DUNEDIN EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19141, 6 October 1925, Page 10

DUNEDIN EXHIBITION.

the secondary industries. AUCKLAND'S POOR SUPPORT. Indication that Auckland manufacturers were not giving the expected support to their section of the Court of Secondary Industries at the T>unedin Exhibition was contained in a letter received by the, Industrial Association yesterday from Mr. G. W. Reid, general organiser for the court. Mr. Reid said serious consideration had recently been given to the question of what steps should be taken to dispose of the balance of the space. "We seem definitely faced with the position that the support from individuals in the North Island, and to a lesser degree in Canterbury, is far below what we had hoped for even in our lowest estimates," he said. This was demonstrated by tho fact that space now definitely sold to bonafide manufacturers totalled 8500 square feet, Auckland having purchased 2000 square feet, Wellington 2400 and Christchurch 4120. These figures did not include a certain number of selling stands. " The present position is that out of a total available letting space of approximately 40,(XX) square feet in the industries section the unlet space amounts to between 10.000 and 11,000 square feet," continued Mr. Reid. " There are some pencillings which may he expected to absorb a certain amount of this. Obviously this leaves the court in a most regrettable position. The existente of unlet space to the amount mentioned would detract seriously from the effectiveness of the court, while it is also clear that the many and varied industries of the northern centres are most inadequately represented." The Government Commissioner, Mr. J. W. Collins, had suggested that suitable blocks of the available space should be handed over to the Department of Industries and Commerce, with a view to arranging with the industrial associations for a subsidy which would enable the space to be utilised. After a lengthy discussion in committee it was decided to forward the following resolution to the Department of Industries and Commerce:- " While this association has every sympathy with any scheme to fill the New Zealand Manufacturers' Court, our funds having been built Up by the support received from all manufacturers, it would be improper for us to vote any sum to subsidise those manufacturers who are not sufficiently interested to pay the regular space charges. This association, however, repeats its offer to look after exhibits sent to the exhibition hy any local manufacturer." It was decided to forward a further resolution to tho department suggesting that in view of the Government's "support to many interests at he exhibiion, it should extend such aid to the secondary industries and vote the relatively small sum necessary to make the court a success.