OPENING OF THE EXHIBITION AT CHRISTCHURCH.

[United Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH. April 10. This morning the weather looked gloomy and threatening. It/rained nearly all day yesterday and a little throughout the night, hut during the forenoon it cleared5 up, and the day continued fine. From a very early hour the city was astir, and despite the mud caused by the previous day's rain, it was evident that Christchurch determined to make a grand holiday. By 7 o'clock trains began to arrive from the country districts containining the contingents of Friendly and Trades Societies, in most cases bearing banners, and in many accompanied by bands of music. The march of these through the Btreets created a gooddeai of stir. Very soon after eight o'clock signs of the procession forming were apparent, and at nine o'clock the streets were getting crowded. Platforms had been erected in several places, and every window along the line of march ,of the procession was occupied. At a quarter past ten o'clock certainly not less than four thousand people were assembled in the streets and the buildings along the processional line, and in every, direction bands of music were to he heard'playing, the effect being occasionally rather confusing. Mr Leahy, the chief marshal of tho procession, mounted on an imposing charger, was attired in the uniform of the 35th. Dragoon Guards as represented in " Patience," and he performed his arduous duties in an extremely satisfactory manner. The order and number of the procession was as iollows (it was about a mile and a quarter long):— The Austrian Band Plasterers, with working group .. 50 Bricklayers, with banner .. .. 60 Hibernian Band Hibernians, in regalia, with banner .. 175 Butchers, mounted .. ...... 50 Carpenters and Joiners, with banners and working group and a waggon 50 Ashburton Band Druids, in regalia 100 Tailors, with banner 50 Sons of Temperance, in regalia .. 80 Lyttelton Band Oddfellows, in regalia with banners .. 500 Protestant Band Orangemen, in regalia with banners „ 450 Protestant Alliance, in regalia „ ,50 Laborers Union, with banner.. .. 40 Stonemasons, with banner, and lorry, with masons at work .. „ 60 Carriers, with lorry laden with goods, and also with two vans similarly loaded 20 Saddlers, with banner 60 Ironworkers, with two banners and lorry containing working group .. 300 Good Templars, English Constitution, in regalia .. 40 Maori Good Templars, English Consti- j tution, in regalia 70 Mounted Foresters „ .. .. 4 Foresters Band foresters, in regalia with two banners and eight bannerettes .. .. 400 Good Templars, American Constitution, in regalia .. .. .. 200 Railway Fire Brigade, with steamer Pioneer 200 Hook and Ladder Company Christchurch Volunteer Fire Brigade, with steamer "Extinguisher," hand-engine "Dreadnought;" and steamer " Deluge " .. .. 40 Brickmakers Union, with two lorries bearing working groups .. .. 71 Timaru Band Timaru Ballastmen .. .. „ 40 Leatherworkers, headed by St. Crispin, on horseback .. .. „ 20 Navvies .. .. .. .. .. SO Milkmen, with banners .. „30 At the Exhibition, shortly after nine o'olock, two detachments of E Battery of Artillery, under Lieutenant Hill, took up their position with two twenty-four pounder howitzorg. in the Park, on the south-east of the Building, They were quickly followed by the various Volunteer Oomr>ani6B who had been paraded to take part in tho day's military ceremonies, headed by the Artillery Band. They at once marched into the Building, and took up their respective positions. The High School Cadefca were allotted the place of horor en the right of the line at the daiß. The remaining corpß 1 boing marched up, formed two daep with ) their ranks facing inwards from the left of the ' Cadets to the entrance to tie Art Gallery. They were the E Battery of Artillery (50), under Licute. Strange and Hill; 'tho Battery of Artillery, from Oaaiaru (40), mder Captain Creagh and Lieut: Rice; the Ashburton Rifles (35), under Lieut. Findley, of Temuka, in tho absence of auy Ashburton officers ; the Temuka Rifles (40), under Captain Young and Sub-Lieut. White; and the Lyttelton Naval Brigade (50), under Lieut. M'Lean. Outside the Building, to the left of tho main entrance, a Guard of Honor of the Blue Jaokets arid Marines of H.M.S. Miranda, supported on their left by the .Oamaru Rifles and Christchurch City Guardr, were posted. The promoton, Messrs Joubert and Twopenny, with his Worship tho Mayor (who wore his chain of offioe), and the members of the City Council, awaited the arrival of his Excellency the Governor. At the main entrance, a?; tho hour for the opening drew noar, the crowd outside the building became largely augmented, tho treeß in the Park and every available spot being used as a vantage ground, from which to witness the arrival of the Queen's Representative. For Ithe preservation of order a detaohment of Armed Constabulary were present, who in connection with members of the Canterbury Yoemaniy, detached fora similar purpose^ had anything but .an enviable position. A' ifew minutes before ten o'clock the strains of he National Anthem at the north-west en-

trance of the Park notified the fatifc that the Viceregal party had entered , the carriage drivel escorted by the Canterbnry Yoemanry Cavalry. Hia Excellency and party were driven into the main entrance,, the guard of honor posted there presenting; arms' ; ; as, he passed, the Artillery firing; at the eaaietiine a salute of seventeen gunß, and the various hands playing the National Anthem. The 'Fine Arts Gallery, in whioh the opening cerembny was to take place, had meanwhile! been .densely paoked with holders of invitation and station tiokets, who wore stationed right and left of the centre passage. The members of the procession being massed in the transepts, and'their banners nicely grouped around the ootagonal dies, on whichseats were reserved for their Honors the Chief Justice and Mr Justice Johnston, the Honorables Mr Dick and Mr Johnston, membersi of the Ministry; members of Parliament; the Most Rev tho Primate; their Worships the Mayors of ; Christchurch and other Boroughs ; the members of the City and Borough. Councils; Chairmen of Koa'd Boards, and other public men, most of whom were aco'ompanied by lacließ. At the east end of the Concert Halt there had been ereoted a gallery on which before 10 o'clock most of the ladies and gentlemen who weroVtake part in the opening cantata had taken their seats. The gate through which the processionists where marched was well kept by the several corps of the volunteers, and the crowd rapidly began to fill the corridors running right and left from the dias. The bands in the meanwhile keeping up in different parts of tho building an almoßtincessant strain of music, which had a somewhat confusing effect. At eleven o'clock the Concert Hall was densely packed with a patient concourse, whose upturned faces betokened enger curiosity as to what was about to take place, and the people !in the north corridor began to grow noisy, the reason of their discontent being the; fact that a number of banners near the dias intercepted their view. The confusion had not ceased when at about ten minutes, past eleven the first gun of the salute was fired, and all eyes were turned expectantly towards the entranced The order-;' 'to " shoulder arms" indicated the inaugural ceremony was commencing, and presently the cheers of the crowd to the- strains of the •'National Anthem" proved that his.Excellency the Governor had entered the building at tho entrance. His Excellency was received by the promoters and others already named. His Excellency was accompanied by the Hon. Lady Gordon and family, and attended by Major Knollys, C.M.G., Aide-de-camp, and Mr F- P. Murray, Private Secretary. The party also included Commander Watson, E.N., and the officers of H.M.S. Miranda, the Hon. T. Dick, the-Hon.; W. Johnston, and Lieutenant-Colonel'Packe. As the party reached the dids, a little girl; Miss Duncan, daughter of the late Andrew Duncan, dressed in Highland costume, presented Lady Gordon with a choice bouquet. On his Excellency ascending the dias, the cheers were renewed, and the "National Anthem" was again played- After some little delay, during which the confusion in the north corridor continued, if anything becoming more pronounced than it had be«n, Mr Joubert came forward to read the following address :— "May it please your Excellency—The master idea of that illustrious Prince, whose every thought was for the higher education and advancement of his adopted country, has borne such abundant fruit amongst all the most civilized nations, especially in Great Britain itself, that it is now almost unnecessary to defend the principles of an International Exhibition or to point out the manifold advantages which such an undertaking offers both to the exhibitors who take part in it, and to the country in which it is held. In the industrial competition each country and each manufacturer learn to gauge their achievements and capacities, and obtain a criterion of the merits of their productions; new channels of industry and commerce are I opened up; end those already existing are widened and deepened. To a young settlement their oocial advantages in tbebringing of its traders into more direct communication with the producers of otber countries; the calling of the attention of other capitalists, traders, and working men to its products, resources, and capabilities; and Ihe opportunity afforded to the colonists in general, and more particularly to the manufacturing and artizan classes, of observing the progress of | civilization, shown in improved manufactures and new inventions. Although the Exhibition should be an aid to the revenue by causing additional railway traffio and increased consumption of dutiable goods, we venture to claim that its ultimate advantage? to the Colony and people of New Zealand will bear comparison with those which Victoria and New South Wales hava purchased at a cost of over a quarter of a million apiece; nnd that independent of the temporary stimulus whioh the presence of so many visitors must give to the trade of Chrisfchuroh, this Exhibition will be follows iby an era of prosperity similar to that which is now bo conspicuous, not only at Sydney ard Melbourne, where the Exliibitions were carried out by the Government, but more particularly in Adelaide and Western Australia, where we initiated Exhibitions on the co-operative system. Tho buildings in which you now stand cover an area of 4^ acres, the main structure being 678 feet long by 282 feet broad ; and we would call your Excellency's attention to the fact, that proportionately to the population of tbe city in which it is held, thu Exhibition is by far tbe largest on record. In spite of the short time allowed for preparation, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, America, China, Japan, India* and the Australian Colonies have all contributed representative Rpcoimens of such products as they are able to exchange with those of New j Zealand; while the representation of Great Britain (occupying more than one-third of the main building, and three-fourths of the machinery annexes must be gratifying to every colonist, as a proof of the estimation in which New Zealand is held in the mother country. Nor will the least interesting nor'fcion of this World display be the New Zealand Court, occupying nearly one-half of the main •• building, and exceeding in every respect any collections of the industries of a British Colony that have ev6v been gathered together. The machinery depurtmentß of the Exhibition will, we trust, prove of speaial value. To your Excellency and the Government our thanks are due for much kindly assistance, and together with the Domain Board for the loan of this beautiful site, our appreciation of which wo bavestriven to show by erecting buildings more substantial and ornamental than.was strictly neees r sary to our purpose To the Exhibition Committee is largely owing the splendid representation of New Zealand industries, and we are glad to have this opportunity of expressing our gratitude for the cordial" support we have received from the 'Mayor and City Councillors of Cbristchureh, and the ready aid that has been afforded us by all the colonists with whom we hare come in contact; more especially by the Preps, and people of Canterbury. Wo would aho beg your Excellency to convey to Commodore Erßkine our thanks, for the presence of the Captain, officers, and crew of H.M.S. Mirdnda on this occasion, and hope that he will be able to ■ carry oub his kindly expressed wish to be present in Lyttelton waters before the close of I the Exhibition. The deep intorest which the Queen has always taken in similar undertakings eleowhere has induced vs1 to follow the j custom atali.previouß exhibitions held in her Majesty's Dominions, and to aßk you to be so kind as to forward to Her Majesty the Queen

this gold medal, struck to-day within this ,rjuildin|, as a token bfthe heart-felfc loyalty, and of thn love which we all bear to our most graoioua Sovereign;" v, Ilis Excellency.replied as\followB:—; ,--■ • "; rThe benefits both material and educational conferred by exhibitions-of such, a .character as. this, which you, have organised, have been tod long and generally reoognisod for i 6 to ba necessary that I 'should now dwell on them. I know no reason "why this Exhibition held hore should prove less usefuL.than those which have preceded it in the other colonies, and I confidently anticipate that advantage will be derived not only by Ihose more immediately concerned in the undestaking, but by the Colony at large. New Zealand it i« true 'requires' no adventitious aid to secure, attention from without, the attraotionß of her climate, the fertility of her Bdil,;her mineral wealth, and the vast field she offers to agricultural, and pastoral enterprise are all well known. Nevertheless I have no doubt that many of the strangers who may repair here to, visit the Exhibition will be unprepored to find New Zealand what she is, and will bbb with surprise the' display in this building of her productions whioh you have just ■ told us;" excel in levory respect any collection of the indwatrifls.of a British colony that has ever been gathered together." On the other hand, many a man who has passed his whole life in New Zealand will be gratified and instructed by the sight of objects from distant landß,' whether natural products or articles of manufacture, on which his eyes ■might otherwise never have rested, and may j loam from what he sees here to appreciate more justly other countries and races, and to take,.a broader view of life, industry, and progress under other conditions than those, with whioh he is himßelf familiar. When the first International Exhibition was opened in 1851, the founders of the Province of Canterbury had just arrived in their new home; and had they been told that thirty years after, wards an Exhibition similar to that which drew crowds from all parts of the world would be held on these then bare and desolate plains, and that space. for their wares would be eagerly demanded in it by exhibitors from all parts of Europe, from the United States; from India, and Japan (tka latter being an empire which was jealously sealed- against, the intrusion of a single foreigner, or the egress of any of its own people), they .would have laughed to scorn what would have seenied to them but an enthusiastic vision. Yet this had come to past, and that this place should have been selected by' you as that most suitable in which to hold the first International Exhibition which has taken place in New Zealand isa proof of the wise forethought of those who planned and founded this fair city; of the energy and wisdom of those who have succeeeded them in the administration of its affairs; while it also testifies to the rapid development of the resources of the adjacent country, and the enterprise of those who have covered it with crops of grain, and made it the home of a large and industrious population. On behalf of the Colony, I bid the Foreign exhibitors and all visitors to, the Exhibition a hearty welcome; that they will be cordially received hera by the Mayor, Corporation, and citizens of Christchurch I know; and that whatever part _of the Colony to which they repair they will have ■no cause to complain of the hospitality of New Zealand, lam very confident. Ido not doubt but that they will be well pleased by what they see here, and when they return Home, it will, I believe,'be with an increased sense of the resources and the attractions of New Zealand. The energy displuyed by you as the promoters of this enterprise has boeu such as to exclude evon the thought of failure. I eincerely trust that, the bold experiment you have undertaken may bo rewarded by, in every respect, as full a measure of success as you could yourselves possibly desire. As sincerely do I hope, that the exhibitors may find that the trouble they have taken, and risk they have incurred, in bringing valuable and fragile goods here from great distances, may not'have been bestowed or encountered in vain. It will afford me much pleasure to forward to the Queen the medal just placed m my hands. I know that her Majesty takes the deepest interest; in euch enterprises as these, itiaepara-; bly a33ociated as they ever must be, with the name of the late Prince Consort. Nor will it be the less welcome to Her as coming from a Colony, the loyal congratulations of whoße people on Her recent escape from danger, she has warmly acknowledged, and will not hastily forget. I now formally declare theExhibition now open." The Christohurch Artillery Band played in excellent Btyle a very fine march, composed especially for the Exhibition, by Mr Hamilton, the.Band Master, who at the conclusion of the performance, was, at his Excellency's request, spacially presented to him, being at the same time londlv oheered by the people. Mr S. P. Andrews and other gentlemen were also presented to bis Excellency, ofier which I ho Christchurch Musical Society, assisted by the Austrian Band, performed Mendelssohn's Hymn of Praise, the length of which proved rather tiring to I he majority of thoao present. The soloa were taken by Mr Appleby, tenor, and Miss Pairhurst and Master Appleby soprana. Though the arrangement of exhibits is far from perfect, it is uaid that the Exhibition Itself is more forward tuan those held in some of the other colonies were; but owing to the emptiness of a few bays, and tho crowd of people that thronged every crevice of tho buildings, his Excellency deemed it advisable to postpone the tour of. tho buildings and inspection of the numerous exhibitors. Lady Gordon was tho recipient of two very pretty presents, one a VBry noatly and artistically arranged bouquet was presented to her by Master JJuncan, and a number of the Bootmakers Society also presented bor Ladyship with,a very handuome pair of blue velvet slippers, with white satin bows. Tha gifts were warmly acknowledged by her Ladyship. At the conclusion of the cantata, the singing of which occupied nearly an hour, his Excellency and'suite departed, escorted by the cavalry, amidst, the firing of guns and the bands playing the " National Antbem." The gold medal entrusted to his Excellency's charge for presentation to her Majesty tho Queen, is about,the size of a florin, weighing one and a quarter ounces end of 22 carat gold. On the obverse is represented tho figure ofiZealandia, standing in the midst of a cultivated plain, and bearing in her .outstretched band a wreath of laurels. Tho left hand rests upon an altar loaded with fruit and g^uin, and having tho scales of justice carved on its side. Around thio obverse are insoribed "New Zealand International Exhibition, 1882." On the revorse is a blank surrounded by a floral dories to receive the names of the recipient. !: ':' '■,_^,,-;;J::. ■. ■'■■: '".' ..'.■•.■■ >.':. . Altogether the opening ceremony was a decided success, and. no sucH turn- ?out'"na's probably; ever been witnessed in the Colony before. It is at present impossible to attempt' ;any description of the Exhibition itself, as nearly half the exhibits are yet unpacked; Many bays are entirely! unoccupied, and scarcely any are in perfect working order.1 The display, however, bids fan* to be a very fine one indeed, and visitors a week or ten days hence will see it to perfection. The official catalogue is by no means complete. Canterbury.and Otagojseem to hold by along way the first place in the list of New Zealand exhibits.' -' ; - ■