THE EXHIBITION SURPLUS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1231, 13 September 1911, Page 4

THE EXHIBITION SURPLUS.

WHAT WILL BE DONE WITH IT? It does not appear that there is dearth of application for portions of the Exhibition surplus. . Mr. T. Ballingcr stated at last night's meeting of the Industrial Association that ho had received several verbal requests. Professor Laby wrote stating that he intended, to ask the association to assist tho Victoria College physical laboratory by purchasing for it an air liquefying plant. And Mr. J.' P. Firth, of Wellington College, sent a letter saying he -was trying to raise .£3OO for a small astronomical observatory at the College, and that ho had been told that the association had not decided to_ what purpose to devote the surplus. Did the association think a grant could be made to tho object he had named? Mr. Firth had been replied to to the effect .that little hope could bo held out for the success of his plea. There had been a number of requests, and the association had practically detided to what purpose the surplus should bo devoted. Later in the evening a statement of accounts was presented showing that tho surplus from the Exhibition was ,£1505 10s. Bd., subject to minor deductions. The chairman (Mr. T. Ballingcr) said that members might have noticed that the Brooklyn people had been agitating for a playground at the foot of tho Brooklyn hill. He thought that a comI mitteo should be set up to confer with the City Council to see what they could get of this reserve. If they could get a few acres there they could fence them in and have a permanent exhibition ground there. It was not as level a site as might bo desired, but it was handy to the centre of tho town, and tho Aro Street cars took people there for a penny. It was at the lower end. 'They should get tho land. Some years ago it was suggested that tho Basin Reserve should be acquired for the purpose. He was not bold enough to ask for the "basin." If they had an exhibition ground adjacent to tho city— of course, he was not thinking of another exhibition just yet— A member: "Aren't you." Mr. Ballingcr moved that a committee should bo set up to confer with the City Council with a view to getting a few acres of this reserve. A member said that it had been suggested to him that the dock site should be acquired. Mr. Ballinger: "It's too valuable. We want acres. It is worth ,£20,000 or .£30,000." Mr. D. Robertson: "It would only bo a drop in tho bucket. We are going to have a great railway station there. The motion was carried, and it was decided that Messrs. T. .Ballingcr, L. E. Partridge, E. Bull, and A. Mnrryatt should be tho committee to meet the council.