BY WHAT AUTHORITY?

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23037, 14 May 1938, Page 14

BY WHAT AUTHORITY?

Auckland would be interested to know by what authority Mr. R. H. Nimmo, of Wellington, is seeking at San Francisco to induce the Matson Navigation Company to change the Dominion port of call for their Pacific liners from Auckland to Wellington. Mr. Nimmo is described in the interview published this morning as a member of the board of directors of the New Zealand Centennial Exposition. The board should state whether Mr. Nimmo speaks on its behalf and whether the plans he submitted to the shipping company have received its approval. The exposition is a national enterprise, its finances being assisted by Government subsidy and loan amounting to £75,000. Ready support has been forthcoming from all parts of New Zealand. Although it is the nursery of New Zealand, the Auckland Province has waived any claims to the exposition in Wellington's favour and has formed a representative organisation to forward the southern enterprise. The report that Mr. Nimmo, described as an exposition director, should apparently be using that position to seek Wellington's advantage in shipping and tourist trade at the expense of Auckland, creates a painful impression. Not content with that, he is reported as making invidious comparisons in Wellington's favour with respect to harbour facilities. Mr. Nimmo is also reported as speaking as if he had some standing in the New Zealand Government's exhibit at the Golden Gate Exposition to be held next year. If he has any status in connection with either exposition, he should not venture to use it to promote Wellington's interests to the injury of Auckland. The Government and the Centennial exposition board should promptly repudiate any such parochial manoeuvring.