THE EXHIBITION ORGAN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13893, 3 May 1907, Page 6

THE EXHIBITION ORGAN.

(Pin Ukitid Peess Association.) OHRISTCHURCH, May 2. Interviewed this evening at TimaVu by a Press reporter, (he Bon. W. Hall-Jones said that he had gone carefully through the papers dealing with the Exhibition organ, and be had 'been unable to find a promise on tho part of tho Government tbat tho organ was to bo handod over to the people of Cbristchurch as a gift at the close of tlic Exhibition. There was a reference to the Christehurch people raisins; £1500 locally, which would be about half the cost of the instrument. The decision of tho Cabinet was that tho organ was to be ordered on behalf of the Government without any local guarantee such as had been suggested, The. only thing in the nature of a promise was Mr Seddon's statement on the. occasion of laying the foundation stone of the Exhibition building, and his words vyero consistent with an understanding on'bis part that tho Christchurch people were to find half the cost of the instrument. The Acting Prime Minister said ho was given to understand that further proof of a promiso could be furnished. Ho would mako inquiries. and see what that evidence was. He had submitted the papers for consideration by tho Cabinet. There was no intention on tho part of the Goverjiniont to draw out of any promise that had been made. # Ho understood that there was a fcolinir in Chrktchurcb that the Government wished to ovode its promise. That, was not so,and ho could give an assurance to that effect. Ho said there was no truth in the rumour that the organ was to be placed in any church in Christehurch. The last , remark refers to a report that the final destination of tho organ would bo in the Roman Catholic Cathedral,