COSTLY ’PHOTO

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20096, 16 November 1939, Page 4

COSTLY ’PHOTO

“CHEAPER IN OILS" EXHIBITION PICTURE GISBORNE'S SMALL PART TOTAL OUTLAY OF £531 “Probably if the history of Exhibitions were searched it would be possible to find an example of smaller returns for money contributed, but this has been by far the most costly venture, so far as tangible results are concerned, that Gisborne was ever let in for. It would have been cheaper to have the district painted in oils by a first-class artist, and then buy space at. the Exhibition for its display,” said one Gisborne resident who shares the disappointment expressed by the Mayor, Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P., in respect of the representation of this district at the Centennial Exhibition.

In justice to the Gisborne Borough Council and to other local bodies of the district who contributed to the project to publicise Gisborne and the East Coast at. the Exhibition, it should be mentioned that the contributions were made through the Auckland Provincial Committee, which sent representatives to Gisborne to interview the local authorities, and also solicited interest in the project through the medium of correspondence. Substantial Contributions The contributions made from this district were:— Gisborne Borough .. £209 Cook County IGB Waiapu County 113 Uawa County 41 Total £531 Only the Waikohu County Council stood out of the project, refusing, despite renewed representations from the Auckland Provincial Committee, to allocate any part of its funds for the Auckland court. It will be remembered that in the case of the Gisborne Borough Council, an early refusal to contribute was later over-ruled, as the result of a visit from Auckland Provincial Council officials. The Borough Council reversed its earlier decision under the impression that unless the smaller centres of population entered the scheme, the prominence given to metropolitan centres would be disproportionate. It was felt, also, that centennial sentiment should weigh with the local bodies, and that an effort should be made to ensure that the project was fully representative of the province. Auckland Committee Embarrassed The keen disappointment with the result—the inclusion in the relief map of New Zealand of a picture of a portion of Gisborne—is the more keenly felt because local bodies expended time and trouble in preparing material and securing good pictures of the district which were to have guided the Auckland Provincial Committee in setting out the characteristics and attractions of Poverty Bay and the East Coast.

From information gathered at the Exhibition site, members of the Auckland Provincial Committee are not well pleased with the results gained from a large expenditure. The City of Auckland is well represented, but the committee, feeling its responsibility to the smaller communities which contributed, is faced with the prospect of embarrassing explanations as to why so little return has been secured for them.