DUNEDIN'S EXHIBITION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18630, 11 February 1924, Page 8

DUNEDIN'S EXHIBITION

APPEAL FOR DONATIONS,

DISAPPOINTING RESPONSE. » PROPOSED PERSONAL CANVASS. [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.} DUNEDIN. Saturday. The financial position in regard to the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, which it is proposed to hold- in Dunedin, is at present not very encouraging. '•' At a meeting of the directors of the Exhibition Company the chairman, Mr. J. S. Ross, stated that the subscriptions so far without guarantees, amounted at present to about £71,000. It was exceedingly disappointing to find that they had not received a better response from residents in Dunedin and Otago, to whom they were looking for assistance. There were a great many who had made money out of Otago and who had not done very much for the province. A personal appeal had been made to some ZOO people but only a very few of- them had replied. Some of the well-to-do people should realise that a moral obligation rested on them to assist in such a matter as this which would undoubtedly be for the benefit of Dunedin and the province generally. They, wanted population in Otago and the exhibition would afford a great opportunity for getting people to see what Otago was like. The directors were compelled to recommend that an absolutely personal canvass be made of the people to whom he had referred.

there were three classes, continued Mr. Ross, to whom they were justified in looking for subscriptions. There were the traders who might be expected to make something out of the exhibition financially, and there were people who had made their money in Otago and who certainly might be called upon to assist in a project like this. Thirdly, there were the (professional men, some of whom were doing exceedingly well. The time was now past for waiting to see what they were going to give. They could hold an exhibition with the money they had, bat whether it would be a really creditable one would depend on those who had not yet come forward. It was necessary that the company should have the full capital of £100,000 if the scheme was to be carried out in its entirety. He had sent personal letters to some 200 prominent Dunedin but the result was disappointing, as only £175 had been subscribed in consequence. Letters had been written to large firms doing business in Dunedin and having their headquarters elsewhere and the Response was nil. Only four of the recipients of these letters took the trouble to send replies and all were in the negative. ,It was mentioned that the Business ! M*r>*R Committee had promises of about | £1000.