THE INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9272, 25 November 1895, Page 6

THE INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

SIR JAMES HECTOR'S REPORT.

It will be recollected that at the request of the Executive Committee af the Industrial Exhibition, the Government deputed Sir J. Hector to visit the Exhibition and inspect the exhibits with a view to reporting upon them. Accordingly Sir James Hector paid a viait, spending five days examining the exhibits, and his report to the Government is now to hand. Appended is a precis of the report giviug the salient points. After detailing the time spent by him in in examining, &c, Sir James goes on to say "The Exhibition forms one of a series of efforts on the part of the Association, and although it is certainly more extensive than its predecessors, proving an increased interest on the part of the exhibitors, its chief characteristic is the very choice quality of the articles exhibited, and the solid business-like and tasteful manner in which they have beea displayed. The crndenessof design and imperfection of finish which in some degree marked former Exhibitions is not observable on this occasion. All the different trades seem to have settled to their work in a thoroughly organised manner, so that the sub-division and application of skilled labour and perfect machinery and methods has resulted without any special preparation of the articles for the occasion, in setting forth a display, which, for quality, would not discredit an old established manufacturing centre in Europe or America." The report then goes on to detail the space occupied by the exhibits, their number and classification. Speaking of the display made of tho food supply and produce department, the report says : —" The most striking display in the Exhibition is that in the food-supply and produce department, which occupies the whole of the main drillshed building, and also a number of detached areas iv the annex. Iα former Exhibitions, and particularly when the exposition of our resources was an intercolonial one, this section has for various reasons been rather weakly represented. On this occasion, however, there is abundant evidence of Keen competition and resulting perfection. Every branch of the great industry of converting and preserving animal and vegetable products is thoroughly well represented, proving that capital is largely embarked under akilled, scientific, and practical management in this important branch cf our industries. The large and local public companies, such as the Uantetbury Frozen Moat and Dairy Produce Export Company and the Christchurch Meat Company, made very imposing displays to illustrate the great variety of animal products and by-products, which they are able to place on the market. The greatest production, frozen meat, is necessarily absent; but of preserved animal food, such as bacon, hams, and tinned meats, there is great variety. The last-mentioned Company, which has its extensive works afc Islington, has a special exhibit of even whole pigs preserved by a special mechanical and chemical process, by which the meat is perfectly cured and ready for the market ia a much shorter time than has been effected previously, and, it is claimed, with a better conservation of its nutritive properties. The Belfast Company, by their by-products, such as artificial manures, affords a cheering reassurance that nothing is allowed to go to waste as in former years, and that the restoration to the soil of the greater part of the fixed salts essential to plant growth, which are removed by the present system of exporting the whole carcase of the grazing animals, may be in part at least effected at a moderate cost. The Gear Company's exhibit is confined to tinned meats from their ordinary stock, which, as is well known, deservedly commands a ready market in all parts of the world. The private firms that exhibit in this section have shown much enterprise. Mr Kincaid and Mesars Wardell Brothers especially excel in the display of hams, bacon, cheese, and preserved meat. I was invited to inspect Messrs Wardell's establishment at Riccarton, where the pigrearing is carried on on a most perfectly organised system, the animals being carefully selected in the first instance, and their nurture scrupulously provided for, so ac to secure pure diet and oleanlinees. The curing is done at the firm's extensive establishment in Christchurch, where they have refrigerating chambers and smoking compartments constructed on the most advanced models. The process of curing they adopt is that of • dry salting.' Soap is largely represented in the produce department, the Silkstone Soap Company having taken special pains to make their exhibits acquire the prominence they so well deserve. A very attractive point in the Exhibition is the imitation of the Jenolan Caves with soda crystals, which is illuminated by coloured electric lamps. The perfection in the pickles and conserves, and the skilled and tasteful manner in which they are now got up for the market in New Zealand, is one of the features of the Exhibition, particularly by the display of Messrs Heyward Brothers. The only difference from the English article is a slight dullness in colour; but ib is not improbable that this is due to the New Zealand vinegar being less adulterated. The two cider exhibits, by the Canterbury Cider Company and by Messrs Fletcher, Humphreys and Company, are very suggestive of a great future for our orchard industries. The quality and flavour is excellent, and from analysis it appears that, while the alcoholic strength is much below that of English cider, its qualities as a refreshing and healthy beverage are much superior. Woollen goods—The magnificent display of the Kaiapoi Woollen Company is a very great feature in the Exhibition. , Ib occupies a frontage of 50ft, and for variety and finish has not been equalled at any previous Exhibition. There are 105 different patterns of tweed cloths alone. The light class of goods for ladies' dresses are fully represented, fine qualities of blankets, eight kinds of flannel underclothing, and hosiery in great variety—all proving the great expansion which the business of the Company has undergone. I was informed that during the eighteen years it has been in existence, the Kaiapoi Company has earned and distributed £1,000,416, of which £498,186 has been paid in wages. The exhibit of the Boslyn Mill, in Otago, is also very important, and has the merit of, for the first time, showing home-made worsted cloths and shawhngs, special and costly machinery having been imported for the manufacture of this valuable description of fabric. There are many other exhibits of clothing by Messrs Strange, the D.LC.,and other firme, in all of which New Zealand manufactures are utilised, and a very large number otjskilled hands must find employment in this direction. A new feature is the manufacture of mackintosh overalls and cloaks, rugs, and other articles, which are made up in Canterbury, only the indiarubber cloth being necessarily imported. There is no branch of the Exhibition in which there is such solid advance as in leather, and its application to boots, shoes, saddlery, furnishing, and bookbinding. At the last Melbourne Exhibition the leather exhibit was a good deal criticised, and showed little variety. Now, however, the tanning industry has evidently acquired a very advanced development, and can supply every requisite of the trades that depend upon it, the material being of excellent quality. Among the many kinds of leather shown, I observed the waterproof leather, made by the use of chrome alum as a tanning agent." After a reference to the various exhibits under the heads of leather, furniture, bicycles, printing, musical instruments, the electric installation exhibited by Mr Turnbull, of Wellington, &c, the report specially calls attention to the exhibit of the Christchurch Gas Company in the following terms:—" The exhibit of the Christchurch Gas Company is very large and varied in its nature, illustrating almost every application which it is possible to make of gas for lipht and heating purposes. It seems almost incredible that such a variety of cooking ranges, bath heating apparatus, gas boilers, and illuminating appliances of all kinds could have been locally made with such a degree of excellence and finish, bnt I was assured that this was the case." Sir James concludes his very exhaustive and interesting report thus :—" In concluding this sketch, I have great pleasure in expressing my satisfaction with the success of the Exhibition in advaucing the objects for which it was promoted. Any sum which arises aa a profit is, I understand, to be devoted to the erection of a permanent home for industrial exhibita.fand class rooms where technical education will be imparted. With such an institution it will be more easy and less expensive to organise future exhibitions at proper in.

tervals of time. From the experience gained it seems to be very desirable in the interests of our rapidly developing industries that such expositions should be repeated frequently, and in different parts of the colony, as they exercise a marked influence on the educational development of the adult population in a new country."