THE CLOSE OF THE EXHIBITION

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 189, 7 May 1940, Page 6

THE CLOSE OF THE EXHIBITION

There is every reason to echo the note of satisfaction sounded by speakers at the ceremony which marked the close of the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition on Saturday. In view of the extremely disadvantageous circumstances the Exhibition may well be looked upon as a signal success fully justifying the courage shown by the board of directors and the Government in resolving to carry on and in completing the programme to the fullest possible extent. It is true that the attendance total of 2,641,043 for the six months of the Exhibition’s existence is not much more than half the pre-war estimate. ‘But it must also be borne in mind that the organizers, reasonably enough, counted on a large influx of summer visitors from overseas. The war prevented this. Not only did New Zealand lose practically the whole of the normal tourist trade down the Pacific from Canada and the United States, but the transtasman traffic, instead of being greatly augmented, was also far below normal. The other side of the picture, however, is that the attendance total, representing almost exclusively New Zealanders, is a distinct tribute to the manner in which public support was forthcoming in this country. The war and the existence of trade restrictions tended to affect even domestic patronage and participation, but in spite of these factors the historic Centennial pageant at Rongotai lacked little in completeness and attracted nearly 1,000,000 more patrons than there are inhabitants of this Dominion. The primary and most important achievement has been that a large body of New Zealanders —including probably a great majority of our young people—have had set before them a record of New Zealand’s progress, and an earnest of her potentialities, which should be both an abiding memory and an inspiration. The city of Wellington and New Zealand as a whole will enjoy the effects of the Exhibition for a long time to come in ways direct and indirect. To the city it has conferred a number of important benefits. Substantial improvements to many streets and to several miles of scenic roadway have been brought about. The Evans Bay and Lyall Bay areas have been bettered, street lighting has been brought up to date in a number of thoroughfares, and much has been done spontaneously to relieve Wellington’s problem of accommodation for visitors, apartment occupiers and flat dwellers. The whole country will share in the impetus given to industry, public services and general utilities by the displays at Rongotai, for past experience has shown that the standards risen to by exhibitors at major exhibitions arc afterward maintained and that the progress of the community generally is speeded up. The decision of the Government to take over the Exhibition site and buildings for air-training purposes is a welcome one. Shareholders and the public as a whole will feel a keen satisfaction in the knowledge that timely and economical use is to be made of premises which otherwise would have had to pass into the hands of demolition contractors. Sooner or later the question of the post-war use of the site will arise and the city’s claim to it—or to part of.it for recreational and other purposes will call for proper consideration. In the meantime, the adaptation of the Exhibition for emergency purposes is to be fully commended, especially as it promises to lay permanent foundations for a larger and more adequate Wellington airport.