THE LITTLE TIN GODS OF CHRISTCHURCH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2126, 8 July 1907, Page 1

THE LITTLE TIN GODS OF CHRISTCHURCH.

MR. IUfTHERFORD ON THE EXHIBITION.

(SPECIAL TO Till! TIMES.) ) WELLINGTON, Friday. Mr. Rutherford, tlio member for Murmnii, may generally bo relied upoa to rouse the risible faculties of the House, and lie certainly did so tliis evening during bis speech ill the Adress-in-Itopiy debate. To begin with be surprised Hon. members Instating that bo held a brief on behalf of the much-maligned Mr. Jhmro (Laughter.) That gentleman went down to Ghristehurch to start an exhibition. He was sent down by the late Mr. Sedilon to do this, but a number of committees were sot up, composed of the local till gods (Laughter) who wore used to running little industrial exhibitions. These littlo tin gods scorned not to understand their position and wished to make recommendations to Mr. Munro. 11 lie approved of them well and good, if be didn’t approve that ended the matter (Laughter). Naturally there was dissatisfaction amongst them and Mr. Allen, one of the commissioners, came up to Wellington to interview Ministers. Mr. Gray also came up to see them- (Mr Gray, “No”). Then Sir Joseph Ward went down to Christchurch and looked into the whole matter, but be did not sack Mr. Munro. Mr, Hall-Jones also went down and be, too, investigated, but lie didn’t sack Mr. Munro. Mr. Gray: Mr. Munro stays at your hotel. Mr. Rutherford: So does Sir Joseph Ward (Laughter). So does Mr HallJones, so do all the distinguished visitors stay at mv hotel. (Loud laughter). However, these Ministers investi--ated the matter, but they did not sack Mr. Munro, .because these little tin gods (Laughter) were in the wrong and not Mr. Munro. Then.they had a decoration committee which ordered a large quantity of art muslin for festooning the interior of the building. The representatives of insur-

anee companies objected to this, and would not allow the committee to use it. The result was that they were left with fifteen miles of muslin on their hands (Laughter). Then the Christchurch committee wanted an enormous orchestra,but Mr. Munro, who was an astute man of business, said

it would not pay. He wanted an orchestra of 20 performers. (An lion, member “two fiddlers and a harp”) (Laughter). In a moment of weakness Sir Joseph Ward gave way, and

a lot of money was lost through those wretched musicians. The Government paid them £6 a week, whereas Messrs. ‘Williamson and Musgrove could get their services for £2 or £3 a week. “Now,” added tli© lnembej for Hurunui, “whatever would

have happened if the tin gods had had the running of the whole show.” (Laughter). Mr. Munro, he said, had earned the credit of the colony in reducing the loss on the Exhibition to £50,000 or £60,000.