of a representative meeting held in tho Town Hall to consider the possibility of holding’ a largo exhibition in the year 1925. Tho citizens of Dunedin are wholehearted in this matter. At the meeting the Dunedin branch of tho corporation was represented, but, like true gentleman, who honor a scrap of paper, the representatives stated that they could not express any opinion or commit themselves to any particular course. They were committed to your corporation to hold an exhibition in Dunedin in 1924. Wo realise the position, and we are proud to think that your corporation haa allocated that exhibition to Dunedin; but wo think that if you could lend us your backing and support it would be better to forgo the exhibition in 1924 and throw your whole weight into the project of 1925, and give us that support which would practically ensure the success of it.” In reply to Air Frostick, the Alayor of Dunedin stated that “ the project was for an Imperial, not an inter* national exhibition." Air Woodroffe then indu'd bother it was the intention to adhere to an Imperial exhibition or whether it was proposed to make it an _international one. Air Douglas: “Wo intend to hold an Imperial exhibition. We would give an undertaking to that effect.” Air Jenkin : “The telegram from Dunedin distinctly mentions Imperial. If it were an international exhibition I should act quite differently.” The foregoing, continued Air Jenkin, was taken from the official report of the conference. “The records show clearly,” he said. " that we were asked 1o fjivo our support to an Imperial exhibition, not ,-fli international one. and, further, that the request came from the citizens of Dour edin, as represented by the mayor at the conference, and their decision is binding. All affiliated associations decided to give all reasonable support to the Imperial exhibition to be he!<l in Dunedin in 1925 on the understanding (hat a separate court be provided for New Zealand-made goods. Xow we are asked to believe that the citizens of Dunedin had nothing to do with (he matter. Either they have changed their views in the meantime, and now expect us to support them in an international project, or the change was made by tho operation of influences which Mr Douglas was powerless to resist. Tho application came to us through Air Douglas, tho mayor, from the citizens of Dunedin for support towards an Imperial exhibition, and’ wc considered it accordingly. Wo in Canterbury and elsewhere are most strongly opposed to the idea of an international exhibition. It seems ridiculous for the. Prime Minister to go to London to discuss important question relating to development of trade within th® Empire, when an exhibitor) is to be held in Dunedin of a nature which would give every encouragement to the importation and 'use of foreign-made goods to the detriment of our own industries and those of the Empire generally. I anxious that manufacturers all over New Zealand will sc? it in that light. The pledge given hv the citizens of Dunedin through their mayor that the exhibition would bo an Imperial one seems now to be treated as nothing but .a scrap of paper.”