THE EXHIBITION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1833, 14 August 1906, Page 3

THE EXHIBITION.

13 GISBORNE TO BE REPRESENTED ? MATTER STILL UNDECIDED,

A further meeting in regard to tho steps to be taken by Gisborne in connection with the New Zealand Exhibition was held yesterday afternoon, tbc.-e being present : His Worship tbe Mayor (Mr J. Townlev), and Messrs A. F. Kennedy, W. D. Lysnar, W. F. Crawford, W. Puttie, J. W. Bright, V. Pyko, J. Georgeaon, R, M. Birrsll, J. Wbiaray, W. Miller, aud E. L. Maudo.

The Mayor, wbo presided, dolailcd tho steps that hod already been taken, and emphasised tho necessity for prompt action if tho proj-ct we-o not to bo allowed to fall tbreugh. They bad, he said, been well represented at the Dunedin Exhibition, and cow they had many more people and larger means at command, and therefore ought to be much bettor able to provide suitable reprcGenivioo at what would be tbe most impoitant exhibition yet held in the colonies. He was pleased to see Mr Crawford pres-nt, because that gentleman had made suggestions which, if carried out, would bo very cfi.-cSivo. He was preparol to take photographs of the district. Such an exhibit would be very valuable, but would not in itself be anfficieDt. Some products of tho place were required. Ho did not see why they should not, ns in tbo Ducedin Exhibition, have wool, grass aecd, till maize. They bad also cbee-o. Tho late Mr W King had sect mouldings and timber; bo him- | self Lad sent a email exhibit, and would do eo ogam, if they con'd gat a show sufficiently worthy to occupy tbe space. As tbo exhibits had to be there by tho first of S-ptember they bad no time to dream about i*, and be wanted that meotiog to decide the important question as to what was to be done. No oao that he knew ixcept Me W. F. Crawford had e.-me forward with un exhibit; they had 1200 feet of space to fill, and must look around, or they would be poorly represented. lie would take 25 feet of space if necessary, but his exhibit would not in itself bo sufficient, nor would Mr Crawford’s, splendid as ho eyas sure that would be. Mr Crawford’s exhibit v,-ould require a few pounds spent in frames, to protect them, He would like to have something decided at that meeting. Mr Kennedy : Have you any idea as to what form the Napier exhibit will take’) The Mayor; None whatever, but as Napier is similarly situated, I suppose that they will send wool, butter, cheese, and so on —they have very few manufactures as we have. They have sawmills and moulding machinery and so on. Ido not know that there is much there wc have not got Certainly they arc further advanced, being older. I suppose they will also send products and fruit. Mr George Stevenson of this district has offered to send a supply of oranges, honey, and anything else ho can. Mr Crawford : Have you tho figures at hand as to what the Gisborne exhibit would cost 2 ' The Mayor said, they could not well obtain that information until they were prepared to do something. He supposed that a nian to look after the court in conjunction with some other one would mean about a pound or so per week. The Exhibition opened in November and closed in April. The space would cost about £l2O, including lighting. He did not know if it included lining, for winch they had to pay at Dunedin, MrGcorgeson ini'dit be able to give them some informa-

tl °Mi- Gcorgosou said the only information ho possessed was that the Department which lie represented in Gisborne (Labor) had asked for as many photos as lie could .rot representative of industries. He had obtained 20 to 00 interesting photographs, such as mustering sheep, shearing, shearing sheds, homesteads, and so on, which would be an advertisement for the district. The Department had taken up 100) feet of space, in which they wished every centre to be represented Mr Kennedy add that nooofy aeetneci to have c.mi uloi g to make any dtfioile exhibit, end he did Dot soo that the way waa pouch clearer than when Me Mclntyre was here. Thoy had asked him to suggeet what would foim an exhibit, They coulu not send skins or hide?, If the Freezing Company could df cido MrLvsnar: They cannot deed\ Mr Kennedy : Wo weio looking to them to take a leading pait, Mr Bright : The proposal came from Mr DeLautour, and was the backbone ci the wbolo king Tho M*yor said there would be no use writing for further information if there was to be no exhibit ; if they to give up tho space the Boonor they did it the better Mr IDitie : Can wo do so ? Are wo not liable? Tho Mayor : We can give up the space o: wo could hivo an empty place with a large sign “ Poverty Bay ” over it for it cortiinly would bo “ poveity bay. (Laughter.) The authorities could fcuro the space to better account than that. Mr Lysoetr f-jnred that it waa piot

plan tho pcopta of tho oi.-trict did not want to take advantage of tho opoortuur.y of cdveitising tho district. '' Unless hican do the thing propetly it would bo far bitter to drop it,” he said. “Thera b been notbit g practical up to the prrsett m she way cl vi al sopped. Toi l mecuug habeen epcoiaiSy called to consider tho pos;tioo, acd people have boon specially atkjd

to oomo fonvnvd i yet aeo the small attendance wo have got. I am afraid it 13 hoprlos-." Continuing ho said it would bn hotter to forfeit thair deposit and drop tbo thing than have is show not fairly roprrscntaiivn of tins district. When Mr Mclntyre was there they had a largo and ftprosctilativo mooting, with overy prospect of exhibits- Ho was proparod to send an exhibit, but not unless thoro was a fair show.

Mr Crawford : Has any active canvass beon made Mr Lysnar said that Messrs DoLautour I and Whinray ha-1 gouo to a groat do d of trouble, bat ho did not think they had got I any firthcr. Unless they had a real, living support they had b-t;or drop the thing, Mr Whinray said that ho was voty much disappointed at tbo half hoaitod way in whioh tin thing had Iron taken up When ho had sugg God taking up 500 fei t tho i.loa had born pooh poohed, it being thought that at Lust 1200 fort would bo I required. I& Wfts to bn rrgri fefcoa that tho County Council bad taken up tbo attitudo it ha 1 done. Not only had they discouotonauood t.O proposal, hut bad poked " boiak” at it. Ho could hardly inidoistauJ tho soatimoati pervading ihoir minds in tho irmtur. It seemod to bo, Wo havo nothing to gain by it, and don’t care a button about the rest of tho. community.” That was not a fair position for uiDn holding tho oilieos they did us representatives of tbo ojiiimuui y lo talto up. It was largely duo to that stand that tho thing had hold fire. Tooso who had boon in tlu- district thirty y- urs ago know wbat a big task it was to got tho place moved, They had raised a big monument to tho famous oircumnavig itor who had din~ c.ivorcl the place, and now wanted to h t tho place dtop into an unknown abysi. A ! great coal cf mmoywas being spent on tins exhibition by our Government; tho (

Homs Government wore sending pioluies and other viduabhs, aud this district could not oven get a repre-srntativo meeting. I’* I seemed as usual that if thero was to bo represent itiou tho burden was to bo left on tho wiling horse. Ho strongly urged that county representatives should take a warm interest in tbo matter. Mr Crawford urged that auoihcr effort should to made before letting tho project fall th-ougb. As depicting the progress I ■ ,r t*o pi >cc, bo d-ssciibod ft viow lio haci nM from K-uti Hill, there being uo loss than fivo threo masters in tho river, besides numerous ottor crab, showing that tbo place was a progressive ono. It would bo an everlasting disgrace if they allowed tbo exhibition to pass without being repreI seated, They should m.k) at least another effort. Mr Poitio siid lie felt quite saMsGed thoy would bo abio to overcome tho financial diffimlty. Hi believed tbo amount rrquiiod could be nviod within 24 hour?, but tbo reel troutL had been io seouro a

fairly represent a-ivo ihow of cxbibi s. Ho mentioned tbo strenuous effu.ts that bad been made, so far wi.hout practical sueor si. Ho had teen unable io attend tho meotiog wbch Mr Mclntyre wa3 pinseut, but had road with pleasure of the largo and enthusiastic gat baling, but so far ss ho could seo nothing had come of it. If they could satisfactorily fi'l tbo space, tho fioancos would soon light themselves, Mr Bright-ngroed with McPottio- Ho

did not think finances would trouble them, though ho thought it churlish for other bodks to decline as they had done. Ho believed the msno.y could bo raised at a few days’ notice. Ho wont on to mention products available, and to point out that too district could exhibit litllo that was not common to nearly all districts. Thoy had looked to tbo Freezing Company to make a substantial exhibit that wunid form a background which could be filled up with gooeriil products, but the directors of that company, he understood, bad decided not to exhibit. With that company out of it could they get up sn exhibit that would mako a creditable display ? Ho took it that exhibits whor'd ba moro in tbo way of manufactures and machinery for manufacturing, and ihat raw materials common to New Zealand would bo passed over.

Mr Birreil said hs had offered to give any help bo could io t-bo way of canvussing in tbsceuntcy, and mentioned a number cf people who would bo likely exhibitors, Hs was anxious that anything dooo should be a success; but if they could Dot got tho exhibit?, they must succumb to tho iaeiiiablo. Tho largo aud entbusia-tic meeting previously^held was sufficient to make an)ono optimistic, Mr Lysnar said t-hi only prospeoi to his mmi was to go straight to tho farmers, and get exhibits of sn ck, to bo killed aud shown io a frozen s' uo ; that would bo an attraction aud woul i cot entail any moro expense, refrigerating faci'i’.tos under glass bei'og provided by Government. There was too much aamoatss about exhibitions of wool and grain. Ml- Kennedy said that from tho promises previously made they had expected large aud excellent exhibits from the Frciziog Company nr.d Alpha Sawmill?, Mr Townlsy, Mr Williams l map-make.). Mr Lyanar, and others. They might make another effort ; and failing success, abandon t'ao prcj-:ct. In reply to Mr Crawford, Mr Kennedy said that Nelson Bros, bad lit la to show ; slipe wool would not bo attractive, and they did not put up tinned goods. He moved, 11 That tho meeting be adjourned until Monday next, and that iu the meantime au advertisement be put in the papers ask'ng ail prepared to send exhibits to forward particulars.” Mr Lysnar : And that failing proper support being offered tho prcj-'ct be abandoned ? Mr Kennedy : Yes. A suggestion by Mr Birreil was approved of that these who koew of willing exhibitors should report at the next meet-

io R- ... , Names of probablo r-xhifciiors wero bsirg mentioned, when Mr Miller exprsa-ed doubt as to whether any of them could exhibit Bnyt-biog cf crodit ta tbo district. The Mayor said they might not bo very attractive iadividu-liy, but woull have to be judged in the aggreg^to. Tho mo'-ion wai ca-riod, and after further gtnornl remaiks, tho meeting idjourord accordingly.