THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8084, 14 April 1906, Page 2

THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

LACK OF INTEREST. There was only a very small attendance at the meeting convened by the Mayor of New Plymouth on Thursday evening at New Plymouth, Inglewood ami Stratford alone being represented. The chair was occupied by Mr R, Cock, Mayor of New Plymouth. Apologies were received from Mr G. V. Tate, chairman of tho Taranaki County Council, and Mr H. Trimble, chairman of the Moa Road Board. The chairman staled that he had had a letter from Mr Bobbins, Mayor of Hawera, stating that he expected to be present. Mr King (Stratford) said he had simply come to gain information. Stratford had received no information as yet, the travelling Commissioner having, apparently, considered Stratford of insufficient importance to warrant a visit. Under these circumstances he was not going to commit his Council at all.

Mr Percivale (Inglewood) remarked that lie was in exactly the same position, adding, however, that his Council seemed very favorably disposed towards united action being taken to have Ihe province properly represented. Ho remarked, also, that tlunMoa Road Board's chairman seemed of the same mind.

Mr Cock suggested that the financial failure of the recent New Plymouth Exhibition might have had a prejudicial, effect upon Tarauaki folks with regard to exhibitions generally. It would be little short of a calamity, however, if Taranaki were not represented at the Internatio ml Exhibition, which seemed to offer great ad,casing possibilities. Taranaki could, he thought, make up a very interesting cxhijit, showing the progress of the district by means of diagrams and models.

Mr Bedford (secretary) remarked that there was no time to Ipso. Entries would close, at the end of the present month. Ho thought the district should be represented by exhibits of butter, cheese, coal from Mokau, li'onsmid (includiug Mr E. M. Smith's collection of implements manufactured from it), petroleum, gold from the Kaitaki ranges, and so forth. Mr King added that views of Mount Egmont, of the Mokau, and other beauty spots, might bo exhibited in order to give some idea of our local attractions for tourists. Then, again, he doubted if any other town in the colony could produce exhibits of woodwork equal to those shown by New Plymouth firms at the lato New Plymouth Exhibition. He was of opinion that there was yet time to arrange for a Taranaki court.

No action was taken, except in asking the secretary to notify the Exhibition authorities that the district will not bo represented as a province.