COST OF EXHIBITION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23718, 26 July 1940, Page 6

COST OF EXHIBITION

MINISTER'S EXPLANATION GRANT AND GUARANTEE [BT TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Thursday The cost to the Government of the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition was outlined by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon' D. G. Sullivan, during consideration of the Estimates in the House of Representatives to-day. The question was raised by Mr. S. G. Holland (Opposition—Christchurch North), who said that £75,214 was spent by the Government last year on the exhibition and a further £18,684 was on the Estimates for the current year. "In the first place the Government made a straight-out grant of £50,000," the Minister said, "and took up shares to the amount of £36,000, in addition to guaranteeing the bank account of the exhibition company up to £125.000. The Government Court cost £75,000. "The overdraft at present stands at about £70,000, for which the Government is responsible in the terms of its guarantee, but against that we have taken over buildings which we anticipate will realise £50,000, as well as £SOOO for the furniture." FREEDOM FROM CRIME HONESTY OF THE PUBLIC [BY TELEGRAPH —srECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Thursday "There was very little crime committed at the Centennial Exhibition and it was almost wholly cleared up," states the Police Force report presented to Parliament. "What crime occurred was of a trivial nature, such as petty stealing. The general conduct of the showmen was on the whole very good. "The total attendance of the public ran into over 2,500,000, and their conduct left nothing to be desired. Their honesty was outstanding, as evidenced by the number of articles and the amount of money found from time to time and handed in to the police office."