AGAINST EXHIBITIONS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13270, 26 April 1907, Page 6

AGAINST EXHIBITIONS.

Some hard things were said against exhibitions at the meeting held in Sydney ia'sb weak to consider the proposal to hold an International show in that city.' The Chamber of Manufacturers had previously issued circulars asking for upport for a hostile amendment, which was to the effect iliac an exhibi ion be held in London to exhibit adequately the great resources of Australia. The mover; declared that it was not-necessary to have a "gigan.tie razzledazzle to attract emigrants from the other' end cf the> world." The total loss on the last Sydney Exhibition was about £300,COO, and the loss on the Melbourne International Exhibition was also very great, and so it might 1 be traced the real beginnings of the Melbourne boom, which affected not only the State but the whole of Australia. A period of depression followed an exhibition, and he challenged- any one to'name a city which had had, a busy time after an exhibition, had bsen held in it. An exhibition would not sell an additional bale of wool or reduce the price of fencing wire a penny,and it was quite possible that by the time it came to'be held, anotber " drought would be affecting the country, uiidei- which circumstances expenditure on an exhibition) would be wild. Th? seconder declared! that the project meant the country'would'be flooded with the cheap shoddy of all'nations. Alderman Taylor, in moving the motion affirm-' ing the holding of an exhibition, had admitted that such enterprise would not pay. "If he were asked if such ah exhibikon would pay its expenses he said unhesitatingly—No. No such exhibition has ever paid its expenses ih ; the cash receipts' of the ordinary balance sheet, except the Glasgow Exhibition five years ago, managed bv caimv Scots, in a city of 800,000 people "with 40,000,000 to draw from;. but who could estimate (he proceeds directly earned by the railways and tramways through the enormously increased movement of population by "the people in the city on account of improved trade, arid by the State evertually in -the advertisement :>t will get, and in'the influx of desirable immigrants, who ' would certainly be drawn to its shores." The meeting was dverwhelmirigly with the promoters of the idea, and the motion was carried by a large majority. 'lt, is twenty-eight years since an 'international Exhibition was held in Sydney. ■.■■.'-■;.'-