DUNEDIN EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19142, 7 October 1925, Page 14

DUNEDIN EXHIBITION.

— THE PROVINCIAL COURT. EFFORT TO CREATE INTEREST. With a view to promoting public interest in the Auckland provincial court at the Dunedin Exhibition & meeting of citizens was held in the Council Chamber yesterday. There were about 30 present, the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, presiding. The Mayor said the meeting had been convened at the request of a deputation which recently waited on the City Council. Tlie meeting had been advertised, and in addition over 900 circulars were sent to business people. Mr. J. A. C. Allum, after tracing the history of the Auckland court, said it was expected that local bodies would take the lead, but when they failed to do so a committee was jointly formed by the Chamber of Commerce and the Industrial Association. Their optimistic expectations had not been realised, and for various reasons local! bodies had not responded as was hoped. Tine result was that instead of securing the £6500 hoped for they had obtained £4OOO. This sum was totally inadequate, and at least £6OOO was needed to carry the project through. The court was not one for private interests, but concerned the province as a whole, and would portray its resources, its scenic beauty and other advantages. Mr. Allum called upon all present to give their assistance to raise the further £2OOO required. Mr, A. T. Bransby, organiser for the court, said the exhibition as a whole was not a parochial one. There had been an impression that the Auckland court was fairly fully occupied by industrial exhibits. There was no provision at all in the provincial courts for various industries. They were in a position tint day of having just insufficient money to enable them to carry out the job properly. The Mayor said the council was willing to do all in its power to help the project. There was already £IOOO placed on the estimates for the purpose of assist ing the court. On Mr. Allum's suggestion those present decided to join the existing committee and co-operate with it in its work.

VOTE OF £BO DECLINED

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VIEW. The urgent need for financial assistance to ensure that the Auckland court at the Dunedin Exhibition would adequately represent the province was brought to the notice of the council of the Chamber of Commerce at its meeting yesterday in a letter from the secretary of the provincial court executive It was stated that the response from local bodies had been verv disappointing and a further sum of £2OOO was required. The chairman moved that a sum of £6O from the funds of the council should be donated, but the motion was lost by five votes to four.