The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) MONDAY, 17th. SEPT. 1923. FAITH IN OURSELVES.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 September 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) MONDAY, 17th. SEPT. 1923. FAITH IN OURSELVES.

Tub coining Exhibition affords the opportunity for the district demonstrating faith in itself. For long years Westland has hankered as it has hungered for tile completion of through .railway connection. That has been attained now, and very soon will be in complete use. To celebrate this all important event in the history of the Coast, the Exhibition has been promoted. The Exhibition is designed to advertiso the district. The advertisement is necessary as a means to attract people, and being attracted, to do something more than rouse their curiosity—interest them specially in the foitunes of the place. The people who had faith in the district which sustained the unbroken agitation for the. railway over so long a period of years, to be consistent, must transfer their faith and their confidence now to the Exhibition project. The proposal lias now taken definite shape. It is altogether satisfactory that the outsiders who see in the occasion an opportunity for business expansion, are supporting the undertaking so well in the matter of buying show space. There is trade to lie done nt an Exhibition 1 by tuose who show the necessary enterprise. This is a point which local people are rather prone to overlook or not to recognise. Before it is too late* they should realise the possibilities for pushing local trade, and taking advantage of the great influx of vistors, prepared to cater for the possible trade where the vistiors will most congregate. Those exhibiting will be dealing with cash customers solely, so that there should be a good deal of ready money in stall holding. Our business people should show faith in themselves and not permit trading possibilities at the Exhibition to be monopolised entirely by the more enterprising visitors. In the same way the general public should show a sustained interest in the fortunes of the big show —for it will lie a display of very large proportions. The whole project is now well launched, and seems to lx* growing in importance as the weeks go by. It is being realised that the event will lx* one of the most important, if not the most important, in the history of the Coast. Its magnitude is shown by flic fact that Exhibitors will come from nil parts of the Dominion. Visitors, too, will How in from all parts of New Zealand and also from overseas. ‘I be success of the important undertaking is therefore so promising, that all can afford to take an interest in the event, and by overt* means in their power seek to add to the importance of the event in every way possible. There are those who were not greatly enamoured with the project at one stage. Objections and difficulties are being overcome successfully, and there is now the call for that unity of support and practical interest which will help to make tho assurance of ultimate success, doubly sure. The project is being splendidly supported from the outside, and there should now be every help from within. The ultimate advantages to he gained by the district will well repay tho effort which the occasion calls forth and realising that fact, there should now lie no holding back on the part of tho local public, who can afford best of all to encourage the promoters in every way, and avoid any attitude which might- he calculated to detract from the possibilities of success. The event calls for whole hearted support, and as the district usually co-operates in all its undertakings very heartily, the present should not lie any exception. Our community has an enviable reputation as regards unity of action, arid there is nil occasion tor the fullest play of that spirit of unity of action and good endeavour for a common purpose—the pronounced success of the Exhibition.