NEW ZEALAND’S CENTENARY

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 June 1936, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND’S CENTENARY

GOVT.’S FINANCIAL AID ! MEMORIALS AND FESTIVITIES [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, June IS. Policy decisions of the Government n preparation for the celebration oi

New Zealand’s centenary, in 1940, were placed before the National Centennial Committee by the chairman (Hon. W. Parry), .Minister of Internal Affairs, to-day. 'l'llo Government, he said, had decided that the event should be celebrated by: (1) Permanent memor-

ials, including a national memorial to be erected by the Government; (2) A series of historical surveys of the first, hundred years of New Zealand’s national life; (3) Suitable celebrations, both national and local, throughout 1940.'

Apart from the cost of a national memorial and historical surveys, he said, the Government contemplated providing. £250,000 for the celebrations.

On the question of permanent memorials, Mr Parry said the Government would provide the cost of and erect a permanent national memorial; further than that he could not go at present. Its form was under consideration by the Government, and an announcement would be made in due course. The Government would make provision for subsidising moneys raised locally for memorials duly approved. A national committee would be set up at an early date, to go fully into the question of historical surveys. He visualised a series of works by the most competent authorities in New Zealand, on every phase of our national life, written, moreover, for general reading as well as for the purposes of historical record. As to the actual celebrations, he divided these into five classes:

(1) Celebrations of events of national importance, at places where the events actually occurred. The Waitangi Treaty, at Waitangi. and the proclamation of sovereignty over the South Island, at Akaroa, were quoted to illustrate what he meant. (2) Purely local celebrations. This is divisible into (a) particular local events, and (b) general celebrations in honour of the centenary. (3) Maori celebrations. (4) Exhibition at Wellington. (5£ Special attractions for overseaVvisitors.

With regard to the expenditure of £250,000, mentioned above, he said this provided up to a maximum of £75,000 loan and subsidy for an exhibition at Wellington, and the balance for national celebrations held by the Government itself, or by provincial organisations on behalf of the Government, and the subsidising on a basis of £1 for £3 of moneys raised locally for local celebrations or memorials.

In addition to all the above, the Government would bear the cost of suitably entertaining guests from abroad, invited by the Government, and would also, between now and

1940, suitably increase the vote to the Tourist and Publicity Department, for advertising abroad, and providing special tourist attractions. Regarding the WELLINGTON EXHIBITION

Mr Parry said that the Government concurred in the view that the exhibition should be held in Wellington. A Wellington committee was fathering the proposal, and visualised a company w'ith £300,000 capital. To that the Government had no objection. The committee however, asked the Government for assistance to the extent of £lOO,OOO by grant and £50,000 by way of share capita?. Frankly, it was impossible for the Government to consider financial help on such a scale as that, in view of the very large sum it would have to provide in connection with other celebrations, and national and local memorials. What the Government was prepared to do once the company was formed, was to make a loan, free of interest, not exceeding £25,000, and a subsidy of £1 for £2 of the subscribed share capital, up to a limit of £50,000. It must not be forgotten, he pointed out, that whatever financial help the Government gave w r ould not be the full extent of the Government’s exhibition expenditure. It cost the Government of the day £30,000 for the Government’s courts and exhibits at the Dunedin Exhibition, and if the Wellington Exhibition was on the same scale, at least that amount would be required in 1940.

W’TON MAYOR’S CRITICISM. WELLINGTON, June 18. The National Conference in connection with the New Zealand centenary celebrations, expressed general approval of the Government’s proposals, but several suggestions for variation were made, and are to be the subject of further representations to the Government. Particularly is this so in connection with the proposed allocation of £75,000 towards the Wellington exhibition. The Mayor of Wellington expressed the view strongly that it would bo no use considering the establishment of a worthy exhibition, with a maximum Government contribution of £75,000, which was lower than the assistance granted to the Dunedin Exhibition, though the occasion was much more important. He suggested £125,000, the public of New Zealand to find the same amount. No finality was reached on Mr Hislop’s suggestion, but the Conference agreed that the Government’s contribution to the total commemorations throughout, the Dominion was very generous. The Mayor of Auckland suggested that local contributions should be subsidised by one pound to two pounds, not three. On this also further representations are to be made. Hon. Parry again emphasised the necessity of the celebrations being regarded from a national and not parochial point of view. Various Committees, Historical Research, Press, Tourist and Publicity, and Maori participation, are to be set up.