“FOR GIMCRACKS”

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12168, 19 June 1925, Page 4

“FOR GIMCRACKS”

ENTERTAINMENT FOR UNITED STATES FLEET PROPOSED VOTE DIVIDES CITY COUNCIL “FRIENDLY RELATIONS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED" It would be better for tbeir to wait until tbe estimates came down and they taw how they stood financially, said Mr F. Meadowcroft at last evening’s meeting of the City Council when two clauses in the finance committee’s report ume up. These were: the sum of £ISOO be placed on the estimatese as a contribution toward* the cost of the Wellington Provincial Court at the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition”; and "that a sum of £2OOO be placed on the estimates for the purpose of entertaining the American fleet.” He moved that the first clause should be referred back to the committee.

Councillor F. W. Manton supported the first speaker. When he saiv the supi of £ISOO on the order paper for an exhibition which was going to bring trade from overseas, and £2OOO for entertainment, he felt that he must protest. / ,

It was essential that any delay in tlio voting of a sum for the exhibition should be avoided, said Councillor M. F. Luckie. They had been asked ."or only £2OOO, but the money was needed at once or all the space would to taken up. PROVINCIAL COURT? The question was whether Wellington province should be represented, and )f so whether Wellington should give the lead, said the Mayor. The court would cost about £6OOO, and if they voted as muesli as Christchurch, which had given la per £IOOO on the capital value of the city, the sum would be very much increased. He thought that they should not he the tail, but at least part of the dog. The point was whether there was to he a court at all, and they were assured that without the grant the court could not be established. Councillor J. Burns thought that the clause should stand. There had been a deputation to the old council, and they had been given a certain amount of encouragement. If a reasonable donation were made it would encourage tire, smaller bodies. Personally he would like to see the amount a little more. Councillor H. D. Bennett: I think that Councillor Meadow croft’s desire is that the vote should be held over until the estimates are before us. I think tlrat Councillor Manton’s point is just the opposite. Councillor Manton: Absolutely. Councillor Bennett: Councillor Manton thinks that som vote should be made. ... I think that for bigger leasons the clause should go through. The amendment was lost. FOR THE FLEET The money provided for the entertainment of the American visitors might not he all spent, said the Mayor, but a lesser amount would not be safe The Government would subsidise them pound for pound up to £ISOO. The matter was one which could not be held up because public committees had been formed. Councillor A. L. Monteith: Well, I’m going to move that this clause be referred back. He held that the money would he devoted to providing citizens’ balls at £3 3s per ticket, and people who could afford this did not need anv subscription from the council. He objected vo such expenditure on behalf of the small ratepayers, when they needed houses in the city, decent footpaths, and many other works. The Government was prepared to subsidise them only up to £ISOO, and he did not see that they should go further than the Government was prepared to. When the Radium Fund had been before them thev had, in their wisdom, voted only £SOO for work which was to relieve the greatest scourge of the white race, yet they were asked to give £2OQ9 for what had rightly been called "gimcracks.” The men were not their guests; they had not asked them here. “One-sided kind of talk,” was the phrase of the Mayor (Mr C. J. B. Norwood) far the preceding statements. There were several hundre doffioers, he said, and several thousand men. "THE COLD SHOULDER” Councillor Wright: I do not hold a brief and never have held a brief for spending money unnecessarily, and £2OOO at the present time might seem more than we could bear. But the Government of New Zealand invited these men here Councillor Manton: No, not invited. Councillor Wright: All the better; they came of their own volition. The question arises whether we should be hospitable or give them the cold shoulder. Councillor Monteith has spoken of the citizens’ ball at three guineas a ticket. This ball will pay its way, and we may even make a substantial profit out of it.

He objected to Councillor Monteith’s remarks concerning the Radium Fund. The council had told the organisers of the fund when giving them a donation that if they failed to get all. they wanted they should come again. They did not wish to see any more war. The present outlook in Europe was not reassuring, and the only way in which war could be avoided was by bringing about a definite understanding between the British Empire and the United States. He did not believe that any European countries would provoke war if they knew that the Empire and the United States stood shoulder to shoulder. From a commercial point of view the men would spend £lO each, which would be between £50.000 and £75.000 while here, and the shopkeepers would get the benefit of that. Councillor Monteith: Why not let them subscribe the monev? Councillor Wright: We are quite willing to do that. We will take contributions from everyone who likes to help us along, and I do not think that the citizens will begrudge the money. “POMP AND CEREMONY” Councillor Manton objected to the vote on the ground that the amount should not be greater than the sum on the order paper for the exhibition. Councillor R. Semple seconded the amendment. He congratulated. Councillor Wright on bis conversion to the idea of international peace. But he did not think that this would be brought about by spending money on military pomp and’ ceremony. Tliev were struggling to get money to-day to build houses for citizens, and he did not approve of throwing away the people’s money 'in this manner. The people’ who would pay £3 3e. for a ticket to the citizens’ ball, for the night’s jazz, and would probably pay £4O or £SO for a dress in which to go there would lie the people to come to the council and vote against a Is or 3d increase to enable a struggling woman in the city to raise a family. The Americana were their guests and it was their duty to entertain them, said Councillor W. H. Bennett. It would be one of the best advertisements that the city had ever had, and in any case the money was for the rank and file. Councillor M. F. Luckie held that it was proper Wellington should entertain the visitors from a friendly nation. The maintenance of good conditions between English speaking races was the greatest guarantee of world’s peace. In addition the advertisement for New Zealand would be good. VOTE GOES THROUGH Councillor 11. D. Bennett hoped the vote would be passed, though he regretted it had to be done at a time when so many causes at our |bwn door needed help. There was such a thing as international courtesy. If one had a visitor ho offered him a cup of tea. A Labour councillor: Not someone else’s tea! Councillor Bennett: We happen to be the custodians of the people’s money; the only people who can vote it. Councillor R. McKeon supported Councillor Monteith’s motion. Councillor J. Burns thought if a poll of the citizens were taken the v vote would be granted. When the stokers and other “workers” in the fleet knew the attitude of the Labour representatives on the council no good would be done to the cause of the brotherhood of man. Councillor F. Meadowcroft said ha understood Councillor Monteith moved to refer the vote proposal back, and that he did not say that no money at all should be spent. Councillor Meadowcroft felt uneasy that so much as £2OOO was to be devoted to fleet entertainment when roads and homes, etc., were badly needed in Wellington. The Mayor (Mr C. J. B. Norwood) hoped the visitors wcxifid be sent away pleased with Wellington so that we would later on’ have 13,000 ambassadors in America. The vote was not for the spending of the whole £2OOO, but for setting aside that sum to be drawn upon. Councillor Monteith’s amendment was defeated, and the vote was passed.