EMPIRE EXHIBITION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11246, 26 June 1922, Page 7

EMPIRE EXHIBITION

MISSION TO NEW ZEALAND MINISTER FOR COMMERCE EXPLAINS ITS AIMS. THE DOMINION TOUR. ' Tim mi-fion in connection with the British Empire Exhibition, which )s to he hold in Loudon in tho summer of l>)2-t, will complete it* tour of Australia nt. tho end of the _ present month, and is due to arrive, in Wellington on July .'lrd next. The other chief centres of the Dominion are also to he visited. The mission comprises: .Major E. A. Botcher, C.8.E., M.A., Assistant (tenoral Manager of the British Emnirc Exhibition (in charge of the mission); Lieutenant-Colonel A. Christie, C.M.0.. D.S.O. (frnamrial adviser) ; and Mr F. AY. Bates (seesretary). 'They will first confer with the members of tho Government, au<l later with others interested in the exhibits to "o from this country lor display at tho exhibition. THE TOFU OFTLTXED. Tho Hon. F.. P. Lee (Minister for Industries and* Commerce) stated on Saturday that, the arrangements for tho visit of the mission liad boon practically agreed upon. There were, however.’one or two points in con nation with the itinerary that- -would have to he left o\er for discussion with the members of the mission on their arrival. The- mission intended remaining in Wellineton until July 6th. when it would leave for Nelson and the U>«t Coast, proceeding overland by tho Otira route to Christchurch. After spending a few days in Christchurch, *!ie niis>io.’* would go to South Oairterourv and Invercargill, and on the return journey stay a io\v days in Dunedin. From Dunedin the mission would pass through 'Wellington to Auckland, and, if time permitted, visits would he paid to the North Auckland district. On the way back to ■Wellington. Hamilton would he visited, and probably also Rotorua. The mis"ion. which would spend six weeks in New Zealand, was timed to leave Wellington for Canada about August loth. \ 'IMPORTANT CONFERENCE. Briefly touching upon the work of the mission. Mr Leo said that while tho main purpose for which it had been sent by the Imperial Government to New Zealand had been kept in mind, tho Department of Industries and Commerce hid so framed the itinerary as to en'suro the members seeing as much of the Dominion as wgs possible from tit© interesting frtandpoints of our life *u.4 affairs. ‘Tn addition to important confer* cnees which the mission will have with the Government on questions of policy/* added Mr “conferences will b* arranged with departmental heads and with representative groups of commercial and* industrial interests. The head of tho minion. Major Belcher, has also expressed a desire to meet representatives of Labour. The agricultural side of the mission’s work has already been gone into with the Department of Agriculture by Mr F. Siam, one of the members of the misfiicn, who recently visited tho Dominion. The main point for discussion with the Government will be tho plans and general architectural treatment of tho ; exhibition in relation to the Now Zealand pavilion. THE DOMINION’S EXHIBITS. “To assist tlic Government in this connection, tho mission will present a complete set of drawings and plans of t-he United Kingdom section, together with some models of the buildings. With interests outside the Government tlie mission will discuss the nature and presentation of exhibit®, and will make clear the manner in which the general purposes of the exhibition differ from those of its predecessors. Suggestions will be received for practical methods of developing the raw materials of tlie Dominion, and increasing inter-imperial trade. Detailed proposals will also be discussed regarding this Dominion’s exhibits in rc.spoct of agriculture and forestry, mineral resources, manufactures, land settlement progress, etc. Negotiations will be entered into with shipping companies regarding freights on exhibits and passenger tickets in connection with tho Exhibition. The models depicting tho exhibition building have already com© to hand, and will shortly be exhibited in one of the windows of Messrs Kirkcaldio and Stains, Limited, Lambton quay, who. have kindly agreed to lend one of their show-windows for this purpose/’