A MATTER OF £.S.D.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3802, 12 April 1913, Page 8

A MATTER OF £.S.D.

GISBORNE’S E EPRESENTATIOX AT THE AUCKLAND EXHIBITION THE QUESTION FURTHER DiSCUSSED. DISTRICT TO HAVE A BAY. NOTE OK. CAUTION SOUNDED. A further meeting of delegates and citizens was held at the Council Chambers yesterday afternoon to further consider the matter of the proposed Poverty Bay representation at the exhibition to-be held at Auckland, beginning in December next. His Worship the Mayor (Mr \Y. Pot tie) presided, and there were present: Messrs J. R. Kirk, John Townley, Cl. K. Pasley, Thorne George, S. 8. Dean, Mainland Foster, I’. H. Lawton, W. F. Cederwall, Jex-Blake, J .B. Kells, D. J. Barry, J. Broun, J. R. Redstone, and George Smith. The Mayor said that the meeting was practically a continuation of the previous meeting, and the correspondence from the Auckland executive had come to hand. Mr W. Hamilton Irvine read tJ I o following letter which he had received from the' Exhibition executive :—- Cost of a Court. “T am pleased to hear at last that you a:'" making a move in reference to starting a Provincial Court. .1 am enclosing a circular letter addressed to Presidents of Chambers of Commerce which you can read and use for your own information. Most of the provinces will be taking a space of 60ft x L'Oft, which at 2s per square foot will cost the district £l2O. As legislation will be J made for the local bodies authoris- | ing them to contribute towards j courts there should be very little ! difficulty in your district collecting j sufficient t-o carry- out the court j successfully. As will be seen from i my circular letter. I estimate about £SOO to £6OO should be sufficient, i By the rules and regulations, the j date of applications closing is to- j day (April 1). However, as there ! are a number of the oversell exhibitors not yet applied, also the Got- ' eminent, no doubt my executive will have to extend the time, so j I can only advise you to get to ; work at once with a view to mak- j ing a first-class exhibit worthy of ! the Gisborne! district. Your court would embrace a first-class exhibit of grain, root crops, wool, canning, and various other things better known to yourself. The court could be further embellished by photographs and water colors, and say for the centrepiece you could have a model of the Cook Monument. We anticipate the provincial courts will be a feature of the exhibition. If there is any further information that I can give you, I ; will he pleased to do so. T would j suggest that your committee apply, i for the space at once, making a | small deposit, and paying in the '. balance as soon as collected in the j district.” ! .

A circular letter, similar to that received by the Chamber of Commerce some time ago, was read, and also a letter from the Napier Borough Conned, suggesting co-operation between the two towns. Results of the Canvas. Mr F. H. Lawton, "on behalf of the special committee, reported that a canvas had been made, in addition to Messrs Cederwall, Pasley, and h'oster, who would speak for their own firms, guarantees or promises of exhibits had been received from Mr George Smith, Common, Shelton and Co.. W. D. Lysnnr, the Loan Company, and D. J. Barry.' Further conversational discussion followed, and His Worship remarked that the question had resolved itself into one of pounds, shillings, and pence. What the meeting had to do was to-consider whether it was competent to go on with the matter on the data they had on hand. Mr Dean asked if the Borough Council would contribute anything to the fund.

The Mayor said he could not, of course, pledge the Council, but it was likely that the Council would give a donation.

The Mayor went on to state that an individual canvas might be made. Mr Barry said that about 12 feet space would probably suit him, and he would like to join in with the others if it was for the district’s gbod.

Mr Kells said that the Advertisement would be for the good of the district as a whole, and it-was. not fair to expect that private exhibitors should bear/anything like the cost of the whole exhibit.

Mr Barry pointed out that it would be a costly matter for even a private exhibitor, who, if the thing was done properly, would have to provide a man to' look after the exhibit, etc. •Mr Barry said he was prepared to give £25 towards the cost of the Bay for the space for his personal exhibit. Mr Kells said that that amount-was his limit, too.

Space at a Premium. Mr Kirk said that he had noticed by an article in' a newspaper that it. was proposed to keep the trades exhibits separate, and it was for the district to find whether the trade displays could be included -in the district’s display. Was the movement sufficiently ‘advanced to warrant the bringing down of an exhibition organiser? . . The Mayor said it . w-as fairly clear as to whether the district would be liable f<fr any space they secured if an exhibit was not finally made.

Mr Cederwall raised the question that space would not go begging, even at this late moment, for the

exhibition authorities were now considering the matt eh of providing extra accommodation. A Matter of Prudence, Mr Cedenvall moved that the Gisborne district be represented at the exhibition, and that space of 20ft by 60ft (frontage) should bo secured. He took it- that this meant committal to an expenditure of. £l2O. Mr D. J. Barry seconded the motion. The Mayor said it was a matter of prudence, and it was to be decided who was responsible for the expenditure if the project failed—would it bo those present? Mr J. R. Kirk suggested affirming the principle of being represented, and appointing a committee to obtain the guarantees. Mr Cederwall: “Why he weak about it? Get on" at once. My firm will want at least four months to prepare an exhibit.” The Mayor’s Suggestion, The Mayor said lie had a motion to suggest, ilt was on the linos that ; the meeting should affirm that the j Gisborne district should be ropresentiod at the Auckland exhibition, and | that active steps should be taken to ] secure guarantees from exhibitors, i before anything definite was decided i on ', j The Mayor pointed out that the ! County Councils, the A. and P. Assoi eiution, and the Chamber pf ComI mcrce could practically he relied on | for financial assistance, j Mr Cederwall asked if it was not •! a fact- that Poverty Bay committed j itself to space at the Auckland Exj hibition, failed with an exhibit, and | withdrew ? Mr Townley said the withdrawal' I was made after the deposit had been j forfeited. j Messrs Cederwall and Barry agreed I to alter their motion to this :>• ■■ ‘That ! Gisborne should bo represented at the | Auckland Exhibition.” j Tliis motion was put and carried ' unanimously. Executive Committee Appointed. The Mayor, in reply to Mr Cederwall, said the position now was that it had been decided to exhibit, but not to secure, space until a more decided guarantee of support was forthcoming. The Mayor moved that an interim executive committee should be appointed to promptly take steps to ascertain what support would be forthcoming from exhibitors, public bodies and private subscribers, and report to a meeting within a fortnight, the secretary meantime to obtain further information. Mr Kirk seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. The committee formed comprised the Mayor, Messrs Barry, Cederwall. Dean, Townley, Kirk, and R. D. B. Robinson, in addition to the old committee (Messrs Kells, Lawton, Parsley, George, and Dean).