THE EXHIBITION SITE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19002, 26 October 1923, Page 6

THE EXHIBITION SITE.

The announcement that the directors of the Now Zealand and South Seas Exhibition Company have been able to arrive at a decision, for recommendation to the shareholders, as to the site on which the Exhibition shall be held, will be received by the public with a feeling of relief. The belief, not perhaps very well founded, had been gaining ground that the delay in the selection of a site was calculated to impair the prospects of success of the Exhibition; and, by a not unnatural mental process, this may have been affecting the popular interest in the project. Those who were impatient over the caution that was being shown by the directors of the Exhibition Company cannot have attached sufficient weight to the need for the exercise of very great caro in the determination of a point that is of serious moment as affecting the whole plan for the enterprise. Even now there will be very many people who will bo dissatisfied with the decision of the directors in favour of the Lake Logan site. We have ourselves expressed a preference for another site, which was strongly recommended by its central position and its accessibility by all forms of traction; but, the directors having formed their judgment in the matter, we suggest that the shareholders in the Exhibition Company and the general public may most effectively contribute to the success of the scheme by acquiescing in that judgment. The decision of the directors, influenced no doubt by the report by Mr Cree Brown, which they had before them, was, it will be seen, unanimous. That we interpret to mean that the opponents of the Lake Logan area—those who supported the Botanic Gardens site, which in the end was, we undex-staud, the alternative to the Lake Logan site—accepted the view o# the majority. It is in this spirit, in the recognition of the principle that the majority must prevail, that the public should receive the verdict that the Exhibition shall be held on the Lake Logan area.

The Diocesan Synod did not approve ot the corporate control in tho liquor trade (reports an Auckland Press Association message). It was resolved that tho Prime Minister be urged to redeem his promise at tho earliest possible opportunity to introduce drastic reforms. Violent north-west gales raged at Naseby at the beginning of the week (reports our correspondent). On Wednesday the wind was succeeded by snow and rain showers, and conditions became much colder. Tho Hon. \V. Nos worthy, interviewed at Ashburton, stated that, in view of tho great majority in favour of dairy export control, the Government would go right ahead and prepare for the election of the board. He was unable to forecast the approximate date of the elections, but these would be as early as possible.

Members of the Roval Commission on National Insurance will assemble next week to deliberate on the congenial suggestion that a quorum of four should make a world tour to study insurance schemes in other countries (reports the Melbourne Age of October 8). If this quartet feut. to every country with an insurance system they would bo travelling for the better part of two years. The expense would be staggering; a corps of interpreters would bo required, and conclusions formed in Christiania would become out of date by the time the quorum got to Boston. Voluntary and subsidised old-age pensions systems exist in Belgium, Canada, Japan. Switzerland. Massachusetts, and Wisconsin (U.S.A.), and compulsory contributory oldage insurance has been adopted in Austria, Czechoslovakia, Chili, Franco, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Roumania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland. Among countries which have adopted non-contribu-tory or straight-out old-age pensions schemes (similar in principle to Australia) are Alaska, Arizona (CJ.S.A.), Denmark, and Uruguay. An endless vista, of peregrinations up and down the earth here presents itself. There is no shortage of competent literature on old age and unemployment insurance, however. Specific actuarial calculations applied to the industrial population of Australia, a study of the reports on other systems, and the experience of friendly societies and other institutions in Australia should yield the basis of a com prehensive system without a needless mission abroad.

Human flies scaling the walls ot 30 storied American buildings and steeple jacks dangling from a rope and painting tile flagpole of some pretentious American hotel often flash before the eyes of patrons of picture theatres. The intrepid scaler of walls, often performing his exploits as an advertising device or merely out of a spirit of bravado, receives little sympathy, while the man whoso occupation demands that he shall wield a paint brush while several hundred feet off the ground carries with him the sincere hope of the majority of humans for his safe return to terra firma, Even in Palmerston North there are men whose callings necessitate them risking the immutable Newtonian law of gravitation and a consequent fall of nearly a hundred feet to Mother Earth. Recently {relates the Manawatu Evening Standard) Palmerstonians were afforded the spectacle of two local wielders ot the paint brush emulating the doings of their American brothers. Firmly affixed by ropes to the railings surrounding the flagpole on the Post Office they were imparting a battleship grey colour to the dome of the institution. One of the principal characteristics of the operations which impressed the onlookers was the tenacity of purpose and the determination displayed by the artists of the brush in retaining the comforting embrace of the brown strands which were their only bulwark against a precipitate and hasty descent to the inelastic surface of the pavement. The dominion’s immigration policy was the subject of some remarks by Mr A. VV. Carpenter at a meeting of the North Canterbury Executive of the Farmers’ Union (says a Christchurch Press Association telegram). He contended that under the Government’s policy the, dominion was going to get the wrong sort of men. Canada's immigration agents went to the agricultural shows with lantern lectures to get men who were bom and brought up in agricultural pursuits interested in the advantages offered by Canada. Her agents even went amongst the crofters in tns Scottish Highlands. New Zealand was

opening her doors practically to icen wiii no experience who would require a irxd, man to stand over them to see the: tc.ey did the work. It was decided to discuss the question at the next meeting o: the executive.

The opinion that brick school buildings were proving too clostly to erect and that better value would be obtained by erecting buildings of wood, was expressed by the Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister of Education), in replying to a deputation from the Waimairi School Committee (reports a Christchurch Press Association telegram). Mr Parr said that the Director of Education (Mr Caughley) and himself have been considering the matter of the cost of new schools, and had come to the conclusion that they could save a great deal of money if they built schools of good, sound timber rather than of brick. Good wooden schools would last 40 years. If it were decided to build in wood in the future it would mean that the department would be able to put up 25 per cent, more schools than could be erected for the same money in brick. It was a question of getting greater value for the money available, especially as there was such tremendous leeway to be made up. Another aspect was that the methods of teaching were changing, and there was a danger that many of the brick buildings would be out of date within the next SO years.

How to make Australia in time of war independent of overseas countries for an adequate supply of munitions is a problem at present engaging the attention of the Joint Federal Public Accounts Committee. Broad lines of policy with this ultimate objective have already been laid down for the Munitions Supply Board (says the Melbourne Ago), the chairman of which travelled with the Prime Minister to England, and will investigate the latest phases of munitions production abroad. The committee, which held a meeting at Parliament House recently, is giving attention to the expenditure of money already incurred, and will consider directions in which, having regard to the changes of technique and the stage of industrial development reached in Australia, further expenditure would be justified. Part of the scheme contemplates the use and coordinaton of peace time factories for production in time of war, as was achieved with such remarkable results in Great Britain. The committee’s investigation, which will occupy a month, will involve visits to the acetate of lime factory at Brisbane and the small arms factory at Lithgow. On the way southward, the committee will inquire into the provision of residential cottages at Canberra. In the past, the value of these cottages for rental purposes has been deliberately written down by the Government, involving a loss to the taxpayer, and board and residence has been given to the Government employees at less than the cost of the sendee.

An interesting- divorce question was decided recently by the State Full Court, consisting of the Chief Jistico (Sir William Irvine), Mr Justice Mann, and Mr Justice Macfarlan (reports the Melbourne Age). On February 25, 1910, Margaret Coyle was granted a decree nisi for divorce from her husband, John Coyle, now of Thomas street, West End, Brisbane, building contractor, on the ground of misconduct. Mrs Coyle did not, for some reason, take out the order nisi, but a little time after the court had made its pronouncement she met her husband and asked him for money, and informed him that she to remarry. Coyle paid his wife £2O, and later she wrote asking for money, which Coyle refused to send. Airs Coyle was last heard of at Bennett street, Berth. As Coyle desired to marry again he made application for a copy of the order nisi, I nit was informed that it had never been taken out and filed, and consequently the order had not been made absolute. There was no machinery of the court to enable anyone but the petitioner or her proctor to take out the order nisi. Coyle appealed to Mr Justice Macfarlan for an order allowing him to take, out the order nisi, and bjs Honor referred the question to the Full Court, which, after hearing lengthy argument, gave Covie permission to lake out the order, which, had the ordinary procedure been followed, would have been made absolute at the end of three months