Governor-General speaking at the Centennial Exhibition

Part of the speech by Governor-General Lord Galway opening the Centennial Exhibition in Wellington, 1939.

Transcript

Today the opening of this exhibition marks the eve of New Zealand's arrival at maturity. The exhibition will present a clear, unified and comprehensive picture of a century of modern progress and civilisation. So far as has been possible, the past has been depicted to give an understanding of the present as we find it today, and by means of this evolution outline, will, it is hoped, give some idea of the possible future.

Apart from its educative value, this exhibition will serve as a happy meeting ground for people from town and country, for friends from far and near, the producer and consumer, and of providing to each an opportunity of an enlightened recognition of their identity of interest and mutual interdependence. It will give us an excellent opportunity of meeting people from overseas and at the same time give those people an opportunity of learning something of our conditions of life and of appreciating our various problems.

I hope that all who visit this exhibition will make a careful study of everything on view. If they do, they cannot not fail to leave it feeling proud of their Centennial Exhibition, and of those who were responsible for it. And at the same time, bear in mind the part which they themselves will play in their country's future, convinced that only by close co-operation and collaboration between all interests: between primary producers and secondary producers, between employers and employees, between master and man, and by mutual harmony and sympathetic outlook, can they hope to enhance the credit of New Zealand in the eyes of the world and to achieve that happiness and contentment in life which we all seek.