EMPIRE EXHIBITION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19041, 11 December 1923, Page 2

EMPIRE EXHIBITION.

MEETING OF OTAGO DISTRICT 1 COMMITTEE. CONFERENCE WITH THE NEW ZEALAND COMMISSIONERS. A meeting of the Otago District Committee of the British Empire Exhibition was held in the Otago A. and P. Society s rooms yesterday afternoon. 'I here were present Messrs E. F. Dnthio (chairman), James Begg, ML C. Bnrt, W. R. Hayward. ' W. Gibson, G. Black, and H. A. Salmon, j and the secretary (Mr J. F. M’Kellar). The two New Zealand commissioners to the Exhibition—Messrs A. F. Roberts and M r . E. C. Roid —Mr J. Sutherland Ross (chairman of directors of the New Zealand i and South Seas Exhibition) and Mr M. B. | Steel (secretary of the Otago Expansion | League) wore also present. . r lhe Cbainnan said that the meeting had I been called for the purpose of meeting Messrs Roberts and Reid and disoussing certain matters in connection with the Empire Exhibition. He expressed pleasure at the appointment of Messrs Roberts and Reid. Ho felt sure that, their long experience in business would stand them in good stead, and that they would be able to give sound, practical information to the people they w'ould meet in London regarding tne commercial, industrial, and manufacturing conditions obtaining in the dominion, and, most important of all, regarding their primary products. They nad to rely on their primary products to meet their liabilities. and these already held a. .high reputation in the British markets. Mr Roberts; said he desired to make it clear that Mr Reid and himself had looked upon the acceptance of their appointments as in the nature of a duty.—(“Hear, hear.”) They were not going Home for a holiday—they both realised that they had been sot a very arduous, task. The speaker said that he was sure the dominion ’ wduld be well served by the three information officers who would aecomixiny them—Mr Callaghan (agriculture). Mr Reardon : (immigration), and Mr O. R.;Clark. Space had been taken at the Exhibition by the Meat Board, the Dairy .Producers’ Association, and the Jcruitgrowers’ Association, and those branches of New Zealand industry would bo well advertised. The wool exhibit would be a very tine one indeed, thanks to the assistance they had received from the' Wool Committee and Mr Salmon. —(Applause.) The. secondary industries of the do,minion would | also bo well represented. As regards the secondary industries, he had had no idea that such excellent work could be done in New Zealand until he had seen some of the exhibits which were to be sent Home. He' fell sure that good would result to the dominion from these industrial exhibits. They tvould oo their very best to bring the excellence of the tourist resorts of the dominion . before the people at, Home, and they hoped to have more tourists coming here shortly. They would have their own picture theatre at the Exhibiton, and a series of pictures of New Zealand would be screened there. Every shilling spent in a country by tourists remained there, and the larger the number of tourists the greater ‘benefit to the country visited. Mr Reid referred to the fine list of secondary exhibits which would be sent to the. Exhibition, and mentioned that the Christchurch exhibits were particularly good. He said that the various photographs of Now Zealand scenery, the milling industry. etc., would make a fine show in the vestibule of the Now Zealand section. Mr Salmon said the exhibits of the secondary industries would servo to show the artisan* at Home what was being done in New Zealand, and they would be able to form an idea whether they could_ secure employment in their particular trade. The Chairman said that, there were three matters which he thought might be considered. The first was the question of passenger fares, the second was the export, of stock, and the third was advertising New Zealand. As regards the first, every effort had been made to got a i eduction in the tares, but without result. In connection with an exhibit of stock, he did pot think tjioy conuld send many sheep, but he thought they, might send some Corriedalos. Ike Corriedalos were! practically New Zea-land-bred animals. There would be no diffi'Ciflty in gefling exhibits of Corriedalos. Then there was the advertising of New Zealand. ■ He thought that this should be a Government matter. He had noticed from the papers that Auckland and Wellington were taking stops to boost their own provinces. Mr;.Burt Questioned whether the immigration system ?ikaS on right lines. Ho thought that they were getting the wrong class'of immigrant. The speaker went on to say that there was a great shortage in New Zealand of plumbers and all classes of metal workers. Mr Steel detailed what was being done by Otago in providing panoramas of Otago views for exhibition on the walls of the New Zealand bay. It was also intended to send some 125,0C0 post-cards to the Exhibition showing industrial and scenic views. These would be distributed amongst the visitors to the F/xhibition. The postcards would also be utilised to draw attention to the fact than an. Exhibition Was to be hold in Dunedin in 1925-26. Mr Steel said that he would like, their commissioners to go to Cook’s London agency and inform them that New Zealand did not consist of only Auckland and Rotorua. —(‘‘Hoar, hear.”) Mr Begg said in Connection with immigration they must not draw the lino too tightly as regards a worker’s qualifications. Tho British workers wore nearly all specialists in one branch of trade, but they could have their training extended when they came here. The immigrants to New: Zealand had to travel a long way, and they had 1 to show’ them that they could do better by coming to New- Zealand than by going to. say, Canada, the States, Mexico, or South America. If' the vonigranta were of the right stamp and the right character they could be further trained when thev arrived in the dominion and would make good citizens. . Mr. Roberts said that he did not think anything could be done as regards a reduction in passenger fares. All the steamers wh ; ch wore to leave New’ Zealand during the neriod of the Exhibition were already fully' booked up. The same state of affairs prevailed in Australia. As regards an exhibit of Corriedale sheep, ho did not think it would result in much good, as the Gornedale did not suit the conditions in the Old Country. , Mr Salmon pointed out that the Cornedalo exhibits might attract attention from the visitors from other countries. Mr Roberts said he admitted that point. As regards advertising the dominion, tho Government was taking action, but it also welcomed the idea that the four provinces should undertake a little propaganda of their own. The question of immigration was in the hands of the immigration officer in the High Commissioner s office. He would be very pleased to call on Cook a London agency .. Mr Ross said he was sure that they could rely on their two commissioners doing their be«t to assist the New Zealand and south Seas Exhibition by obtaining exhibits rHear, hear.”) He quite agreed with the previous speakers that there was a lot more still to bo done to advertise Now Zealand The speaker referred to the desirability of advertising the excellence of the land in Otago and tho fact that it could be purchased at a lower price than that m tho n °Mr Bteel explained that tho Manufacturers’ Association, the Employers’ Association, and the Chamber of Commerce were associated with the Expansion League m advertising at the Wembley Park Exhibition Votes of thanks to the chairman and the two commissioners concluded the proceedings. ... '