PATRIOTIC EXHIBITION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2704, 25 February 1916, Page 7

PATRIOTIC EXHIBITION

ATTENDANCE TO DATE-27.000 LAST NIGHT'S SPEECHES The Patriotic Exhibition in the Town Hall is fuliilling one of the objects nt its promoters even beyond the most sanguine expectations—it is attracting very considerable public attention. It is calculated that up till last night from 25,000 to 27,000 people visited the show. A remarkable feature about the attendances has been that the* have increased with' every succeeding night, and in this respect the crowds arc unlike the usual exhibition crowds —tlicy are showing active interest 'in tlic exhibits. Tho speakers last night were the Hon. J. A. Hanan (Minister of Education) and Mr. D. M'Laron. Mr. Hanan said that it must be the aim of our people, after having beaten Germany in arms,'to see that Germany was wrecked commercially and industrially. ' Germany had, up till recently, achieved marvellous success, and her success was due to her technical and industrial education, and her foinmercial organisation. It could bo accepted as certain that Germany would fidit for her trade as strenuously as she was now fighting in battle. Therefore, it was necessary for John Dull and Sons to wake up, and prepare >.o fifiht and beat Germany in the coming industrial and commercial struggle,. (Applause.) Our goal must be national efficiency, and hero in Now Zealand wo must give more attention to technical, scientific, and industrial education. In this country we should have new industries, to occupy our own workers and to supply our own wants: AYe should help our industries by reason'nblo protection. He believed that tho Empire should adopt a policy of trade preference for all goods produced in the Empire. Such a policy would make our great Empire greater, and would bring about tho Imperial unity which is tho ideal.of the British race. (Applause.) Moving a vote of thanks to Mr. Hanan for- his address, Mr. C. M. Luko, who was in the chair, impressed strongly on tho Minister that a new technical. school for "Wellington was a crying necessity.

Mr. Hanan, in reply, said that in a few days lie would be making a recommendation to Cabinet regarding tlio site.

Mr. M'Laren, while, expressing cordial approval of tho exhibition and its objects, said that he would like to see an cxliibition. of tho goods Now Zealand people ouadit not to buy. Also, ho believed t!if> Central Chamber of Com-

inerco would do a-very important piece of work if it would prenaro and issiu? n 'Catalogue of tlio goods produced in this country, in order that our people might know what our country could produce and_ what ,thoy should fury, for lie was satisfied that we should enccnraße our local i)roduction to the very fullest. (Applause.) (By arrangement.)