UNITY OF THE EMPIRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14684, 18 November 1909, Page 7

UNITY OF THE EMPIRE

FESTIVAL NEXT SUMMER. COLONIES TO PARTICIPATE. AN AMBITIOUS SCHEME. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, November 17, (Received Nov. 17, at 11.10 p.m.) Arrangements have been completed for holding a Festival of Empire at the Ciystal I'alace next summer. Ijord Plymouth is chairman of the council, which includes Lords Avebury, Strathcona, Burnham, and Rothschild. £50,000 has been guaranteed towards the sclteine. Lord a Minto, Grey, I'lunket, and Sblborne, and Sir Ralph Williams (Newfoundland) are members of the Organising Committee for the Colonies. It is hoped that 200 civilians from the colonies will participate in the cycle of pageants of Loodon's history, vrhereini there will I>b 15,000 other performers, The grounds will be devoted to spectacles of colonial scenery and colonial industries—harvesting, shearing, timber-getting, and mining,—also colonial cinematographs and other pictorial industries of the dierent colonies.

The festival will extend over-May, June, and July, and its promoters hope to secure educational results that will help in the consolidation of tho Empire.

Tho profits vil go to Wie lying's Hospital Fund.

Tho newspapers receive the proposal favourably, but some point out that the festival will prove a counter-attraction to the Anglo-Japanese Exhibition.