AUCKLAND AND THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION OF 1888.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8036, 25 August 1887, Page 5

AUCKLAND AND THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION OF 1888.

Mr. A. H. Nathan, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, has been in correspondence with Sir Julius Vogel in reference to the arrangements to be made on behalf of New Zealand for representation at the Centennial Exhibition to be held in Melbourne early in 1888. The European Powers have appointed commissions, and the . interests of New Zealand should be looked after without delay. On the 22nd Sir Julius telegraphed as follows to the secretary of the Chamber : — "In reply to your letter of August 14, the Government have not yet come to a determination on the subject." Inquiry was made as to what the Government would do in response to a united recommendation from the different Chambers of Commerce. Sir Julius replied as followsOf course, Government would give respectful consideration to any recommendation of the Chambers, but I doubt if they would come to any decision on the matter without consulting Parliament." The following is a letter which has been received from the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce :—

Chamber of Commerce, Dunedin, August 15 1887. The Secretary Chamber of Commerce, Auckland, Sir, —The committee of this Chamber have had under consideration the

proper representation of New Zealand at the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition, to be held early in 1888, and in order to ascertain the views of the Government on the matter, the chairman and myself waited on Sir Julius Yogel on Saturday. Sir Julius expressed the warmest interest in the subjeot, and in answer to our suggestion that the Government would appoint a Royal Commission and place a sufficient sum on the Estimates, replied that he feared the general desire for retrenchment might interfere with any such actios of the Government at present. In view of the importance of the subject, the committee of this Chamber have decided to approach the Government with a request that they take the matter up, and as such a request would receive greater consideration if made by the leading chambers of the colony, I venture to suggest to your committee that they take a similar oourse. In making this suggestion, I am assuming that you recognise, as this committee does, the importance of being represented at this Exhibition, which bids fair to be tho most important of the kind ever yet held in the Australian colonies.—l am, etc., D. Habbis Bastings, Secretary.