AN INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

Observer, Volume XVI, Issue 947, 20 February 1897, Page 2

AN INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

Can We not Raise One ?

It seems passing strange that Auckland alone of all the big towns of New Zealand has never ventured to try its hand at an Industrial Exhibition. Time and again, the expediency of holding one has been mooted, and at Chamber of Commerce meetings and in other arenas of talk the subject has been threshed out threadbare. But it has never got beyond the region of talk. The leaders in onr mercantile world and the big guns among oar manufacturers have been, exceptionally fine performers upon ' the flute,' but, when the time for action arrived, they have invariably been found in the back Beats. Some thirteen years ago Sir Julius Yogel, then colonial Treasurer, proposed that Auckland should celebrate Her Majesty's jubilee by holding a Colonial and South Seas Exhibition, for which the assistance of the Governmentjfinancial and otherwise, was promised. The idea exited great hopes and was productive of much talk at Chamber of Commerce meetings, and plenty of newspaper articles. But that is about all it did produce. In fact it remained an idea, and was never crystallised into reality But the shrewd and canny Scots of Dunedin wisely discerned the potentialities of the thing and with characteristic energy set to work to realise them. The result was the Dunedin Exhibition of 1887, which proved to be tbe most successful and profitable affair of the kind ever held in the colony. Shoals of visitors ponred into Dunedin while it lasted, the local industries received a powerful impetus, trade underwent a great revival and the community throughout all its branches felt the benefit. Two years ago, the Christchurch Industrial Association resolved to justify its existence by trying its hand at the same game — with a difference. That is to say, it projected an Industrial Exhibition, the exhibits to be confined to articles of New Zealand production. The object was to bring home both to the colonial public and to visitors from abroad what local skill and industry could do and were doing. It was no part of the programme projected by the promoters to afford a cheap means of advertising the goods of foreign producers whose ampler means and larger resources would easily enable them to outshine the local manufacturer with a more dazzling spectacle. In this limitation of the scope of the enterprise they were actuated by sound business principles and prudential reasons. And as the affair was in the hands of ' live ' men who knew what they wanted and meant to attain their ends, it turned out an unqualified success. The Christchurch Industrial Exhibition remained open for six weeks only, and it yielded a net profit of £2500. This example was not lost upon Wellington. It also had an Industrial Association, and early last year it set to work by deputationising the Premier, who rose to the occasion by promising a Government Bubsidy of £500, on condition that an equal amount was locally guaranteed. The •guarantee was soon forthcoming, and the scheme was brought to fruition". At the opening of the Exhibition in the middle of November last, the Auckland Star, just by way of encouraging the affair, predicted for it a dismal failure. But it ' caught on ' all right. The people eagerly bought season tickets, the Exhibition and its sideshows drew, crowded houses every night, visitors poured in from all parts of both

Islands, and, after running for two months and a half, the show closed at tlie end of January last, leaving a clear profit of £2300.

Now, why cannot Auckland muster up sufficient courage to try a similar venture. If Dunedin, Chriatchurch, and Wellington have been so successful with their exhibitions as to draw crowds of visitors from far and near, boom their local industries and reap a handsome profit in doing it, surely Auckland may hope to better the example. At present. Mr Samuel Brown (the President of the Wellington Industrial Association) is suggesting the expediency of concerted action between the industrial associations of the large centres for the purpose of having an annnal exhibition, which shall be held in rotation at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. More than that, Christchurch lays claim to the year 1900 as the date for its next exhibition.

Bnt the year 1900 is the jubilee of the colony, and Auckland, as the place where the colony ' was founded, has the strongest claims for an exhibition to celebrate the jubilee anniversary. If the scheme is to be taken up at aH, prompt action is the first essential to success. The Chamber of Commerce has nothing particularly on hand at present to engage its attention. Can it summon np sufficient public spirit to take up this Bubject ? Perhaps, however, importers of foreign merchandise will not exactly see the expediency of assisting to boom local industry. In that case, it behoves those interested in our manufacturing enterprise to pluck up heart of grace and act for themselves. We throw on* the suggestion to them, at any rate. If they have grit enough and have sufficient energy to turn It to account, they may easily acquire all the information necessary for their guidance by communicating with Mr Samuel Brown, of Wellington.