BRITISH EMPIRE EXHIBITION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18455, 17 January 1922, Page 8

BRITISH EMPIRE EXHIBITION

i MISSION- TO THE DOMINIONS. ;■ NEW ZEALAND TO BE VISITED IN y ■ . ' jdne.;, \ ~/ i (Fbom OueOwn Coeekspondewt.) [ : . ' DONDON; .NgwWw’Sl' / Matters relating to toe British Empire . Exhibition to be held at.WeroWy ifi. 1823 l are moving forward. Although the million I pound guarantee forwhich. too Prince of , Wales appealed before his’departure for j. India has not yet been obtained, it is well” - in sight ■ ’V _ '■ . ■.■ L ; Y The Executive Council have now decided to send a’mission to too doitdmonß, and. Major E. A. Belcher ’. _ (assistant \tgenoral. 4 - ’manager of the’exhibition), who n well- ’ known in Christchurch, is to be in oharg© of ' this; He will - bo accompanied by Mr J. E. Scott, a Fellow of Caius College, Gami> , ridge, and a son of Dr Scott, of Perth. Mr '■ Soott will act as private secretary. Mr • F. Hiam will go as agricultural advisor.I Mr Hiam has toe reputation of being tha l ' owner of one of the largest farms in Great ; Britain, and personally superintends the pul- > . tivation of some 7000 'acres in East Anglm, ■ a farm .area which is enormous, for tins . country. !He is, looked upon as one of too , 5, greatest authorities in agricultural. matters. Although he has never been to Australasia-,/ f ho has at .very wide ; experifencO, _ and wilr • doubtless bb of great value inhis capacity I as agricultural • adviser, Mr Hiam, who m • r naturally a man of considerable weajto; ' will be accompanied'by his yife and daurfi- . ? ter. A secretary wifi also accompany ' toe / i mission, ’ ■ , , ' ■ ■ There are two purposes the irusaon has. in view; In the first, instance, it is desired : to consult with the various dominion ernments: concerned on. a nuniber pf teobi nical details regarding toe exhibition. Each. dominion will have complete autonomy regarding its own pavilion, but it, is desirable ; that the dominion. Governments'should; see the general plans for the exhibition jn order ; toat their* own plans inay" harmonise with, ! the general mbhitectural treatment. Vlt Ja ■ equally desirable that by,--Inean3 of confer-, , encos both with Ministers and representative groups of business men_the dominions gener- *' ally should realise the spirit of the whole, enterprise and confer on the.* best methods • to accomplish the vobjects which toe exhibit tion has in view. It is . the, executive’s • desire that too people overseas , should realise that the exhibition is not the . latest of. a Jong line. of previous exhibitions, but that it is a project of an entirely different nature. It is‘hoped that tin'-' the course, of this exhibition a great deal of constructive work relating" to future trade development and policy within the Empire may be initiated. In short, tjje' exhibition is essen- _ tially a means of portraying the pOssibiUtiea 'rather than the achievements'of toe Em- 1 P ’ m DOMINION MANUFACTURES. It is realised, for instance, that the time must collie; when, the dominions will undertake a,greater amount of manufacture.' 1 ' At present there is perhaps a tendency .on the part of manufacturers _in .this country to look upon- toe dominions as the dumping ground- for their surplus, goods, and to resent any development in regard to manufacturing industries in the . outlying parts of.\ too: Empire.. SuSh an attitude ’must; of course, give; place •to a ; more reasonable one. The j broader outlook is to be fostered at this Erapirf Exhibition. Growing populations in- the dominions must, mean me development of manufacturing industries and the use of the raw material ..to some extent in the country of its origin. ' The . question is how are. these youngeß countries to obtain .tjie benefit of the experience of the Homeland? It is a subject for examination. There seems no reason why some of the great Home firms should not initiate branches in the’ dominions, depending to- a large extent on local capital' rather* than British capital.: However, too; idea is to get the most out of the Empire resources in;the most economical way. • There are a whole series-of interesting problems with the discussion of which the mission is charged, such as the development of inter-imperial travel, _ a proposed!Imperial aquarium, toe consideration of agricultural exhibits, opd the best methods of portraying the immigration possibilities of each dominion. Ip regard to, this latter it is realised that By 1923 _it will be a - much more important question even than jf it is now, and should be dealt with-ade- f quately at the exhibition. COMMERCIAL RESEARCH FELLOW- . SHIPS. ■ - ' An interesting scheme has been initiated by the Executive Council. Five' or more .- Commercial Research Fellowships are. .to be granted-for competition among Chambers jf commerce in the United Kingdom. The right of nomihatioin for the fellowship-is to be placed in the hands of the committee of the Chamber of Commerce whose -members have collectively provided the, highest per oatiita aggregate in guarantees'for toe British Empire Exhibition. * ■ • The value of each Fellowship will, be not less than £SOO and will include a first- > class return ticket to the dominion or Crown Colony to which the Fellow will proceed. * The subjects of research prill be * —(1) The, best means of promoting interimperial trade in a selected staple industry;* y (2) ■ tire methods whereby the British Empire Exhibition can further the,interests of this, trade. (3) the! potential resources in raw; materials l etc., in toe dominion or Crown Colony visited, and ’ the best means for ex- ' ploiting these in the mutual, interest of the dominion and this country ;*{4) (he means whereby these undeveloped resources may bo adequately represented at the .British Empire Exhibition and brought to the attention of interested financial or industrial groups, / ‘ SEASON TICKETS. « It ’is hoped to raise the. money for tliis scheme from the sale of season tickets, a matter which ■ will also concern Major Belcher on his tour* The suggestion has been made to shipping companies that the purchasers ;of season. tickets in overseas countries siliould receive a rebate. equal to tile value of toe season ticket on their paa’sage money. This;and too question of ex--oufsion fates from distant countries ■is still under discussion. ’> Major Belcher arid his party travel to . Ceylon, South Africa, Australia, and expect to arrive in Wellington on June 15;: I’heir itinerary irtllv be arranged by .the Tiode Commissidner in each country. The party will remain in ‘ New Zealand ""until July 26. and go thence to Canada.