NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTH SEAS INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18876, 31 May 1923, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTH SEAS INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

LAKE LOGAN SITE ADOPTED.

IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL CANVASS.

A fortnight ago the question of a suitable site for (he proposed New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition, to be held here in 1925, was considered at a large and influential meeting held in the City Council Chambers. At a late hour this meeting was adjourned for a fortnight so that more definite information might bo obtained as to the availability of the Lake Logan site by the date required. Tho meeting of the Provisional Committee was continued at the Express Company’s' board room last night, under the chairmanship of Mr J. S. Douglas. There were about 50 gentlemen present, and the Mayor of Port Chalmers and Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P., were specially welcomed by the chairman. The Chairman explained that the business of the meeting was tho further consideration of the report of the Sites Committee, presented by its chairman (Mr Charles Todd). Mr Todd said that the Sites Committee had held another meeting last Monday. They had threshed the matter out again, and, taking into consideration all the new matter that had been raised since they met before, they were still unanimously of the opinion that Lake .Logan was the site they wished to recommend, and which they trusted the Provisional Committee would adopt.’ The Harbour Board had considered the matter again, and ho had received a letter from the secretary. The Harbour Board members were all imbued with the idea and seized with the importance of having an Exhibition in Dunedin, and they wished to have it on the Lake Logan site if the Provisional Committee so decided. The board was going to do all it could to help. Tho secretary of the Harbour Board wrote under date May 25: Further to my communication of the sth inst. relative to the possible selection of the Lake Logan area, as a site for the proposed Exhibition. I ha ' to advise you that, consequent on lier reports from our engineer, the matte, was again considered by the board at its meeting this evening. I was directed to say that the January, 1925, undertaking contained in my communication before referred to must be considered as a tentative one. My boat’d very much regrets that it is necessary so to advise you, but the engineer’s reports leave members no option. I was further directed to say. that the board hag decided to work the dredge two shifts during the balance of this year, with a view’ to judging if it will be possible to have the Lake . ready earlier than January, 1925. Mr Wilkie went into the matter a little more in detail. The suggestion had been made on the Sites Committee that, if dredgo 222 was not able to complete the work within the time it might bo possible to get the -dredge from Bluff. Ho had telegraphed the secretary of the Bluff Harbour Board on the matter and had received that day the reply; “Matter requires consideration. Wilfeudeavour to send reply by Friday.” So as far as the Bluff Harbour dredgo was concerned it was more than likely they could got it if required. It had to be decided yet whether it would be required or not. Some little discussion took place as to the exact date on which the Exhibition site would be required, and Mr Todd read tho following letter dated May 30, from Mr M’G. Wilkie, the Harbour Board engineer; You have already been advised by the secretary, Mr Bardsley, that tho board is willing to place the dredge 222 on two shifts at once. After tho expiration of six months a definite decision could bo given as to the practicability of the ■ reclamation being in a suitable condition for the requirements of the Exhibition by 1925. If on'lhe other hand an immediate decision is necessary I must adhere to my former report and point out that the committee would be taking too great a risk in 1 relying on the completion of the work ,in 1925. With regard to the suggestion of chartering the Bluff dredge in order to hasten the rate of reclamation, I consider that such proposal, barring accidents, would make tho completion of the work by January, 1925, reasonably certain. To operate two dredges successfully, however, the Bluff diedge would require to commence operations immediately—one dredgo reclaiming railway land, thd other pumping into Lake Logan. Under an ordinary charter, tho cost of tho Bluff dredgo for six months would be roughly £9090. The cost of erecting mooring stage, beacons, and trestle work for pipe line is estimated at £IOOO. The purchase price of additional pipes through which to discharge the spoil from the Bluff dredge would be about £750, hub probably arrangements could be made to hire these from the Bluff Harbour Board. It is unlikely that the Otago Harbour Board would be prepared to incur this additional expenditure over and above the extra cost of " double shifts on dredge 222 already agreed to by them. Mr Todd went on to say that ho wished them to fix tho site for Lake Logan that evening. Delays would be dangerous. If they did not fix it that night the Railway Department might not proceed as they would like with tho deviation. The Harbour Board was overhauling its dredge at once so that it could start early in July with* the two shifts. He had seen it suggested in a newspaper letter that the Anzac highway ivould cost £IO,OOO or £ but he thought that was far teyond the mark. With reference to the cost of the buildings, he supposed they ivould cost the same on the Lake Logan site as on any other site. It had been suggested that he shduid get the advice of an extra engineer, but he had reached the conclusion that Mr Wilkie knew as much as —and, ho thought, a great deal more than —any other engineer about the consolidation of that particular soil. At the last meeting there had been a feeling that he had not given tho Provisional Committee all the information he had, but if he w'ere to start and do that ho would keep them longer than they wished to remain. The committee had been set up to sift the evidence, and bring them the results. The Harbour Board could not commit itself any more than it, was doing. If it was found at the end of six months that Mr Wilkie said he could not have the site ready in time it was not costing the people or the board any extra expense. He referred to various other site proposals, and said these had all been sifted by the committee, and it was still unanimously in favour of the Lake Logan site. Ho moved the resolution put before thorn at the previous meeting: “That this committee approves the selection of the Lake Logan site for the lxhibition.” Mr 11. C. Campbell seconded the motion. The Sites Committee, ho said, had dealt very fully with every possible spot, and it had come to the conclusion that there was no other site, offering such advantages as the area now called Lake Logan. In respect to tho Bluff dredge, it would of course do a great deal of work which the board itself would have to do sooner or later, but he ventured to think that the board would bo favourable to diverting to the charter of the dredge a portion of the cost of work for which it would otherwise have to pay sooner or later. Another thing to remember was that (he board would have to get ready with the clay wall for the river coming round the south end of Lake Logan which would eventually have to come out by the quarry. This was a work of considerable magnitude, and would have to be undertaken as soon as possible. Mr Sidey: What is going to happen if at the end of six months it is found that the Lake Logan area cannot be got ready in tho required time? The Chairman: We will have to look for another site. Mr Campbell added that if the Lake Logan site were decided upon he thought a deputation might visit Southland and put the project before tho people there. It was quite possible that the people of Southland might charter the Bluff dredge for the Exhibition Executive at a lower charge than the ordinary business rate as part of their contribution to the Exhibition funds. Mr Todd, dealing with Mr Sidey’s question, faid that oven at the end of six months they still had a year and 10 months in which to erect the necessary buildings, and they could then decide whether to arrange for tho Oval or Tahuna Park or some other site. None of these grounds required

any filling in, and there would therefore still bo plenty of time to proceed with the Exhibition buildings. Mr James Begg said he was not quite i: clear about tho motion. Did it mean" deferring a final settlement for six months?. The Chairman: It practically means deferring it for six months. Mr Todd pointed out that if the site were selected then and there the Harbour Board would put on two sln.ts and tho railway work could be gone on with. Then at tho ; end of six months they would know where they were. - Mr T. H. Bussell (chairman of tho Harbour Board) said that the putting on of two shifts would not interfere with the board’s work, because in she end two shifts would be cheaper than one. ' Mr H. Iv. Wilkinson asked, if the Sites Committee had any assurance from the City Council that tho streets would be formed, etc., in readiness for tho opening of the-;,: Exhibition. In reply, Mr Todd read the minutes of a conference that had been held between the . representatives of the City Council, the Harbour Board, tho University Council, tho Education Board, and the Sites Committee. At that conference the then Mayor (Mr , Douglas), who knew the feeling of the City Council, had said that the council would do all in its power to assist in every way, and Cv Scott had told them that if tho : roadway were formed the tramline could be laid from 'he railway station. Cr Taverner had also remarked that tho council’s contribution would probably be in the form of work done Mr Todd added that the understanding arising out of that conference was that if Lake Logan were selected the City Council would do its part in having the , road made, and electric light, gas, and drainage, etc, provided. It was on that understanding that Lake Logan was selected. ' Mr Wilkinson said he thought the people of Dunedin should feel grateful to the committee that had been sot up to consider the question of sites —(“Hear, hear”) —and also to the City Council and the Harbour Board for tho promises which those bodies had made. At the same time there were a good many contingencies to be faced .aa to the possibility of having the Lake Logan site in proper condition for the opening of the Exhibition in 1925. He felt very strongly ™ that to wait six months before saying where - the Exhibition was to be held would be a serious mistake, and, while they were , all pleased to see the promise of improvements at Lake Logan in connection with the Exhibition, yet he thought it would be unwise tq defer the coming decision regarding the site for six months because, if they were going to have an Exhibition here, it was necessary that they should travel a little faster than at present. —(“Hear, hear.”) Personally he thought it would be quite possible to -use tho Oval with a right-of-way through to the Drill Hall which could be used in connection with the Exhibition. They were planning very largely—in fact, too largely, he thought—and they had now to consider where they were going to put the people who came to Dunedin. Ho travelled up and down New Zealand a good deal, and on ail sides he heard that Dunedin was the worst provided town in Now Zealand-in the matter of hotel and boardinghouse accommodation.—(Dissent.) If they brought thqusands of people to Dunedin where were they going to put them? He thought this question opened up a very serious problem when it came to providing-for visitors.— (More dissent.) ■ Mr Todd asked if Mr Wilkinson was -in order. They were discussing the question of a site for tho Exhibition and whether it was held in one place or another the people would come hero. Hie Chairman: Ido not think Mr Wilkinson should decry the city of Dunedin. Mr Wilkinson, 'continuing, said he was not doing so. He was putting before the committee a question that needed to bo seriously considered. The Exhibition would have to be carried through successfully, and if they built up a very large undertaking they would not be able to accommodate the people who came here, and there was no use saying that this site should be adopted whether or not. He believed they should find a site whore the buildings could bo gone on with as soon, as they were ready. They still had to raise the money, and he was satisfied that it would cost more money to put tho Exhibition on Lake Logan than on some of the other sites that could be selected, Mr J. H. Walker agreed that Mr Wilkinson was correct in saying that they would be unwise to delay for six months. If they decided on Lake Logan it was essential that the city should go on with its part of the work and that the architectural work should be undertaken. Putting it off , for six months meant that this work would be delayed. In connection with the reclamation of Lake Logan, the engineer had not altered his opinion. Mr Wilkie said that by working two shifts he could have Lake Logan filled in by January, 1925. In the event of any dislocation occurring such as the breakdown of the dredge the Exhibition Committee oould call in some other dredge to give assistance, but Mr Wilkie was quite satisfied that ho could get the work done by January, 1925. If the decision were held over for six months they would find the work backward. One suggestion was that SO acres of the Lake Logan area might be used for the Exhibition if the whole site could not be filled up rin time, and that portion, in addition to an area across the road, would be sufficient for the Exhibition. In six months’ time they might find themselves in a quandary as to the location of a site, and the Oval, for instance, was a doubtful quantity owing to several consideratiofis. He thought they could take it from ; Mr Wilkie that he would have the site ready. ' Mr John Watson (Mayor cf Port Chalmers) raised tho question of the suitability of tho reclamation area north of Hanover street, but was informed by Mr Douglas that this area had been considered by the Sites Committee, which did not recommend it. Mr Solomon said he would like to hear Mr Wilkie’s views on the question of reclamation. Of course it was not fair to ask him for a definite guarantee. Mr Wilkie: I say definitely that working two shifts it is too risky for this committee to undertake the reclamation and consolidation of Lake Logan by 1925. It is reasonably certain that it can be done if I get the Bluff dredge now to pump into the reclamation area simultaneously -with, our own dredge pumping into Lake Logan. I think that under these conditions the area can be got ready in time and the railway deviation completed ■ about the end of the year. That is giving the Railway Department time to shift the lines, because that has to be done before the broad highway is started. The railway deviation, continued Mr Wilkie, had to be got ready first. It was reasonably possible to get Lake Logan ready if tney gave him. the Bluff dredge now, but in six months’ time he did not see how the two dredges could be worked as they would both be operating on Lake Louan. The Bluff dredgo-would be suitable for the Leith deviation, and that was why he wanted it now. Mr E. Theomin asked if, under the most favourable circumstances, Lake Logan, would bo ready by January, 1925. Did that mean that the buildings could not be started till then Mr Todd said that the eastern portion ol the area was practically reedy now. It was levelled and fairly well consolidated, and with very little more work the buildings could be started. Of course, the buildings would not cover the whole 65 acres. The lowest portion would be laid out in gardens. Mr Ansconibo, replying to the same question, said ho did not think that what Mr Wilkie had said about the expense of tho Bluff dredge should be seriously considered. He looked on this as Dunedin’s opportunity. It was qur opportunity of doing something extraordinary. No doubt there were difficulties and obstacles to be removed, but-Wa should welcome and face these. He thought that if in a fortnight’s time they decided quite definitely on Lake Logan building could be started there the following week, because there was at the present time sufficient area brought up to the grade on which could be housed half the exhibit space required for the Exhibition. There was much other building besides the Exhibition building to be done between,Trow and then, and he urged that whatever was to lie done a start should be made at the earliest possible date. It was only fair to exhibitors (hat the management should have all its exhibit space completed at least twe months before the opening day. (Continued on saa& £L} .