FOSTERING SELF-RELIANCE.”

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3227, 25 May 1911, Page 2

FOSTERING SELF-RELIANCE.”

WELLINGTON INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION. A COMPREHENSIVE DISPLAY. [PEE PEESS ASSOCIATION..! WELINGTON, May 24. The Industrial Exhibition promoted by the Welingtou Industrial Association opened this afternoon in beautiful weather, and in the presence of a large number of people. The display is being held! in two of the Harbor Board’s brick stores, and 1 contains a very coniplete collection of products, the principal industries of the country. The object of the Association is to foster a spirit of self-reliance, and so make New Zealand as self-contained as possible. Some of the leading firms and manufacturing houses throughout the country have, made striking displays. _ A huge space on the top floor of one building has been set aside as a stadium for athletic games. The first sports meeting will 'be held to-night, and boxing and other tournaments will be arranged for later dates.

Mr Ballinger, the president, in his opening said that it was the largest industrial exhibition yet held' in the Dominion. Manufacturers-from all parts of New Zealand! were exhibiting, and practically every industry of any importance was irepaesnted. New Zealand was one- of the finest countries in the world, and 1 one of the most richly endowed in mineral wealth, yet she could not claim to be anything like selfsupporting. Importations occupied by far too great a part in New Zealand’s trade. There was something wrong with a young contry like this when a falling away in industries was shown. Last year the increase in the number of factories was only 262, whereas for the preceding two years the average increase of factories was 622. He hoped legislatons visiting the exhibition would realise the necessity and great importance of doing all in their power to promote, foster, and encourage productive industries. As the Association preached self-reliance, it also practised it. . No Government subsidy had been asked for, the undertaking being entirely guaranteed by local citizens. ■Speeches are also to be delivered by the Hon. J. 'Carroll, Acting-Premier, and the Mayor of Wellington. The exhibition will be open for ten weeks.

DETAILS OF THE BUILDINC. VARIOUS ATTRACTIONS DESCRIBED. Later. Tile Coronation Industrial Exhibition which was opened this afternoon, is being held in J and W harbor sbed»s, the former being 269 ft by 74ft, and the latter 240 ft by 93ft. The aggregate floor space is therefore 75,492 square feet. Practically all the exhibits are produced or manufactured in New Zealand, the object of the exhibition being to advertise the wonderful resources of the country, exhibits 1 being forthcoming from every province. The number of stalls is 140. Other features are an art gallery, comprising collectively over 400 works of art; a concert hall seating 1000, and sports stadium measuring 240 ft by *BBft, which also includes a skating rink and bowling green, and lias seating accommodation alone for over 1000. The New Zealand Government has exhibits frcpi several Departments, and the Education Board is showing pupi's’ works. One building is lighted by electricity and the other by gas, botli on extensive scales. In the various stalls is exhibited a sample of practically every article produced in the Dominion. The working exhibits include a steam' laundry and electrical appliances. A number of fine stationary models include one valued at £6OO, the property of the Union Company, and one complete. in every detail of a Dawson suspension bridge. ' The exhibition will remain open until July 29th.

“A COMMERCIAL STOCKTAKING

RE AT ARKS BY HON. J. CARROLL

In in address at the opening of the exhibition, Air. Ballinger, the president, said that the exhibition was the largest of its sort ever held in New Zealand. Manufacturers from all parts were exhibiting, and such exhibitions should do much to assist them. There was -however, something wrong for last year ythe-increase in factories was far below That of the previous year. The Government had appointed Air. Cameron to visit all the principal towns to inquire into b the condition of the iron trade, which \ya.s reported to be in a languishing condition. No Government sub-sidy-had been asked for and the undertaking was guaranteed 1 by the public spiritedness of the citizens. The last exhibition in 1896, produced a profit of £1,643, of which £1,500 was handed over to the Technical school. Floor space in this one was more than double that of the last. Air Wilford, the Alayor, congratulated the Association on the completeness of the display, and' on the arrangements 'made for holding indoor sports which were on a scale never before attempted in Wellington. The fine .building in which they stood was, one of the evidences of the city’s progress, which had gone on in. other directions also. _ Wellington was now shown by statistics to be the healthiest city in. Australasia, and its capital value bad sprung in 10 years from over nine millions to over seventeen.. *

The Hon. J. Carroll, who met with a hearty reception, formally declared the exhibition open. Exhibitions be described as, a kind of stocktaking of the produce of the commercial world. ,He congratulated the citizens on 'the amount of work they had put into this exhibition, and itis success. He gave a number of! statistics of the progress of industries, both in the Dominion and in Wellington, and went to say that the outlook here from the employment point

of view appeared at present to compare most favorably with that -cf the pas t 5 years. Hundreds of new arrivals had been absorbed!, and the approaching winter promised to be a favorable one, and he had! every reason to believe that the outlook for the country was brighter and better than for the last 2 years.