Centennial - growth of New Zealand identity

Cabinet briefing paper

Use the feature The New Zealand Centennial, 1940 and your own knowledge and ideas to help you complete the following activity.

When the Second World War broke out in Europe in September 1939, the question of postponing the Centennial Exhibition aroused heated debate among the public and in Parliament.

You are an adviser working in the Department of Internal Affairs in October 1939. You have been asked to write a paper so that the minister in charge of the centennial, Bill Parry, can give Cabinet information to support a decision to proceed with the exhibition in November, despite the outbreak of the war.

Your task is to summarise the key arguments for and against proceeding with the exhibition by:

a. outlining at least three advantages of proceeding with the exhibition

b. outlining at least three disadvantages of proceeding with the exhibition

c. advising Cabinet, in no more than 100 words, why the arguments for proceeding with the exhibition outweigh those supporting its cancellation:

• Cabinet will expect you to give answers to some tricky questions raised by those who might disagree with your advice.
• More importantly, Cabinet will look for material that explains the decision to the general public.