AN INDUSTRIAL HALL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1146, 6 June 1911, Page 6

AN INDUSTRIAL HALL.

SOME FURTHER POSSIBILITIES. The suggestion of Mr. E. Fletcher that a permanent Industrial Hall should bo established in Wellington has favourably impressed a number of local commercial men. One of those to whom the motion particularly appeals is Mr. H. C. Tewslej (president u! the Chamber of Commerce). • "Assuming that there is a surplus from the Coronation Exhibition," Mr. Tewsley remarked yesterday, "that ought to bo sufficient to make a fair start, on the lines proposed by Mr. Fletcher. It appears to me that there should not bo any difficulty in getting the public to take up this project, If citizens have any faith in their city, they should have no hesitation in backing a proposal that will no doubt develop as a thoroughly good commercial speculation." Mr. Tewsley agrees with Mr. Fletcher that, if tho Industrial Hall were conducted on business lines, it could bo inado to pay its way. An attempt to make tho building available, at times, for entertainments, Mr. Tewsley thinks, would be hedged about with difficulties. As an alternative, he suggests that it might very well become the permanent home of the Chamber of Commerce, the Industrial Association, (ho Employers' Federation, and other commercial bodies of a public or semi-public character. ' A proposal to house the Chamber of Commerce and allied bodies under a roof is at present afoot in Melbourne, and was considered at the annual meeting of the Chamber of . Commerce held • recently in that city. In support of tho proposal it was urged that a great public benefit would result if the various organisations which act on behalf of separate branches of trade, became ofl'-shoots of the Chamber of Commerce, instead of being separato entities as at present. The president of the Melbourne Chamber (Mr, F. White) contended that: "The fact of such institutions being close neighbours would bring closer thinking. When it was advisable to discuss with other bodies matters of moment, the feeling of Ijpiiiq- near Neighbours would not only facilitate, but probably have a marked effect for good on, the deliberations." Mr. Tewsley states that he has for some time been thinking; along the lines indicated by the urosident of tho Melbourne Chamber rf Commerce, and his own opinions are on all-fours with tho?e expressed by Mr. White. He thinks that it would unquestionably be an advantageous thing to assemble the Chamber of Commerce, and kindred institutions in ,Wcllincton. in a single home. Mr. Tewsley contends tint his suggestion dovetails perfectly with the main features of Sir. Fletcher's proposal. A building which would be at once a museum of Dominion products and the headnuartcrs of local commercial life, would be a valuable public asset. The projected enterprise is further justified by the fact that the Chamber of Commerce and some related bodies are rather crnmned in their present quarters. Tt would be an excellent thing, Mr. Tewsley concluded,' to provide a buildimr which the Chamber of Commerce, the parliament of trade, might inhabit in close touch with a united body of related institutions.