CARNIVAL PROFITS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18374, 14 April 1923, Page 10

CARNIVAL PROFITS.

THE 7 ' AUCKLAND VENTURE.

A FAILURE ALLEGED.

FEARS OF WELLINGTON.

Wellington proposes to hold a carnival this year, but the Chamber of Commerce is not in favour of the scheme. At a meeting of the chamber this week, Mr. J. R. Salt addressed the meeting, reporting on the deliberations of the Carnival Committee.

"We want to be very careful," said Mr. Salt, "as they are losing money over the Auckland carnival, and they will have to meet the deficit from an art union. There are two reasons for the failure of the carnival. It was held a fortnight before Easter, and they 'got the backs up' of certain church people, who considered it wrong to hold the carnival during the Lenten season. The country people put off their holidays till Easter, to visit Auckland to - see the races, rather than the carnival, and it was found that the only people that patronised it were those within easy Teach of the city by suburban train or bv tram. The carnival was advertised all over New Zealand, but thoy did not attract the number of people they expected.'" Mr. H. H. Oxley moved to express sympathy with the movement, but that the chamber take no action. The chairman, Mr. A. F. Roberts: "The time chosen July the worst period of tho year for a carnival in Wellington." v Mr. L. A. Edwards: "It would be dangerous for us to engage in it. Auckland is very alive to civic movements, as 'witness the amount they have collected for the war memorial. We would be ill-advised to take part in the curnival." After a general discussion, which was opposed to taking part in the proposed carnival, the motion was withdrawn, and the report of the delegate received. DENIAL BY ORGANISER. PROFIT OF £2000 EXPECTED. The report of tho meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce was referred yesterday to Mr. M. S. Dunne, organiser* of the Auckland carnival. He stated that there would bo no deficit on the carnival, as suggested at the Wellington meeting, and that its objects had been achieved. Notwithstanding the fact that the carnival committee spent over £1500 in publicity, said Mr. Dunne, that money was well spent in directing attention to Auckland and its carnival. The time chosen was not the best, and that was a matter which would receive serious consideration before the date for next year was decided. The amount expended really provided propaganda to establish the carnival as an annual one, and no immediate profit was looked for. However, despite the fact that the committee's activities were somewhat curtailed owing to the misunderstanding with the City Council, it would be found, when the final statement was ready, that a profit of near £2000 would be shown. The committee's original programme was drawn up to include the art union, to which reference was made at the Wellington meeting, and naturally the proceeds from this could be legitimately placed on the side of carnival profits. If an art union had not been conducted, some other method of collecting the shillings would have been used. The week's functions in connection with the carnival, even though the weather conditions were not altogether favourable, would, said Mr. Dunne, return the committee a profit, apart from the art union, proving that a week's carnival could be successfully run in Auckland even without the aid of an art union.