THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5734, 1 November 1905, Page 4

THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

It is perhaps too censorious to declare that “a bad beginning”— the forerunner, in popular phrase, of l 'a good ending”—has been made with the arrangements for next year’s International Exhibition at Christchurch, hut assuredly there is some ground for saying that matters are not being handled so vigorously or so tactfully as could he desired. Mr JVlunro, the Executive Commissioner, has doubtless done his best; but the work is too heavy for him or perhaps any single man to overtake satisfactorily, ajid it is evident that the Government must grip the subject with a strong hand if the exhibition is to bo the success that all desire to see it. Tile proposal to appoint a “travelling secretary” whoso duty it should bo to call on every manufacturer, with a viewto securing exhibits, is ludicrously inadequate to the requirements of the case. The request made by the Wellington Advisory Committee at its meeting yesterday for a local secretary at a salary of £IOO for six months’ services, shows a much truer conception of the best method of overtaking the work. A local man in each centre is likely to have fuller knowledge and greater influence, and four or five of these would he able to cover the whole colony at a cost very little, it at all, in excess of that of a peripatetic official. In addition to this, we think it desirable that another Commissioner should bo associated with Mr Mnaro in the management and supervision of the preparations for the exhibition. ■ The time is now short in which to perfect the arrangements for the opening a year hence, and it is necessary to have additional energy put into the

work. There has, of course, been no intentional discourtesy or neglect of any district’s interests on Mr Munro’s part; but. to secure the hearty co-operation of the different Advisory Committees, it- is essential that these should be given greater power, and should have paid officials to assist them. The colony has gladly committed itself to a large expenditure on the projected exhibition, and Ministers must sec that everything needful is done towards securing good value for tho outlay. It is “ penny wise and pound foolish ” policy to haggle over a few pounds for secretarial work when so much is at stake. Wellington has especial claims to sympathetic treatment, inasmuch as it abandoned its projected industrial exhibition so as not to interfere with tho larger ono at Christchurch; and in this connection it is pleasing to note that tho Christchurch “ Press,” in a recent issue, condemned tho niggardly proposal of tho Commissioner to allow only £25 for secretarial work to tho Wellington Advisory Committee. Wo trust tho Government will take prompt stops in tho direction of pushing on the arrangements more vigorously, and will at the same time give instructions that will remove all dissatisfaction, and unite manufacturers all over the colony in an earnest, resolve to make tho exhibition a truly representative ono.