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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TIC.O. 885

6

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

PARIS EXHIBITION

OF 1900.

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Sir John Forrest.] But we have to pay duty on them.

Sir Hugh Nelson.] I think they admit some of our goods.

Sir John Forrest.] No; I think not.

Sir Hugh Nelson.] I do not think that there is any duty on wool, for instance.

Sir John Forrest.] Is there not?

Mr. Kingston.] We exhibited at Paris before with, practically, no result. Sir Gordon Sprigg.] We exhibited 17 years ago. We are quite prepared to go now; in fact, we have incurred expense already. We are preparing for it this year.

We intend, certainly, to join the exhibition..

Sir Hugh Nelson.] They charge very low freights by the vessels running to Marseilles.

Sir John Forrest.] They will have all the trade soon; they will take it for nothing.

Mr. Kingston.] Who will have the trade?

Sir John Forrest.] The German and the French boats will take it for nothing if they cannot get the price they want.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] What is the position, Mr. Chairman, may I ask? The Secretary of State.] Well, it is this; if you intend to join, then the Commissioners. only thing to be done is to be good enough to name your

We will appoint a Royal Commission. If you do not intend to join it will lead to further complications.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] As far as Canada is concerned, we certainly will join.

The Secretary of State.] You will join?

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.] Oh, yes.

Sir William Whiteway.] If there is a general unanimity of action my Colony would join also.

Mr. Seddon.] My view of the matter is that there has been a departure from the arrangements proposed, and to which the Colonies, I think, almost unanimously agreed. We were to show as an Empire. It was upon that that the despatch was sent from the Imperial authorities; it was on that basis that we agreed to exhibit, and the French Government have altered that by their proposals to limit us to a place allotted only to the British Colonies. I should say it would be a miserable exhibition if you only have exhibits from some of the Colonies alone. It would be a waste of time for the representatives of the Colonies to go there to see their own exhibits set out specially. It would, therefore, be a very great pity if they attempt, as I understand is proposed in the resolution, to interfere with the arrangement first proposed, that the Empire and its Colonies should show as an Empire. I understood that for that purpose we were to be allotted one of the wings right across the bridge.

*

Sir George Turner.] We have all one court, I understand.

The Secretary of State.] Yes.

Mr. Seddon.] It is an entire departure from the original proposal when they wanted us to sbow as an Empire, As I say, we have an interest and a wish to show as an Empire, but it is useless to go, as was the case on the last occasion, when there was an exhibition in France, and spend considerable sums of money, and receive no benefit at all. We wish to show the products of the Empire. That is an advantage to us; otherwise it is not. I say for New Zealand, unless some alteration is made we shall not take part.

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Mr. Reid.] I should like to be considered at present as taking part, because PARIS EXHIBITION

gave an assurance to the French Consul to that effect, which I should have some difficulty in getting away from now.

Sir Hugh Nelson.] We have not withdrawn either, but we do not want to go to a bigger expense in preparing exhibits.

The Secretary of State.] I quite agree with Mr. Seddon that it is a change from what was proposed, but we must bear in mind that we were obliged to make the proposal on our own authority and initiative. It was my own idea. I very much desired that there should be an exhibition of the Empire as a We desired whole, and I have done everything in my power to secure that.

a large space in the main buildings, having regard to the demands for our own products and for those of our own Colonies.

Sir John Forrest.] Then we will have too big a display.

The Secretary of State.] Then we will not put up the building. However, what I propose to do, after hearing to-day your views, is this-It is to report that certain Colonies will exhibit on French conditions, and certain other Colonies will not exhibit except as a whole. I do not know, but I am afraid they are not the sort of nation to give way. Still, we shall have done all that could be done.

Sir John Forrest.] We are all unanimous about this, I think, that we can make a fine display if we all pull together.

(A plan of the proposed exhibition was here exhibited.)

The Secretary of State.] The buildings proposed to be erected are just across the side (pointing to map)-the one for the French Colonies and the other for the British Colonies.

Sir E. N. C. Braddon.] That is the same arrangement as in 1889 when the Colonies were represented.

The Secretary of State.] I think that in 1889 each Colony had a separate building. This time they proposed to put them all together. They have met us so far as they could.

Mr. Seddon.] It is on the way to the main building. It is on the principal corridor to the main building. That throws a new light upon it; but I did not understand that.

Sir E. N. C. Braddon.] It will not be in the main thoroughfare.

Mr. Reid.] But for a very important part of Paris it would be a convenient route to the main hall. As to this part over here (pointing to mop), it would be a very convenient route.

Mr. Seddon.] It is not a main thoroughfare, but a very convenient route, as I understand. That is what I was told.

Sir John Bramston.] There is (pointing to map) an embankment all the way down the river.

The Secretary of State.] At the last exhibition there were some very important exhibitions in the Trocadero.

Mr. Reid.] It seems to me a much larger one from the scale here (pointing to map), until you get over here (pointing to map).

Sir John Bramston.] I think the people would mainly come that way. The Earl of Selborne.] The trama run that way--that (pointing to map)

way.

Mr. Reid.] Do they run outside? Lord Selborne.] Oh yes, certainly.

M 4

OF 1900.