CO-OPERATION OF THE GOVERNMENT.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 322, 5 December 1888, Page 4

CO-OPERATION OF THE GOVERNMENT.

The Government have accepted the terms offered by Mr Twopeny on behalf of the Exhibition directors, and promise w cairy them out in a liberal spirit and spare no exertions to make the Exhibition a national triumph. They prefer, however, to give a grant according to the architect's estimate of the cost of the building to hold the national collection and picture galleries, instead of building themselves, and Mr Twopeny has promised that the guarantee fund shall be raised to £15,00./, in consideration of the importance which the scheme has now taken. Ministers will write to the Agent-General and Earl Onslow to-day re the picturess,aud also communicate immediately with the Victorian Government?-e the terms on which they are lent to Melbourne. Sir Dillon Bell will be directed to spate no effort to get pictures and make the most of the Exhibition at Home, in order to induce European visitors. Mr Twopeny has a new idea for adding an aquarium of New Zealand ti&h to the Exhioition in order to promote the fishing industry, but will make no official announcement on the subiecc until he has inquired into the probable cost of carrying it out. With regard to the financial aspect of thejundertakingMrTwopeny recognises that the expenses of the Company will be considerably increases by the larger importance the Exhibition has assumed as an official celebration of the fiftieth anniversary, but he is confident the Company \\ 111 be insured beforehand against greater loss than five or six thousand by the patriotic taking of two guinea season tickets, irrespective ,of whether they will be used to their full extent or not. He says the rest of the colony does not yet appreciate what Otago is capable of once she recognised an occasion worthy of a great effort, and dwells upon the interest the wo/king classes aie taking in the scheme, believing that many of them who can ill afford it will take season tickets from sheer public spirit. Sir H. A. Atkinson was much taken with the popular nature of the undertaking, but whilst lecognising the desirability of keepIng the financial control in the hands of a small directorate of business men, has impressed upon Mr Twopeny the necessity of fully ;a,Qd faithfully carrying out Mr Roberta's, announcement, that directors would act in ,aU matters together with the Chairman of the Committee, and thinks ibis body should contain a Parliamentary

representative and be made the most important power in the Exhibition,corresponding to an official Commissioner and bearing that title. The Government will probably ask Dr. Hocken bo organise the Early History Department in conjunction with Special Commiss oners all over the colony. Mr Twopeny says his mission has really been a very easy one, as theground had been largoly prepared tor him by the Government. Mes&rs Oliver and Fergus and Sir William Jervois took the main interest in the proposal from tho first, and Mr Oliver wrote to Sir H. Atkinson I privately whilst Mr Fergus communicated ! enthusiasm fco his colleagues, and the popular origin and methods ot the scheme nit Sir li. Atkinson's taste ; the whole Cabinet beinjr in thorough accord that this Exhibition was just tho thing to give the colony a fresh si art. Thu " Evciing -Pos-t " contains a favourable in tide upun tho development of the pioposal.