"INSTRUCT AND EDUCATE”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 404, 12 July 1928, Page 13

"INSTRUCT AND EDUCATE”

PURPOSES OF EXHIBITION OPENING BY MAYOR “The promoters of the exhibition have several objects in view. The most important is to instruct and educate the public by giving information as to the vast potentialities of the wonderful district in which it is our privilege to live. A tour of this exhibition will show the great development of the primary industries, and the no less great development of the secondary industries,’* said Mr. J. A. C. Allum, co-president, at the official opening of the show yesterday. “We all have a general idea of the vast development of the primary industries in the province and I leave it to the Hon. Mr. McLeod to give you the comparative statistics,” he added. “I will content myself by drawing attention to the great development in the secondary industries in the Auckland Province by quoting the following comparative figures for the years 1916 and 1926. Number of Establishments 1916. 1926. Dominion .. .. 4,670 4,791 Auckland .. .. 1,236 1,429 Number of Employees Dominion .. .. 57,823 81,706 Auckland .. .1 16,507 26,807 Salaries and Wages Paid Dominion .. .. £6,653,804 £16,876,881 Auckland .. .. 1.515.22 S 5,637,377 Value Of Manufactures Dominion .. .. £45,454,108 £84.792,434 Auckland .. .. 12,691,991 28,017,766 “These figures show not only the tremendous increase in the value of manufactures in the Auckland Province, but also show that an increasing percentage of the whole Dominion’s manufactures are produced in this province. For many years our Southern friends have enjoyed the benefits of cheap hydro-electricity, and it is only in recent years that any electric supply at all has been generally available throughout the Auckland Province. I confidently anticipate that when Arapuni is operating more large industries will be established here.

“Then we seek to amuse, and we sincerely hope that visitors will not only find much of interest in the many excellent exhibits, but that they will also enjoy the various entertainments. As in former years, special attention has been given to the needs of the children. “GET TOGETHER”

“Last, but by no means least, we look to these exhibitions to bring the primary and secondary producers into close touch. In all these exhibitions there has been a partnership between the A. and P. Association and the Manufacturers’ Association, and 1 can safely claim that nowhere else in the Dominion is there such understanding and goodwill between the two interests. “To-day is the day of amalgamation of interests, both private and national, and every State is doing its utmost to be self-supporting and to sell the maximum and buy the minimum. RURAL DEVELOPMENT “We are told to-day that there is much money waiting for investment but that owing to the attendant risk it is not available for rural development, and I am looking forward to the time when our Government will adopt a policy which will enable investors to lend money for such purposes through some central organisation, such as is done in other countries. It has often occurred to me that, instead of granting assisted passages to adults, our Government might make arrangements with the Imperial Government for orphans to be sent out to orphanages established in this country, instead of as at present being sent to orphanages in Britain itself.” MR. MASSEY’S SPEECH Mr. W. W. Massey, co-president of the show, said that an attempt had been made to introduce new material to the show to make it more interesting to the public. The exhibition would show the benefit of the visit to Australia by the secretary and the manager. “Things certainly have turned the corner,” he said, speaking of the economic position, and he thought the country could look forward to better times. He added a word of warning. Auckland must keep up with scientific methods and modern improvements or it would find itself left behind in the race of progress. The show was fulfilling a useful function in bringing new things to the notice of the public. MINISTER’S CONGRATULATIONS The Hon. A. D. McLeod spoke on rural questions, reported elsewhere, and he concluded by congratulating those engaged in the secondary industries on the splendid progress being made in the province as indicated by the figures quoted by Mr. Allum. Tho Mayor. Mr. George Baildon, declared the exhibition open.