CANTERBURY EXHIBITION

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24904, 18 June 1946, Page 4

CANTERBURY EXHIBITION

CELEBRATION OF

CENTENARY BRIGADIER H. E. AVERY TO BE CONSULTED

Brigadier H. E. Avery, Who was secretary and treasurer of the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition in Wellington, has offered to give all the help he can to the Canterbury Centennial Exhibition Committee jn planing an exhibition for 1950, and yesterday afternoon it was agreed to confer with him and afterwards to call a conference of all provincial local bodies to discuss proposals. The committee has received assurances of support from seven borough councils and 15 county councils. Two boroughs asked for mpre information, one promised support but could not guarantee financial aid, and one expressed the view that exhibition buildings should not be erected when housing needs were so great. One county sought more information, two were unable to promise financial support, and one also raised the building issue. Numerous associations such as the Canterbury Progress League, Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, Lyttelton Harbour Board, Tramway Board, and the Domains Board promised full support. 7

‘‘That is very satisfactory at this stage,” said the Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews). In answer to questions by Mr W. S. Mac Gibbon about using pinus insignis timber brought down by gales last year, Mr W. Williamson said most of the timber could be salvaged from exhibition buildings and sold for other purposes. Mr H. S. Feast said the success of the exhibition depended on the Government. An immediate approach should be made before further discussions were held or else general proposals should be defined and then submitted. When Mr D. W. Russell said all local bodies should be invited to send representatives immediately, Mr A. M. Hollander and Mr Mac Gibbon said that there was nothing definite to be considered yet. It would be better to meet Brigadier Avery, and then put alternative schemes to a conference.

Mr T. H. Langford said that an early opportunity should be taken to send someone to outline plans to meetings of each local body so that full councils would know what they were being askea to support. It was decided to wait tilj after the meeting with Brigadier Avery before calling another general conference.