DOMINION CENTENARY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22202, 31 August 1935, Page 17

DOMINION CENTENARY

Sir, —1 wonder how New Zealand will call the attention of the world to its centenary in 1940? It requires a strong incentive to persuade thousands of potential visitors to undertake tho long journey. It must bo borne in mind that a great counter-attraction in 1940 will be tho Olympic Games, and the Japanese Olympic Assembly Committee has decided to make a determined effort to secure the games for Tokio. It is planning to spend £500,000 on constructing grounds. Our own centenary seems very small by contrast when we read that in 1940 the Japanese Empire will be celebrating its 2600 th anniversary! Sydjiey is already preparing its celebrations for 1938 to commemorate its 150 th anniversary, and these may include an Empire Games meeting, the world's sculling championship and Empire test cricket matches. Melbourne's centenary last year was successful enough to place that city effectively "on the map." If tho whole matter of our 1940 centenary is to he a national responsibility, then the sooner a national committee is given official status the better for New Zealand when the great day arrives. An Initio.