THE EXHIBITION

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1921, 2 December 1913, Page 9

THE EXHIBITION

BRILLIANT OPENING. MESSAGE FROM THE KING, READ BY HIS EXCELLENGY. OVATION FOR MR. MASSEY. (By TeleEraph.--Prc3s Association.) Auckland, December 1. Tho Auckland Exhibition was opened this morning. /His Excellency tho Earl ■of Liverpool and tlio Countess of. Liverpool arrived at 11 a.m., and were met by Messrs Georgo.Elliott (president), and 11. W. Buttlo (vice-president), Colonel (A.D.C. to tho Governor and Officer Commanding tho District), and Mr. R. W. Holmes (secretary to tho Exhibition). A guard of honour was furnished • by members of the Veterans' Association. At the right of the entrance to tho building tho Royal Artillery Baud was drawn up. Tho veterans received His Excellency witlf'a salute, and the band played the National Anthem. His Excellency mado a brief inspection of tho parado of veterans, and then passed into tho Concert Cliambcr, which was .crowded with peoplo who had been invited to witness tho ceromony. On tho •stage woro the A'ice-Regal party, tho Prime Minister (tho Hon. W. F. Mas'sey), his daughter (Mrs. (I. Lav.'renco Taylor), the Minister of Railways (tho Hon. W. H. Herrics), tho Speaker of tho House (Mr. F. W. Lang), tho president of tho Exhibition, Mr. George Elliott, and Mrs. Elliott, the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. C. J. Parr) and Mrs. Parr, tho Mayor.of Christchurch (Mr. I-I. Holland), and tho Canadian Trade-Commis-sioner. (Mr. W. A. Reddoe), the Panama Exhibit-ion Commissioner's; and'other's."

His Majesty's Message, Whilo tlio; audience was still standing His Excellency announced, that lie had been commahdAl' to' deliver a ; message from tlio King as follows :— ," "On ;thc, occasion of tho opening ,of tho l Auckland Exhibition, I desire „to express ,my congratulations upon tho success which' lias attended the organisation of the Exhibition. I confidently hope that it will bo tho •mpunvof '.furthering tho progross of tho Dominion, and of * attracting attention to the .great natural"'resources of the "country, , and to tho rapid progress mado in their development, by tlio .industry' and-enterprise of.'the- people in New Zealand.—(Signed) GEORGE, - ■ y , "Hex and imperator." . His Excellency the Earl of Liverpool rallied thp following ; reply to-day: — "My Government and tlio organisers of the Auckland Exhibition desire, mo to humbly thank Your Majesty for your gracious message, which I had tho honour to deliver at tho opening ceremony to-day, and- which .was received ! with universal'.gratification and- pleasure. My Prime Minister has every confidence that the. undertaking .will'be a- great success, and will'afford to tho people of Oil-eat Britain and other countries :i wider knowledge of.tho resources and products -.of Now/Zealand. (Signed) Liverpool,; Governor." , "Milestones of Progress." .Mr. Elliott, president l of tho Exhibition, then spoke. llosaid: "There is no person inoro pleased than I am to welcomo you'.jto ceremony,' nmjVthcro » will s bft' s W ' person nibro pleased and relieved than I shall be when this same Exhibition comes to a finish." Mr. ."Slliatt wont on to say that, on Deccir.bcr 1, 1898, when tlio population, of Auckland and suburbs was 07,000," tho last exhibition was opened by the-then Governor, Lord Ranfurly On December 1, 1913, • after fifteen years of continuous prosperity, during which time tho population had doubled, it.was .befitting that another exhibition should, bb'opened by tho present Governor, the Earl of Liverpool., "It lias been said that exhibitions are tho timekeepers of progress," continued Mr. Elliott"that tlicy record tho world's advancement. I might also add that exhibitions are milestones on the march of industry. As far as New Zealaud exhibitions aro concerned, this one ' - s ■unique, for several reasons: (1) Thero liavo been no dissensions whatever amongst members of tho executive, or amongst tho 200 members of the committee. (2) The guarantee fund was raised three times larger than was originally considered'essential. (3) This h the first time in the history of New Zealand that, an exhibition of this sizo lias been held without Government assistance. (4) Local bodies and merchants have displayed a generosity which has never been equalled. Donations were willingly (and sometimes <wcn spontaneously) given by the City Council and local bodies, private firms, and public companies. These amount to over (£6OOO. I desiro to thank the Hon. \V. I l '. Massey and Ministers," proceeded Mr. Elliott, "for the very generous support given us.."

Bringing Out the Band. "Mr. Massey wis,"'said Mr. Elliott; "perhaps the busiest man in Now Zealand, but- ho lias found time to write letters to mo oil Exhibition matters v/hieli would lill volumes. 1 told you that wc did not ask for a subsidy from the Government, but we did ask, and we have been promised, a donation towards our expenses in bringing out the Royal Artillery Jiaiul, and I believe that, if necessary, tho Government will assist us further in this direction. . Everything that we did ask. for''has been willingly, immediately, and generousiv riven." In conclusion, Mr. Elliott thanked tho Governor for'his efforts on behalf of tho Exhibition, particularly ill regard to securing the. services of the band. His TJxcellency then congratulated the organisers of the Exhibition, and remarked' that since thb last Exhibition Auckland hud advanced wonderfully. This remark applied equally to the whole of the Dominion.