A COMING EVENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1049, 11 February 1911, Page 6

A COMING EVENT.

_, 9 . THE CREAT 'FRISCO EXPOSITION. AN INTERESTING VISITOR. Mr. Charles W. Carter, of San Francisco, is visiting Wellington. Mr. Cauter is representing the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, which is to bo held in 1915, in San Francisco, to eclebrato tho opening of tho Panama Canal and tho rehabilitation of tho city of San Francisco. "It will bo tho largest affair of its kind tho world has ever seen," said Sir. Carter. "It will involve ah expenditure of from' ten to fifteen million pounds sterling. It will bo international in its aspect. Invitations will, of courso, bo sent to tho New Zealand Government, through tho regular diplomatic channels, to enter an exhibit. I have already interviewed tho responsible Minster." Tho event would mean a very big thing to New Zealand. The opening of the canal would set tho whole trado on tho Pacific sea board battling. Tho west coast of America was looking forward to tho completion of tho canal with the keenest interest, because it would mean a tremendous cheapening of freights from tho oast coast. "Will freights really bo cheapened? Aro you sure tho canal dues, which are bound to bo heavy, will not bring 'tho cost up equal almost to what has now to bo paid on other routes?" "Surol" emphatically replied Mr. Carter. "Takb tho rcspectivo freights on steel, for instance. Wo aro paying 15 dollars a ton to have it railed across tho continent from New. York to San Francisco. At tho present time we can send it down from New York by steamer to tho railway across tho isthmus of Panama, rail it across, and ship it thonco on tho Pacific Ocean to 'Frisco for' nino dollars a ton. That includes four handlings that will bo unnecessary when tho canal is completed." ' San Francisco also would present a wonderful sight to tho visitors to tho Exposition, continued tho representative. Sho is a city entirely rebuilt; consequently everything is on quite new lines. An immense 'sum had been spent on her rehabilitation. Tho firo losses wero, ostiriintcd at five hundred million dollars, and the insurance companies, paid, nearly 300 million dollars. Tho lattor sum, and more, was consumed in rebuilding tho city. ■ ■ . Tho hotel-keepers had an association in 'Frisco, and wero mutually in agreement to keep prices down -to normal during tho '.Exposition.- . Tho 'Frisco merchants' had raisod', £900,000 at almost a moment's notice towards the Exposition; Tho city of 'Frisco had unanimously imposed _ a tax over the peoplo which had raised another, million sterling, and tho Stato had raised still another million. _ -Thus already £3,500,000 had been raised towards tho Exposition. Mr.' Carter, who has been travelling in the South Island, is very enthusiastic about tho variety and quality of tho scenery, and ho thinks that a good deal more American tourist traffic could bo diverted to our. shores. America's wintor,- when people, sought , warmer climes,'was our summer.