PANAMA EXPOSITION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1915, 25 November 1913, Page 3

PANAMA EXPOSITION.

NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITS INVITED, EXHIBITION COMMISSIONERS JN WELLINGTON. SPEECHES AT THE CHAMBER OF | COMMERCE. Tho four commissioners appointed by the Presidont of the United States of America to visit the Dominions of the British Empiro, in order to urge upon them the desirability of being represented at tho groat' Panama Canal Exposition, to bo held at San. Francisco in 1915, paid a visit to Wellington yesterday. The commission consisted of ex-Governor Alva Adams, of Colorado (Commissioner-General), Major Sydney A. Cloman, 26th Infantry, U.S. Array, Messrs. Thomas G. Siollsmith, aiid O'Noil Sevier. In the morning the commissioners visited Government House, where they met His Excellency the Governor (Lord Liverpool) and the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. H. D. Bell). They were entertained at luncheon in Parliament House by tho Ministry and tho members of both Houses, and in the afternoon addressed a largely-at-tended meeting of tho Wellington Chamber of Commerce. Welcome tp the VlsJtori. The commissioners were welcomed by tho president of the Chambor (Mr. O. W. Jones). They had all learnt, ■he said, to associate America with the idea of enterprise, so that this visit did not surprise them. It was a compliment for a country of 100,000,000 iahabitants to think so much of the possibilities of trade with a country of 1,000,000 inhabitants, as to send such an influential deputation. They heard very contradictory reports of tho effects the opening of tho canal would have on Now Zealand, and he hoped that the commissioners would be able to throw some light on their diffie-ul-ties.

Ex-Governor Adams expressed pleasure that there should be Sttch p, large gathering in a time of industrial turmoil. He hoped that some . felorus Jack wquld bo found who would lead, the ship of Stat© andi industry into tho calm waters of peace and justice. (Applause and laughter.) The commissioners had com© a long way, but they felt they were amongst friends. They hoped that the 'Frisco Exposition would become a great meettog-plaeo of the nations, where the progress of the last century would bo exemplified. They wanted New Zealand to lie represented thero, and well represented. They wanted no land, no gold; but tliey wanted New Zealand's co-opera-tion and friendship in the eofnmemoration of one of the greatest achievements of all time. (Applause.) Tho Canal had been built by American dollars, but it was designed not for Amorica alone, but for all tho nations of the world which sailed ships upon "the seas. There had been a .shrinkage of the earth when steam came into use as a motive power, and tho cutting of this great channel had, made for still further, shrinkage. Tho Canal made for tho world's peaco. When nations came to know each other better they liked each other better. New Zoalanders had much to make them proud of their country—and he had no time for tho man who did not thiiik his country better than any other—but they would not lose by seeking the friendship of other peoples. Neiv Zealand jyas a most productive country, and it should take every opportunity of placing " its resources before tho World. It was .not tho tradesman who blocked up his fruit window who did tho most trade.

National Advertising, Advertising was as essential to a. nation as to a trading firm. The 'Frisco Exposition was the greatest which had ever been planned., bait its purpose was not the glorification of its promoters, but to mark a tremendously important event in the world's history. Ho never know prosperous tradesmen who did not complain of taxation, and Now Zealand merchants did not scorn to bo an exception. (Laughter.) But there was, ono kind of economy with taxation money which was the worst extravaganco, and certainly the expenditure of a good Bum on a national exhibit at 'Frisco would furnish a great retuni. The fame of tho exhibit would, spread throughout America, and a finer advertisement for Now Zealand {joods could not be obtained. In addition, there was the blood tie between America and the British races. Georgo Washington and all tho signatories to the Declaration of Independence were British subjects. Had the States heen treated in the same way as Canada, Australia, and Now Zealand, thoy would still have been British colonies. (Applause.) Tlio British Dominions were the greatest nations in the world, aiid he could not wfln-' der at thoir loyalty to the Homeland. It was an old but true saying that "blood is thicker than water," So they sent to every nation of the Anglo-Saxon race a cordial invitation to partake in their exposition, whero they.would be able to compete with every other nation in tho world.» If New Zealand sent an exhibit to America, it would do both nations good, aftd the world would be better. (Applause.) Now Zealand was a wonderful country; and the excellence of its climate was evidenced by the fact that its stock could bo left out of doors the whole year round. (Applause.) And there was even a bettor tost—golf could bo flayed all tho year round. (Laughter.) Tho whole world looked to New Zealand for examples in legislation. The Dominion was not tied to tho Old World, but comprised everything that was truss, and fresh, and beautiful. New Zealand therefore had great opportunities, and: it was closely watched by the whole of the rest of iko world.

Markets For The Future. Mr. T. G. Stolismith said that the Prime Minister had agreed that New Zealand should be represented by a pavilion at the Exposition. This pavilion would not bo used to house the Dominion's exhibits, which would be split up and placed in the various seq"tions—manufacturing, metallurgical, live stock, food stuffs, etc. They did not expect & great deal of manufactured material fro® tho Dominion,, hut they did want to see some .of those woollen rugs for which the country was famous. At the present time a Oalifornian firm was sending butter across to New York—right across the Continent —at great freight expense, in order to establish a market. It was possible for New Zealand to ship butter from Wellington, and land it in New York at less cost than, it could bo sent from California. Every pound of butter produced in tho Dominion could bo sold in. America. The States wanted New Zealand's butter, and cheese, and meat. Tho spoaker made various suggestions for tho designing and furnishing of the Dominioirs pavilion, It should be built, he Baid, of different New Zealand woods, and fitted out throughout with Dominion products.

A Military Achievement. Major S. A. Cloman siiid that lie carried an invitation to the Government of Australia and New ZeaTand to bo represented by seotions of tffeir naval anij military forces. Of course New Zealand could not send a naval contingent, having turned over that- portiou of , her defence unreservedly to ttio Mother OsiMtfili tot

?t% di ' I ."'' sh l sco representatives of the Territorial Mid Cadet Forces. Ail ■English-speaking nations leokod rtli S intcr ?H' upon' the . experiment in ti l ,VaS ® lns nlado iu jVew ' Zealand nsili/'frv 3 ?' 9 1 .compulsory and universal lw? • lt had ***** boen to tor such a scheme fir-,1 I)ui cw Zealand had robbed it ot many of its rigours, and it rpssfnl aS ( A f lf i WOU ¥ b r. ™»tly suc- " '', lApplausc.) Such an exnoriH . wa ® of great interest to America. Jui;? 01, kn no , nlau in a thousand was n solder. All the nations of tho world votiid bo ."cpresoQted in the naval israiich. An international fleet would be assembled a_t Hampton Roads, Virginia, ana attor being inspected by tho President-, n-ouli pnss through tho canal, and proceed to Sail Fruncisco. It was appropriate') that the military should take part 111 tho commemoration of tile open- ; wig or tho canal, as the work of digging tho canal had been turned over to the united States Ar.ny, which had carried tiio work to a triumphant conclusion. He paid a tribute to tho work of tho French <snginoers who had preceded the Americans. Practically ever nation in the world had borno somo part in the construction of tiio canal. For instance, »t one 6tatioa with which ho 'had been connected some 65,000 peoplo were fed from one st-orohojso, and.; the beef and mutton used was tho product of Australia and New Zealand. It had not, howev?r '. been Stained direct from the colonics, but from England. It waß tho excellent advertising of the English firms which had resulted in the Sale of the goods in the canal zone. Had the goods been advertised from the countries which produced them, tho profits of the. producers would. 1 have been considerably greater, as tho profits of the London merchants would bo avoided. This was only one example of tho advantages to the Dominion's t-rado <vhich would accrue through extensive and judieiouß advertising,

Passing of the Cattle Kings. Mr; G'Neil Sevier spoko of the eonimweial aspects of the Espositio-n. Ho assured New Zealand that there was .1 p--eat future for the sab of its produetb in America, Tho groat ranches of Texas, which had l supplied tho meat for the continent, were boing cut- up under a. system of graduated- land tax, and tho States must, look beyond their own borders. New Zealand should get a great deal of this trade, Tho question of meat supply in tho States Was becoming one of grave moment, and a supply must be obtained from overseas countries. Tho raJichman of the south and south" west had; been forced by the State and Federal Governments to give up the free ranches which had carried stock for years, and the smaller farmers wore not raising enough stock to meet the consequent loss. The great "cattle kings" of Tosas were selling their ranches or cutting' them up, and were retiring to lives of ease in tho Eastern cities. The possibilities of .a meat famine, were becoming so poignant as to alarm the packers. If the decrease in stock was so great in the nest ten years as it had been in tho last decade, there would bo a real Meat famine, and the more impecunious classes would havo to subsist entirely 011 a vegetable diet. Census statistics showed that thero had been a decrease in the number of cattle i)i the States from 43 millions t» 30 millions, with a proportionate decrease of muttan, while the population had increased by ten millions. Already the price of mutton chops in New York was from 30 to 35 cents (Is. 3d. to Is. 5d.) per lb., while prime roust beef and choice cuts brought 45 to 52 cents (Is. lOd. to 2s. 2d.) per lb. These conditions presented a great opportunity for New Zealand and Au'straliii, which could produce meat and dairy products very cheaply. In a few years these countries could establish a market in tho most densely populated part of tho world—the Eastern States — which could never bo shaken. The opening of the> Panama Canal would bring Wellington 4000 miles nearer to Now fork than it had been before. If New Zealand was to obtain a sure foothold in this market-, it- must advertise extensively the surpassing <excellenc© and cheapness of its products. One feature of the trado very much in favour of Now Zealand was that i.h tho Argentine, whence a great proportion of tho supply of the Atlantic seaboard now eamc, the cost of production Was very high, and that tho cost of transportation from tTio mouth of the River Plate Sffias cheaper to the Western, nations of Europo than to the States. A motion of thanks to tho Commissioners was carried, on the motion of Mr. A. IC. Mabin, seconded bv the Hon. C. M. Luke, M.L.0., Mr. Mabin Baid that New Ssealanders were 1 "out for" the trade of which t-ho Commissioners Had spoken. The Commissioners left for Auckland last evening by tho Main Trunk train.