DUNEDIN EXHIBITION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 14 July 1925, Page 5

DUNEDIN EXHIBITION.

A WAIRARAPA COURT.

MEETING OF COMMITTEE,

Yesterday afternoon a meeting was held of the committee set up to endeavour to arrange for the participation of Wairarapa in the Wellington Provincial Court at the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition at Dunedin. There were present, the Mayor of Masterton (Mr. T. Jordan) and Messrs 1). Smith, F. \Y Martin and W. 11, Jac k? on.

Mr Jordan said £1560 was required for \\ airarapa s exhibit. it seemed that the idea was to ask the local bod.es to contribute.

Mr. W. H. Jackson asked where the farmers’ representatives on the committee were. “It’s a rotten shame,” he said, ‘‘that the townspeople have to do all these things. The farmers are the ones who will bene fit. What can we do?”

Mr. Smith wanted to know where the exhibits were coming frona. The farmers were not interested, apparently. “Want shall we get from it?” they asked. Mr. Jackson: We don’t get anything out of it. It would be a great advertisement for 'tho district. We always meet with this experience when tye call a meeting for such purposes in Masterton.

Mr. Jordan: There’s no public spirit. Mr. Smith: They don’t turn up at meetings, but criticise afterwards. Mr. Martin: That is common the world over. Mr. Jordan: It’s a matter of degree. It’s very bad here. Mr Smith said that the exhibit would be for the benefit of the farmers. What could the committee do ? Mr. Jordan suggested writing to all the local bodies, asking them to make a grant and to nominate representatives on the central committee. Mr Martin asked wlmt the Exhibition Company would make out of the Exhibition.

Mr. Jackson explained that the members of the company were merely guarantors; they would not make any profit. He thought that Captain M. B. McDonald should be asked to the district again. Mr. Martin said that the Exhibition was expected to result in the widening of markets for Dominion products. This would result in increased prices for the farmers’ produce. Mr. Jackson: It is advertising, and advertising always paid for itself. Everyone knows that. It would pay this district handsomely to be represented.

Mr. Jackson said he was a great believer in personal contact in preference to letters. If they could get the local bodies to hear Captain McDonald they would soon get grants. Mr. Jordan remarked that the Wellington Provincial Committee had not made much of an effort to assist the project in this district. Mr. Martin said it was, probably, the committee’s own fault that the proposition had not gone ahead more. They should write immediately to the local bodies. The counties comprised Akitio, Pahiatua, Eketahuna, Mauriceville, Castlepoint, Masterton, Wairarapa South and Featherston, and the boroughs from Pahiatua to Martin borough. He suggested that they be approached to allocate 6d a head of population in the boroughs and Is a head in the counties.

Mr. Jackson favoured deputations rather than letters.

It was eventually decided that,letters be written, as suggested by Mr. Jordan, and that the whole committee wait on the Masterton County Council.

DEPUTATION TO COUNTY ' COUNCIL. The executive recently appointed in Masterton to promote a district exhibit for the forthcoming- New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition at Dunedin, waited upon the Finance Committee of the Masterton County Council,this morning to enlist the co-operation and support of the County. The deputation comprised Messrs Thos. Jordan, W. 11. Jackson, F. H. Martin, R. J. Young and R. H. Williams. Mr Jordan said that it would be neeessary to raise £ISOO in this district. It was proposed that the £ISOO should be raised from among the local bodies, so that the liability could be spread. The County Council was the first local body they had an opportunity of interviewing, and he hoped they could see their way to contribute towards the proposal, so that this district could be properly represented. Any exhibit from this district must be typical of the farming industry. Mr Jordan said that he hoped the -County would see its way to contribute and to nominate some representative to the .Board to help to carry the project to a successful issue. Mr W. H. Jaeksoq said that it would be a retrograde step to go unrepresented at the exhibition. It was a magnificent, district, and his committee thought it would be a great pity. They wanted the County Council to heartily support the proposal, so that they could go out feeling that they had the Council solidly bell in d them. Mr F. 11. Martin said that the primary object of the exhibition was to advertise New Zealand produce to overseas visitors, of whom it was expected there would be at least 50,000. Mr Martin quoted figures to show that if the £ISOO was raised by the eight County Councils in this part of the Island, the share of the Masterton County would be £350. This could be met by a rate of one-thirty-second of a penny in the £l. This was excluding the boroughs altogether. Personally, he thought the boroughs should coijjtri.butc, but he thought the Counties should carry tlie proposal through even if the boroughs ctid not assist. Mr Martin suggested that the Masterton County should make a grant, provided the other Counties did the same. Mr R. J. Young agreed that the Masterton County Council should make their grant provisionally upon the other 1 Counties doing their bit.

Councillor Leu Daniell said that their primary duty as a Council was to look after the roads and bridges. He wanted to know what cash return was going to come to the ratepayers of this County through the expenditure of the money. What reply was he going to give to the ratepayers up his way who had shocking roads. Personally, he did not see that they were going to derive any beenfit from the exhibition. He also wanted to know why the country residents should contribute more than the town people. Mr Jordan said the advantage.to be gained was in the way of advertisement. It was a .question of the rate-' payers making stupe sacrifice for the national good. He' deprecated the raising of the ‘‘town versus country” question. ........

Mr Mawley said that his personal view was that the proposal should e

supported. This may possibly not be the vi«v of the Council. However, he promised the deputation that the. matter would receive full consideration. The deputation then withdrew, and the Council discussed the matter m committee. It was decided that, “Provided all the boroughs and counties in the Wairarapa will contribute on a- capital valuation basis, the Masterton County Council i 9 prepared to pay its quota in accordance with its valuation.”