TASMANIAN EXHIBITION.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 8071, 14 January 1892, Page 6

TASMANIAN EXHIBITION.

THE NEW ZEALAND COURT.

The following extract from the " Launceston Examiner," with reference to our Court at the Tasmanian Exhibition will be read with interest:—

" The New Zealand Court adjoins that of South Australia, and though the exhibits are not numerous, considering the great grain and wool-growing capacity and the extraordinary recuperativeness of the colony, they are of very excellent quality. Mr F. Notley Meadows, the official agent, has made the very utmost of the resources at his command, and has arranged a very tasteful court, whilst his general knowledge of statistics and natural appreciation of scenic beauties have enabled him to represent Maoriland most favorably to visitors. New Zealand may be congratulated upon having such an energetic agent, and one who, by unvarying courtesy and bonhommie, has established himself as a firm favourite in Exhibition circles.

"The New Zealand Midland Railway Company has a very fine show; of marketable veneering and fancy timbers. This Company is the first that has undertaken a public work in New Zealand under the land grant system, and with a capital of .£1,000,000, subscribed in London, is now opening up some of the finest mineral and timber country in the world. Uniting, as it will, several districts entirely dissimilar in character, viz., Canterbury, the agricultural province of the colony, and the West Coast, rich in gold, coal, and other minerals, and with immense timber resources, the work most inevitably be of the utmost importance to the. South Island of New Zealand. The route, which I know very well, traverses country of the most varied ; and picturesque character, and its charms have attracted many inveterate sight-seers from all parts of the world. The coach accommodation of Cobb and Co. is all that can be desired, and the drive is one which, cannot be surpassed. The increased , advantages to Visitors consequent upon the comforts of a rail journey will, however, place the beauties of the Otira Gorge, Lakes JBrunner, Kanieri, Mahinapua and Rotorua within the reach of those who will not Buffer a little physical discomfort. The magnificent scenery of the route is well exemplified by a series of photographs by Ring, of Greymouth, and Wheeler and Co., of Chriatchurch, which are a credit to the artists. The area included in the Company's land grants embraces a large extent of pastoral and a fair quantity of agricultural land. The forest and mineral country opened up cannot fail to prove a great source of wealth to the Company, and the sales already held have been most successful. Reference to the 'Hand-book of New Zealand, , edited by so high an authority as Sir James Hector, and a glance at the map displayed by the Company, proves the variety and abundance of minerals in the tracts of country opened up by the New Zealand Midland Railway. Although a long way behind Victoria, which takes premier position, New Zealand ranks second as a gold-producing colony, and a very large proportion of the output haa been obtained, from districts affected by this line of railway.

" The chief timbers exhibited are red and white pine. The former is of a deep colour, and is eminently suitable for building purposes, being well grained and handsomely figured. This, timber is also unequalled for the manufacture of all kinds of furniture. The white pine makes splendid flooring, and for interior work in house building is unrivalled.

"Some very fine specimens of black and yellow, pine, red and black birch, totara, and-ten other varieties of timber are shown, the veneering samples of the.latter being particularly fine. The bent timber is mostly, rata, which has proved unrivalled for coach building requirementa. The Company not < having confined itself to an exhibition of highly polished samples, the visitor is enabled to ' inspect the timber in various stages—rough-hewn as it leaves the

bush mill and in its finished state, ready for manipulation into furniture or picture frames.

"Mr Waiter Macfarlane, of Kaiwara, Canterbury, exhibits fleeces of strong combing merino wool, which for weight, brillancy, length of staple and fineness are remarkable. This perfection is, to a certain extent, explained by the climatic and food advantages under which the flocks exist. One fleece of 12ilbs weight is particularly worthy of notice. " Messrs Milnerand Thompson, of Christchnrch, exhibit an upright grand piano, which for lightness of touch, volume and purity of tone, is a credit to the manufacturers. This is in no small degree traceable to the adoption of a patent tuning attachment, which entirely doea away with timber in the manufacture of the frame. In the instruments made by this firm, similar to the one exhibited, the frames undergo a careful analysis, and are tested to endure a tensile strain of twelve tons to the square inch. The ingenuity of the attachment commends itself to the ordinary observer, and the professional tuner at once recognises the ease with which the instrument can be tuned by the avoidance of any slipping of pins through wear or change of atmosphere. Messrs Milntr and Thompson have been most successful wherever their goods have been exhibited, and at the Dunedin Exhibition received * double firsts' for piauos aud special first award for the tuning method.

" Messrs Wigram and Sons, maltsters, of Christchurch, have an Australian reputation for the excellence of their produce, and their sample of malt will no doubt here, as in previous exhibitions, take a prominent place when the awards are made.

"The Canterbury Seed Company, of Christchurch, make the only show of seeds, for which the province is so celebrated. Their collection consists of very fine samples of cocksfoot, cow grass, red clover, meadow fescue and rye grass. " The perambulators of Mr J. Clegg, of Christchurcb, with rubber tyres, patent brake attachment, steel bodied, and hooded, are very highly finished, and well worthy of the favourable comments which have already been passed upon them."