THE ALL-BRITISH EXHIBITION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2706, 28 February 1916, Page 6

THE ALL-BRITISH EXHIBITION

LUiromu I/AX SUCCESS TO BE FOLLOWED UP INTERESTING SPEECHES • T! J C of JJritisli-niaclo goods in the lown l-lall, an Exhibition which lias achieved success even beyond the expectations of the optimists who promoted it, was brought to an end on .Saturday night. flic crowds attending were tho biggest yet recorded, and several interesting speeches were delivfid in the course of the evening. EXECUTIVE ENTERTAINED COMPLIMENT I'ROM EXHIBITORS. Tlie exhibitors and their representatives in charge have been especially well pleased with the success achieved by the show, and with the general conduct of affairs by the Exhibition Executive. To mark their complete satisfaction, the exhibitors entertained tlw executive in t.lio Concert Chamber during the adjournment between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.,-— when the big hall is closed. Air. F. W. Vickcrmau, a chairman of the .Stallholders' Committee, presided. Mr. Yickerman, proposing the health of the executive, said that the gathering had been arranged as an expression of appreciation by the exhibitors of tho work of the executive. When the Exhibition was first mooted certain business men in the city had thought that it could iiot possibly he a success. His own firm took space, and felt all tho time that it was wasting money in doing so. But tho crowds that had been drawn, the publicity arrangements, and the general success of the show had been a revelation, and now there were many firms who regretted very much that they were not represented in it. By their conduct of affairs, the executive had earned the respect and thanks of all the exhibitors. _ _Mr. C. M. Luke, president of tho Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce, responding to tho toast said that although tho Exhibition might not have realised the highest ambitions of somo people in this city, it had yet achieved a 'great deal. Mr E. Bull, Mr. J. F. Atkins, and Mr. E. J. Petheriek also responded. "British Commerce." Mr. T. Ballinger proposed the toast of "British Commerce" In the course of his remarks he challenged the statements of Mr. T. M. Wilford, to the effect that the importers could, il they chose, stoptbe importation of German goods. What was to prevent a German coming out here and canvassing for orders?—nothing at all. It was for Parliament to stop him. He had advocated tho complete prohibition of all German imports. This prohibition existed now, and it should not be removed, after the war. . The British Government also should do something to assist the British manufacturers, especially in the matter of ocean freights. Jn one class of goods in which he was interested—cheap glassware—tho freight on German goods was 225. 6d. a ton, and oil. British 375. (jd. This state of affairs should not be allowed to continue. Mr. R. W. Dalton, British Trade Commissioner, responded. Ho said that ho felt rather overwhelmed by the responsibility of responding on behalf of British commerce, seeing that before the war British imports wero worth £700,000,000 a year. At tho present time British imports were more than they wero before tho war, and British exports were 80 per cent, of what they wore before the war. (Applause.) What did this mean? It meant that Great Britain, while spending five million pounds a day was able to stand _ a bigger import trade than she did in times of peace. What did tho export figures mean? They meant that Great Britain was ao powerful in he? manufacturing industries that she could supply her own war needs, which wero terrible, and her Allies' needs, which wore enormous, and at the same time keep up an export trade of something like 80 per cent, of tho amount of peace times. This was a feat- which was without compare in the history of the world. Two things in this war would go down to history. Ono was .that England carried the burden of tho trade and the war supplies for herself and her Allies during the long period of the war, in spite of nil the difficulties she had had to face. The other thing was that tho war had done more to cement the Mother Country and her Dominions than any circumstance that had happened since Britain had had dependencies overseas. (Applause.) He held that the Exhibition just closing was tho beginning of very big things in exhibitions in New Zealand. When he spoke of exhibitions, he meant exhibitions of tho proper sort, not great fairs with side-shows, whirligigs, switchbacks, and so on—(applause) —but exhibitions that would show that tho British Empire stood for something national, so that people might understand that the British Empire was a great factor in the world of trade, and that they could buy all their supplies from the Mother Country. (Applause.) New Zealand had not seen where the enterprise of British manufacturers lay, There were plans' in beingf for the extension of plants of British manufacturers now, but these extensions hac necessarily to stand in abeyance until atter the war. When the war was ovei there would be an enormous increase ii enterprise, which would, he thought justify every remark he had made sinc< he came to New Zealand. He congvatu later the executive of the Exhibitior on the splendid work they had done and he hoped that we should see Ir years to come That their effort was jnsl a pedestal on which a huge monument could be built. (Applause.) Other Toasts. The Mayor proposed the toast, "Oui Boys at tho R-ont." Major Corrigan, replying said thai Jie had been fortunate enough to se( many of the. Home forces in the making and, having had a good deal to do fo; some time past with tho .men going for ward from here to fill our drafts, hi could say this—that no men ho hac seen were equal to the men wo had sen! from Now Zealand. They were splendid men in every respect, and he. be iieved that every successive draft wai better than the preceding one. (Ap plause.) . Mr. F. W. Man ton also spoke in response to tho toast. Other toasts honoured were: "The Exhibits Manager," to which Mr. E. T Doddrell responded himself; "Th« Mayor and Mrs. Luke"; and "The Press." In the course of his replv, Mr. Doddreil gratefully acknowledged the assistance he had received from the City Council staff, and especially from Mr. "Dorrie" Leslie, who acted as stage manager. A Resolution. At the conclusion of the gathering, Mr.- Petherick, secretary of the Wellinetou Central Chamber of Commerce, submitted the following which was carricd unanimously without discussion "That this meeting of the exhibitors and tho executive resolve itself into a committee, to meet at a later date, to consider the advisa-•-iutv of ascertaining the policy of

the Government as to tho future commerce of the Dominion, and to recommend to the Association of New Zealand Chambers of Commerce tlis desirability of encouraging exhibitions similar in character to that just held; and, further, to recommend every Chamber of Commerce and Industrial Association to umto ill arranging lists of goods of local manufacture which can bocome available to the public." . liie only items of entertainment on the programme) wore provided by Mr. Sigurd Lestrupp, who sang the aria irom "Faust" in Danish (his own tongue), and "The Two Grenadiers." Both items were heartily applauded. In the evening appropriate speeches were delivered by Miss Beatrice Day, Madame Boeufe, and tho Hou. Dr. M'Nab. Mr. C. M. Luke, at this stage took occasion to thank the City Council for tbeir generosity in londing the Town Hall free. This had made it possible for the Exhibition to he carried through as a financial success. So great was its success that ho would ask His Worship tho Mayor to accept from tho committee a cheque for £50, which sum represented tho profits of the Exhibition. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), thanking tlie executive for the donation, detailed some of the recurring items of expenditure which had to be provided for out of the Mayor's Fund., Mr. 11. W. Dalton made his second speech of the day on tho subject of British trade.