The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1926. THE EXHIBITION AND AFTER.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1926. THE EXHIBITION AND AFTER.

A recent visitor to New Zealand interested in 11 10 trade <d the Empire, who visited the Exhibition at Ouneiiin in liis travels, lias suggested that some organisation should he created now to follow up the good the Exltibition is doing as an advertisement foi trading. The Exhibition so distinctly creditable in many res poets, has among other things, placed the South Island deiiuitely on the map. The trend of events has Icon rather to the glorification of tile North Island, with the result that the South Island lias been losing population and not standing in the same national favor as the North Island. The South Island has been proving its worth at the- Exhibition whereof the provincial courts of Southhind and Canterbury take pride of place. If the Exhibition period ho taken as a beginning of a new era for the South Island, it will he for fhe people to bestir themselves and follow up the good influences created in n practical way. The resources of our country have teen well displayed and the advertisement .should 'not rest there. Trade should he pushed more than it- is. by seeking to give New Zealand goods a greater proforemo with our own people. The slogan of buying New Zealand goods should ho translated more definitely into practice. Some organisation is necessary to formulate a definite .scheme and to see that it is promoted and pushed in all quarters of the Dominion. It

is essential too, with travel and transport, that now the habit of coming south has been acquired by the North Island folk, the tourist attractions of this Island should he kept more prominently before our own people. While we are apt to look to Australia and further afield for tourist and holidaymakers to come this wav, we must recognise, as the Exhibition period lias made plain, that New Zealanders are ready to travel a great deal once they are given the inducement and opportunity. The New Zealand Railways will have learned a good deal under that heading for they have seen the volume of traffic created by suitable special trains day and night making their way to Dunedin. A careful arrangement of cheap fares from one end of New Zealand to another at the right time of the year suggests that the enterprise would be well rewarded. On the Coast here we should not ho out of the picture, We should lie linked up with such a scheme. In prewar days, the Railway Department was disposed to cater on the lines indicated for holiday jaunts to the Cold Lakes. There should be the move hero to have reasonable privileges of a like nature extandted to the Westland railway section, and there is no doubt much additional traffic would result. With regard to both trade and traffic much good should arise by using the experience aright derived from the present interest shown in the Dunedin Exhibition. Some such organisation as til© Progress League might take up the matter. It is possible to derive funds from the local bodies, and with the right class of material very useful propaganda work could he carried out effectively. New Zoaland is wonderfully .self-contained in the matter of its manufactures, and l>v proper organisation, and publicity much more can he done to secur.3 a greater vogue for New Zealand made goods. The increase of trade would be the best way of overcoming any possible slump, and the extra wealth created would remain in the country to add to the general prosperity. jp would he

a most useful method of helping ourselves.