EXHIBITION COMMITTEE.

Press, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5139, 22 February 1882, Page 3

EXHIBITION COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the Exhibition committee of the Industrial Association was held at the rooms last aiebt; Mr J. P. Jameson occupied the chair. Several apologies for eon-attendance were reThe Chairman said he had received a telegram from the Government etatine that the request of the committee as to the Government exhibits being sent forward would be considered so soon as the Premier returned. Eeplies had been received from several parts of the colony to the circular issued, expreseive of sympathy with the object the committee had in view. The committee appointed to consider the question of judging and awards had had several interviews with the promoters, and had drawn np a series of regulations, which were now submitted. The regulations were then read. The Chairman said it was intended by the promoters to publish each day a programme of what was to be done on that day by the juries of awards. He might cay that he had received several applications for small spaces from intending exhibitors, which he wonld hand to the several sub-com-mittees. ..' . „

Mr Tombs brought before the meeting the qnestion of the payment of the expenses of the various committees, and said that they had in Class H incurred some email, expenses in. connection with printing, &•., which they considered it was not fair they should be called npon to pay, besides losing their time as welL Professor Bickerton agreed with Mr Tombs in the matter. A lengthy discussion ensued on the subject, and ultimately Professor Bickerton said that the members of the committee working as sub-committees were willing to be« the expenses if necessary. But he desired to point out that £3f"o had been saved from the former Exhibition, in which the committee had taken the risk of failure. The amount he bad spoken of had been put by for holding an Exhibition on a larger scale than the former one. The Exhibition now projected gave them, he contended, a far better one than could be got if they had confined their effort? to a local Exhibition, and it was their duty so far as laid in thair power to assist the aoheme of an Exhibition irrespective of the promoters. He suggested that a general meeting should be called of the association to consider the question of payment of the sections. : The President said he would take the earliest opportunity of putting the matter in train for a general meeting of the association to discuss the money question. ■ -, • ■• ■ Mr H.B.Webb said, with regard to the ladies oourt, some funds would be required to put that court in order, and also for the juvenile court Tbe Board of Educatioa had given them £10 towards the expense of a bay for the children attending the schools in North Canterbury, but no provision had been made for thoee outeide the education district. They had taken a bay for these children, and it was probable that the subscriptions would oover the cost of the bay. The cost of fitting np was yet to be defrayed. The promoters, he might say, had given one bay for the ladies' court. He might also report that in the scientific class a number of exhibits had been promised. Professor Bickerton said that in floral decorations there was a possibility of a capital display. Mrs Duncan had promised to get up a floral trophy, and her manager had taken a very warm interest in the matter, so that they would very likely have a capital show ot floral decorations in the Exhibition. .

Mr Mitchell said he desired to say that so far from being a help to the promoters, the committee of the Industrial Association had been a hindrance. He thought that tbe Association should, if they had any interest in the work, do what they could to forward the work of the Exhibition. A discussion, then ensued on the financial position of the' Association, tbe treasurer stating that a large number of members were in arrear with their subscriptions. The President said that he th-ugbt it waa not right for the Association to put obstaoles in the way of the promoters, or to seem to do so. Let them go heartily to work and help on the scheme, because tho promoters weze doing a good thing for the place. , After some further conversational discussion, the I meeting adjourned. ■