WHAT A CANTERBURY MAN THINKS OF THE EXHIBITION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 6, 9 January 1899, Page 2

WHAT A CANTERBURY MAN THINKS OF THE EXHIBITION.

Mr T. N. Horsley. the Treasurer of the Canterbury Industrial Association, has recently paid a visit to the Auckland Exhibition in Company with Mr il. Allan. A member of the staff of 'The Christchurch Press' had a brief chat with him, from which we make the following extracts: — 'What do you think of the Auckland Exhibition?' 'Well, taking the Exhibition as an Exhibition T think it is a very fine one. T think Auckland city and citizens deserve great credit for the way in which the whole thing has been got up. The entrance from Princes-street is a fine one, and there are excellent arrangements for the entrance and exit of the public. For the former there are registering turn-stiles, and at night, when the people are leaving, the turnstiles are closed and other large gates opened, which enables a number of people to be got rid of without crushing. There is a beautiful lawn and flower beds near the entrance, which attracted my attention. T was told that these were provided at the expense of the City Council, and that the nost was some £200. This is an object lesson for the Christchurch City Council in connection with our projected Exhibition of 1900. The avemies in the Exhibition are exceedingly wide.—twenty feet, I think—the exhibits being ranged on both sides. The classification is not all that could be desired. For instance, near the entrance is a band stand with seats arranged so that visitors can enjoy the music. Within a few yards of this is a cheese exhibit of several tons in weight and hundreds of tons in smell. Then again, with regard to the woollens, of which there is an excellent show. The Kaiapoi exhibit is in one part of the building and the Wellington in another, whilst the Mosgiel is like an orphan stowed away in the Government court, amongst torpedoes, gold exhibits, etcJ' 'What is the Exhibition like from an industrial pont of view?' 'Some of the exhibitors have gone to considerable - expense in getting up their exhibits, and the display made in some instances is the finest seen in New Zealand. For instance. Seccombe's Brewery makes a splendid display, nnd the furniture exhibits of Tonson and Carlick "and the D.S.C. would be a credit to any part of the world. So pleased was the Premier with the furniture exhibits that he gave an order for £1000 worth of furniture for Government House, Auckland.' 'Looking at the Exhibition as a display of colonial products, how does it compare with our exhibition of four years ago?' 'I don't think that it is so good a display of colonial produce pure and simple. Nearly half the things in the Exhibition are imported articles. In the case of Auckland, the Exhibition to a large extent is a baxaar on a big scale, and this, T am certain, is a mistake. Tt should be an Exhibition pure and simple, not a shop. Still, there are some beautiful exhibits of native products. T'was greatly pleased with a fine exhibit illustrative of the kauri timber industry, which was sent, by Leyland, O'Brien and Co., Limited. Both Mr Allan and myself felt very strongly that we should endeavour to get this exhibit at our Exhibition next year. The base, 18in high and Bft thick, is formed Of a kauri log with the bark on. On the top of this is a beautiful pedestal built up of panels of the ornamental timbers of New Zealand, beautifully polished. On this there are a number of opal photographs, showing the progress of the timber industry from the beginning to the end. These are illuminated at night and make a grand show. All round the bays are large planks from Bft wide downwards, and specimens of the mouldings made by

the firm. At. the suggestion of Mr

Allan, we waited on the firm to ask them whether they would send the ex-

hibit to Christchurch at our Exhibition. We were told that the best wav

to get it done would be for the Industrial Association to write to the directors and the firm would support it, T may say that I not only asked them to lend the exhibit to our Exhibition, but also afterwards to give it to our museum. The Kauri Timber Company make a fine show, and in conversation with the manager I was j told that the company would be well J represented at our Exhibition. The mining court, I uiay say, is hot what I the. public were led to expect it would j be. It was understood that we should see all kinds of machinery in motion, batteries, etc. But there is very little machinery, and hardly any in motion. There are obelisks showing the quantity of gold taken out of the Thames | and Coromandel districts, and one representing the gold got from the Waihi". This represents £800,000 worth. There is a good display of ingots of gold from Hauraki, and the quartz exhibits and models of mines are. exceedingly interesting. As regards the Rotorua court, I think that Aucklanders will agree with me the less said about it the better. It is simply a farce. There is a bit of rockery in one part with a small stream oozing from it. At the bottom are a number of mud pies with small steam jets coming out of them. The pictures are the best part of the court; indeed, it would be nothing at all without them. They had the "celebrated guide, Sophia, and another guide there for a fortnight, but they went back to Rotorua. I had a chat with Sophia, and she said the court was no good. One point in connection with the Exhibition I noticed, viz., that there was no one to -whom a stranger could apply for information. J There was no one in uniform or wearing a distinguishing badge, and the consequence was that strangers did I not know who to ask for information lon any point that they wanted to | know. The only persons I saw in! uniform in the Exhibition were the ■policemen.' I 'Did you see anything which you think might with advantage be adopted in connection with our Exhibiton of 1900?' 'No. Without being egotistical, I think I may safely say we covered all | the ground with regard to exhibition

j matters, and that we have nothiug to ; learn from Auckland. Mr Allan aud 1 myself- went carefully into the mntter ! and had some conversations with the j secretary, who gave us a good deal of information. One thing, in view of jour experience here, rathe_.- surprised j us. They sold no less than 1700 ladies' I season tickets at 10s Od. From these, | with the gentlemen's at £.1 Is, they • calculated to make about £2000. As you j know our return for season tickets at lour Exhibition reached the .•uuniliccil sum of £5. I think the reason why the season tickets sold largely was the fact of the high tariff for admission to the inauguration and for rh? concerts. For the former 10s admission was charged, and for the latter ss. As the season tickets admitted the holder to everything there was a large saving in purchasing them.'