THE PROPOSED EXHIBITION.

A special meeting of the Induitrial A 6!O , oiotion was held last evening at the Cora Exchange for the purpose of coniidering thsquestion of the proposed exhibition project by Messrs Joubert and Twopeny. Mr J, p Jameson (president) occupied the ebair sad there were about fifty members present.' The Chairman explained the object of the meeting and the steps that had been taken in the matter up to the present time The »«<>. oiotion being of opinion that tho international exhibition which it was proposed to hold in Dunodin was beyond the requirements acd capabilities of the colony, appointed a earn. mittee to confer with the Government, with the view of bringing about an intercolonial exhibition to be held in Christohuroh. While the oommittee were in communication with the Government a letter w&s recefred from Mossra Joubert and Twopeny inquiring vh* ther the association would be uispoted to render them assistance in their effort to establish an international exhibition. A Ism*. meeting of the oommittee of the aesooialioa was thereupon held, at which it was decided to telegraph to Messrs Joubert and Twopsny assuring them of the hearty support of tho association in carrying out their snterpriie, on condition that every facility would ba giW for the display of local production*. Ihtg. resolution was telegraphed and a letter for* warded to Messrs Joubert and Twopeny ex. plaining more fully the views of the aaeeiis, tion. At this stage he received a wqsisifioa from twenty-five members of the association asking him to call a general meeting to consider the aotion of the committee, and how far it was consistent with the professed objects of the association. In their letter the committee requested to be informed what advantages would be secured to local exhibite, and. they were told that it was proposed to reserve - one-third of the whole area to New Zealand. Messrs Joubert and Twopeny expressed them* selves as rotj sanguine of tho success of thair project. Mr Rowland, whose name was tho flrtt on the requisition, explained that he took the action he did because he considered tbst the oommittee, in promising support to th» Exhibition, were noting in direct opposition to thd' principles of the Association, and he thoaghj it desirable to obtain the opinion of a general meeting. Mr H. J. Ross moved—" That the boKoS of the oommittee in pledging the Assookfea to support,and assist Messrs Joubert mo? Twtfpehy in their projected exhibition »&j----hasty and injudicious, as snob an important subject should have been referred to a general meeting of the Association." He referred to the Adelaide Exhibition as a huge comrasrsitl speculation, and said that to support a eimite? exhibition to be held in Ohristohutch touIS: be highly inconsistent on the part of an ejsaov ciation formed for the enconragarccofc of lots? industries. The object of Messrs Joubert ad Twopeny would be to bring into Ohri'tcbweh as many goods of foreign manufacture as they could get into their exhibition, and Bsfch'B. proceeding was opposed to the iatoreatt of the Association, whose efforts wero directed to tie protection of loosl manufactures. When 6 protective tariff was imposed in Victoria mao* said it would bo impossible to compete with imported goods; but the people defcerahed to wear nothing that wss sot of of oolonial moke, aud tho result was that in a short time the prioes of tbe local were below those of the imported article, and the joadu of better quality. He was astonished when he found that, on the motion of Mr Allen, the committee had agreed to bring foreign goods into Christohuroh to be sold at a cheap rote, and thus keep our workmen cot of employment. Instead of New Zealand hiring onethird of the space, it should be reversed, sad Messrs Joubert and Twopeny should only have one-third, Mr Mosley seconded the resolution. Iv would be altogether opposed to th« intamtof the Association to eneonragetwo gentlemen who were only travellers, and who reptcse-tea large houses at home, to bring their commodities here and do as muoh baiuvsM as they could—to come to take the bread oat of the mouths of our own people, and to take the trade out of the hands of thoee who were engaged in local manufactures, which it shoala be the objeot of the Association to foster. It was not only in the interests of tM manufacturers, but also of the shopkeeper that they should oppose the proposed importation of foreign goods. In Adelaide, »-febes. wero sold to such an extent at toe Exhibition as to. prevent the iocsl tradesmen from doing any business whatever in that article for months, i™ only newspapers that supported the more, mant were those that advocated free trade. The interests and objects of the association were of an entiroly opposite character. , Mr Neil Black thought it a pity it J» local tradesmen and manufacturers had sai the courage to meet these exhibitors, trnoso goods were subjeot to a heavy duty. Mr L. Berghsaid he had been aesuredb? two very competent authorities that th* as* hibition at Adelaide was only a twopennyhalfpenny show, and a huge fancy b*a«. Suoh an Exhibition would be on injustice to the shopkeepers. They should be allowed to pay £2 a-week for stalls, and go in and*™ goods themselves. .__.«_ Mr B.D. Thomas thought the ip*a_«»» rather travelling from the real q™** 9o ™ preseat before the meeting, f"> whether or not the committee wss J»«W in holding out inducements to Mmts »■"■" and Twopeny without consulting *»«*£?, tion. A matter so directly in •»#££* the trade and local interests of <fo»**g. should have been brought jbefore flw. mmo» tion, and should not have been decided sa«» denly by the committee. lM Mr 3. B. Sheath pointed out that theruM of the association distinctly nt&m flatm objeot was to foster and «"«$L_rX industries and productions, they could not List injtbe foreign goods to the detriment of food m«"» *_£"__. B. Kirk thought ***%£» went too far in committing the « s^f s an approval of Messrs Joubert and T»op*°7 soheme and in promising support. . Mr T. B. Jo&nson said they were nrtUMf to get sufficient asßiitance from the tww% melt to enable them to hold »*»«g3 Exhibition, and here was ««PP**SK obtaining an Exhibition of duotions of the older countries, »«* •/"£- ---be the means of affording instruction to our manufacturers and our youngartisans, .f" £ was an opportunity whioh they should -o refuse simply on the ground ef an taMPn«7 injury to the interests of shopkeeper*. » did not think they should censure the, ew» mittee for their action, and would *<***?L amendment-" That this endorses tho action of the oommittee in, «• endeavour to further the success <*&!*** national Exhibition proposed by auw*» Joubert and Twopeny to be-_-B-»o""-* , He was certain there was a* «"_SfS» manufacturer in Canterbury who wonM ™ haU with satisfaction any •PP M *?"2&£__"& playing hi. goods againet any thjjco*a.g imported. Tlere were «ome toJ«J would not be ableto prince «£«gs »;-?& _&.-rsr_s*«- sssv •

Hd affect in bringing about an interchange ;?__£&_• wits wv^_yt3 _*owould become acquaioted with the great s_» and variety of our natural resources, "r* Yon Haast .'said that iv seconding the Jomtion passed by the committee he took a \-££%frw Of the subject than many of Swwho hod spoken. Besides, he knew* togat £10,000 from the Gothe purpose of an "ton"*""-! iSion, and also that any of the other frowns would be glad to have the exhibi. inT_i it would benefit not only manufac- ££» and shopkeepers, but everybody in the SjunJw. 8, King was of opinion that the -Jgoaed international exhibition was to the principles of the aseoeia•Sh* It *** * commercial speculation stated for purposes of profit. 2_e amendment was put ana lost, and tne ar j £ j n _! motion carried. Br J. B. Sheath moved the following resolution :—" That this association being formed L r the fostering and encouragement of native industries and productions, cannot assist or esoport any exhibition of products which do S come within the objects of the oasoei--rion," He considered that their rules left riant - 0 option in the matter, and that they «ald not assist into the market foreign goods is supply the place of their own productions. Mr Thomas seconded the motion. Whatever opinions they might hold as citisens on this subject, as membari of tbe association ti«- could not consistently with their principles assist at tbe introduction into Christehureh of foreign goods in the manner pro—jecl The objeot of an international exhibi|!mjTa* totally at variance with the avowed abject of this association, which, at a time visa trade in Canterbury was languishing, -_, formed for the purpose of assieting local fadnstries. One of the objects which it hod in vis*, and which it hod successfully corned «_, was to get the duties on the raw material «fl_jred in local manufactures reduced; and _T_ad also been able to get. the duties on imported manuf actnres increased. That being : «o liow could it consistently encourage the importation of £30,000 or £40,000 worth of iaSm manufactured goods into the colony fees of duty } for that was what it came to, Because duty was only paid after the articles were sold. . After some further discussion the resolution «• put and carried. , . . , A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings.