NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTH SEAS EXHIBITION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20725, 24 May 1929, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTH SEAS EXHIBITION

ECHOES OF THE UNDERTAKING. At the close of the Exhibition the directors decided to distribute the Official Record (edited by Dr 6, E, Thompson, of the University of Otago) to most parts of the world, chiefly to Government institutions, leading newspapers, public libraries, chambers of commerce, and such like, as it was thought it would, apart from its intrinsic merit as a text book on exhibitions, ’serve as an advertisement for New Zealand. It is gratifying to be able to state that fruit has' been borne of this distribution, as Mr H. R. Spence, late- secretary of our local exhibition, recently received a letter from South Africa stating that it was proposed to hold a Pan-African Exhibition in 1932. The following is an extract from the letter to Mr Spence:- 1 — “ The Official Record of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition held' at Dunedin in 1925-26 is excellent, exhaustive,, and likely to beof the greatest help to the Central Committee of the proposed Pan-African Exhibition. I should clearly state that the Pan-African Exhibition has only reached the stage of consideration, but I am authorised to inquire whether you are in a position to consider a trip to South Africa in the capacity of advisor to my Qentral Executive Committee, and if so whether you will give me an indication of your terms. You will appreciate that in making this inquiry my committee feel that your advice and assistance will be invaluable to them.”

Mr Spence replied that so far as he could see he would be able to visit South Africa if finally invited, and he felt'honoured by the inquiry, even though tentative. In reply to that letter Mr Spence received by this week’s mail a letter from the secretary of the Pan-African Exhibition, stating that on account of the general elections taking place in June the matter of the Exhibition project was somewhat delayed, and it would not be possible for the Central Committee to take any forward pteps until August, when it hoped to know what financial support it could expect from the Union Government of South Africa. There the matter rests at present. A_ letter from the secretary of the PanAfrican Exhibition addressed to the New Zealand Government agent (honorary) at Durban requested him to supply the committee with 50 copies of the Record, and says:—“ln one word, the members of my committee, of which the present Mayor of Johannesburg is chairman, have picked out this book (Official Record) from many other publications bearing upon exhibitions as the most useful ami educational work of the lot.” The New l Zealand Government has accordingly sent its Durban agent a generous supply of the Record.

It must he very gratifying to Dr Thompson, editor of the Official Record, to have this flattering notice of his work, and also to the directors for their foresight in distributing the book all over the world, as the ease in point exactly fulfils the object sought by this distribution, anil no doubt as time goes on other cases will arise, as the Official Record of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition may quite justly be regarded as a text bookon the subject.