NAME OF CHRISTCHURCH

Evening Star, Issue 19794, 18 February 1928, Page 2

NAME OF CHRISTCHURCH

AMERICAN IMAGINATION “ MOTOR SHOW IN CHURCH " [Special to the ‘ Stab.’] BLENHEIM, February 17. ; An amazing example of the Ameri 1 can ignorance of New Zealand is evl donced by the December number of t ( motor trade periodical, published in , Philadelphia. The article is of special i interest to the people of Christchurch, but all New Zealand may be expected to chuckle over this latest example of ■ our cousins’ guesswork. It is headed 1 “New Zealand. Show Held in Church,” , and it is in the form of a telegraphic message dated Washington, December ; 28, as follows:—“Automobiles and re- ■ ligion have a close alliance in New ! Zealand, according to a cable to the ! United States Department of Com- . mercc from its representative in Wel- ' lington. He reports that the New Zealand ninth annual motor Olympia ■ was hold in Christ Church from No--1 vember 4 to November 12, the edifice , being completely filled with automobiles, the majority of which wore of : American make. Out of a total of ninety-two passenger cars shown 1 sixty-one were made by American manufacturers, twenty-eight by British, and three by Italian manufacturers. 4 “ The idea of the show in the church,” this amazing message goes on to say, “ was hit upon by the dealers as a unique advertising possibility for the show, and was received with enthusiasm by the churchmen as a means of raising a tidy revenue for the church.” It will come as something of a shock to the motor dealers of Christchurch to learn that ‘ Philadelphia in the Morning ’ knows not the City of the Plains, but there is this consolation—it might have been worse; it might have been Auckland.