THE NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTH SEAS EXHIBITION, 1889-90.

Evening Star, Issue 8074, 26 November 1889, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTH SEAS EXHIBITION, 1889-90.

Our Exhibition was duly opened to the public on t.... the appointed day, and all available information and warranted conjecture conspire to indicate that the promoters will not repent the undertaking. Here and there the venture has not commanded plenary support such, as wan anticipated from all quarters; but the two principal lister colonies have hastened to vie with eaoh other in affording tangible sympathy, with the enterprise—sympathy not limited to mere verbal' expressions of goodwill; help of a substantial and therefore acceptable nature reaches us from the Fatherland; the Sotfth Pacific Islands have cheerfully come in as partners } and most of the chief towns in our own colony have given assistance ungrudgingly, recognising that the success of the Exhibition is a njatter of mutual.' and widespread importance. Particulars as to the opening 7 ceremony Will be found further on. Before discussing these, it may not be inappropriate, considering that the topic of the day is the Exhibition and affairs appertaining thereto, ' 'to , bestow a. few. moment^'thought op ~ ,:s: The Beginning of Exhibitions;

Historians are agreed in assigning'to the' Freiich the distinction iof being the- dfigina'tors of exhibitions, the first of these held in 1798/ the; period, of the DifecfcgllfcfKiitbe First Republic. Bat/, French the, credlß which belongs to them in acting' as the pfnßers'fa these industrial enterprises, it would be incorrect to state without qualification th/at the display of 1798 was the first The honor of being actually the 1 -first to arrange and carry through an exhlbftiojCis due to the London Society ■ of Arti? This' body, largaly indebted -"for" its* the zeal of Mr William ! SBipley b Sfld its president (Lord Foltosstoaey, in 1754, with the aim of promoting the polite arts, commerce, manufactures, and mechanics; and, as one means of fulfilling this object, the society in 1756 offered for competition prizes for improved methods of manufacturing tapestry, carpets (the making of which had not long previously been 1760 the society got up the first public exj hibitioD by artists of the British metropolis! These exhibitions were repeated for several* years, till the Royal Academy was founded in 1768. But the exhibition idea u earlier than that period by many centuries. No one knows how old it is. We may safely go back at a jump to the Middle Ages, for, according to an <W by the compiler of the Official Record of the Melbourne Exhibition of 1880,' '• iu 1268 there was a grand display at Veniic during the dogeahip of Jacopo Tiepolo, consisting of a water f Ate, a procession of tue trades, and£MandtfSVi|Li exhibition. The various gtrlldtf or-'tbfe queen city of the seas defiled through the narrow and filthy streets to debouch upon the grand Kjuare (if St. Mark. Tanners and tailors, smitii.s an.l skinners, hosiers, mercers, weavers and drapers, glass-hlowers, gold clotbvworbers, fishmongers and butchers, all tubes of state, marched into the erebtoace of their p'ince. After some been exchanged, the heads of the asked the Dogaresaa to inspect of their industry, spread out iuthe apartments of the palace, which for thatNiay akjeast bore a smiling aspect." That is raja eWHest exhibition regarding which supplied by written record. There in the chronicles of still antececraMf Ssss, nvny references to occasional doubtless partook more or the character of exhibitions. The which Ancient Rome celebrated her uMgyv triumphs may be cited as one example, these the spoils from conquered nations* were no doubt grouped and shown off as trophies, and the exhibition would be none the less interesting to the patriots of the day—and in Rome in those times every man was a patriot —on account of the fact that the exhibits were gathered together at the point of the sword. Even at that era we cannot say with certainty that we have found the beginning of exhibitions, for it is recorded in the Book of Esther that in the third year of the reign of Ahasuerna " he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being, before him; when he showed the riches of hia glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and' fourscore days."' /In passing,, it may be mentioned for the, benefit of some of our yonnge'r'readers that. Farrar. and many other authorities suppose Ahasuerus to be identibal with Xerxes, _ the invader of Greece, who reigned in Persia from 405 to, 464 8.0. Th« Xerxes was the moaaroh who publicly offered a,reward to the inventor of a new pleasure; fust the.Bort man> one would think, to delight in »' showy spectacle. His. display, to Shushan was doubtless ait exhibition'of some sort. And, going a step further backward, there is nothing absolutely unreasonable in the. supposition that the palace which Solomon built in the forest of. Lebanon was erected, not simply ; for his own" pleasure ' and . gratification,. but as a,magazine wherein were;stored' samples of 'the ( natural treasures,, of the known world andr specimens of cunning handicraft.'% .carving, dyeing, metal work, and other t '^iitl»r»joii of Tx*e, wa ß the recogniwa"»uthoriiiy.,; ThrQjjeen of Sheba was one of the to that wohderJFuLemporium, to which "every three years once came the ships of Tarshish hringfaggold »ad silver, ivory and apes and peacocks atfd we are. also ,tdld that" all, the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon. .". ~ And they brought every, man his present;, vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses,, and mulei'' Further back than this one cannot pretend to trace, the exhibi- j tion notion, though it is pe'rfeotly conceivable ttiat the 'splendid extravagances of the Pharaons would most probably in-, elude, something of the sort, peeing the love of the Egyptians'for display 61 alj kfads, and had a ( lafge proportion: of the worlds trade. ■■, . ~., Here it may not be, ont of plwe to make casual refc.repoe to the ancient fairs (Latin feria, a hoiidaj), which were the foreruwiers and prototypes, of. oar modern exhibitions, and were of invaluable service .fa the same direction, As M'Culloch pbservee concerning of com-, modities and deajer)i ,js not only the readiest and best mew* of.prompting commerce but also of softening national antipathies and diffusing a the.produpts, arts, and onstomspf other countries. These are among the chief objects aimed' a* in promoting < exhibitions; oneness pf purpose we find a reaf point of connection between the old and the hew methods. Moßtwriterstellus that faira,or wakes as they, were fadifferentty termed, were,of Ahglo-aaxpn origin, the idea hayfag been;'derived from the Romans, who W tfsmfa provinces. Spel" man »**:# '&* were institutedfa Italy about fa .England, by Alfred fa 886. MkiWl'ttV*lte> " w «tSrT V T established,: by^ordex.of Gregory VII. fa 1078. At these (the monks celebrated; the festivals of ineir joajiron saints, and the, vast resort pf tfteipeople :jD J a ..great demand fo«< gooda, r wares,, eto, . Fairs, were established fafrjfaoe .afoot W W Chatfem igneT/anl enppwa^ ;j fa ; Enfgahd about 1071 by Wiilian>'ti)™#?rofw a F t f m, la his 'BBstors '• of r English Poptry, has given us A, 'mmf,, ftocpont of that of as a kjndftjreyeflne, fo,.the f [:Bjshpp of by WlMam#e Uonqueror, *ho it' to «*

tinue for three days. But in o'onsequehce of new royal grant* Henry Iff.' prolonged ita continuance to sixteen days. ' Its JurisI ciiotion extended seven miles round, and comprehended eyen Southampton, then a capital.trading town ; and all merchants who sold wares within that circuit, unless at the fair/ forfeited them id '•' the bishop. Officers were placed at a considerable distance—at bridges and other places of access to it—to exact toll,of all merchandise passing that way. In the meantime all shops in the City of "Winchester were shut. In the fair was a court called the pavilion, at which the bishop's justiciaries and other officers assisted, with power to try causes of various, sorts, for seven miles arourd; Nor ' could any lord of a manor hold a conrt-barpn within the said circuit without license from the pavilion. During this time the bishop was empowered to take toll of every load or parcel of gbods passim? through the gates of thecity. On St/ Giles's Eve the mayor and bailiffs and oitizens of the City of Winchester delivered the keys of the four gates to the bishop a officers, who,, during the said sixteen days, appointed a mayor and/bailiff of their own to govern the city, and also ,a coroner to apt within it Numerous foreign merchants visited this 1 fair; and it appears that the justiciaries'of'the pavilion and the treasurer of the Bishop^ 1 Palace of Wolvesey received annually for a fee, according to ancient custom, four basins and ewers of those foreign merchants who sold brazen vessels' in the fair, and were called rriercatoreß diaunieres. " In the, fair several streets were formedi'assigned to the sale of different commodities,, and 'called' the Drapery, the Pottery; the, Spicery, etc. Many monasteries in. aiid about, Winchester ' had'slibpß or hohsei ih J fchf»e(streets, used ohlyatthefalr, wM<jh they beld under the bishop 1 , and often let 'by lease'for a'term of years." Another Writer tell* us that-wnen atown or village had been consumed, by way of assisting to re-establish }t a fair, among other privileges, was' sometimes granted. This was the case at Burley, in Rutlandshire, 1 49thEdwardIII. Among'stthemoStfamousof the commercial marts known as fairs were the Bartholomew fair in London, which however in later years degenerated .into, , nothing more nor less than a Wild beast showy'the Honicastle Faijr at: Lincoln, ~ which was notable as the largest'horse fair in! the Kingdom j that, at Beaucaire m Fiance, which was annually visited by a I vajst concourse of people .of ill classes,; the , . celebrated Leipzig fairs it Easter, Michaelmas, and the new year, when that oldfasbioned town became" the mart and exchange of central Europe, and was visited by merchants and foreigners from the most distant parts of the globe, sometimes to the number of

30,000 or 40,000—the Easter faif being a specially, inasmuch as it was the centre of the whole book trade of Germany ; the Oriental Fair at Sinigaglia(ltaly),onthe Misa, where it was the custom for merchants of all nat,innn t0,,,,,,,,,,, , assemble; tbe^MeocaJTalr, .luJ£cima,;.#QP fibe - * world-re- \ & , confluence oi 'uejpjga aW v Volga rivers. Tnai'S.Jast-*. f mentioned fair has b|eir<#B-j 5 tablish< d over 300 years, aid"

was (perhaps is still) the ere at emporium of the infernal trade of Russii< typing second tr> none in jjjujjppe. The main building is of iron, enntuining between 3,000 shopp. Another iielejputed Rubsian fair waß that fcf Kiaehta, on the Chinese froutiejQ where the largest part of'the commerce between the aud Chinese Em • pirea- wals j| transacted. v * j A most- taawrkable fair -was thafr-heitHin 1699 Public theatre at, ft»sM>t at wh{gh were jcajalogtred some most curioCsgyiticles, including " a Norway' house builtof beams without mortar or stone; a mermaid's-}hand; several thunderbrtrtsjj-a murdering knife used in whereon was writtenf*Kill the males, rost the fetnales, and burn the whelps'; a Roman lamp, burning si ways underground; the driedjstomach of a man; a mushroom said to be a hundred! years fejd; the skin of a woman pretared like leather; tile ears WKtangue of a thief who exhitttaibQtejinterestiiffi than*i r was afwjdc I , distinction%Jbjreween Jjmese/ \ .__ properly deserved thaj tilje ;: ; -i of exhibitions in of the word, and making festivals of wflich Donnybrook was a illustration. So far as England is concerned fairs have run their course.. In recent years it, became necessary to restriot their operations, by statute, aijd* eyentually they . (# were either abolished M nuisances, as was the fate of the functions at Clapha'm and Blackheatb, or so considerably circumscribed as to make them but the shadows of their former selves. After this brief introduction it will be in order to pass on to u consideration ■..••■•"

Of Exhibitions Jn General. The first of the'modern series was held, as above stated, in England in 1766, in the reign of George 11., and just before Colonel Glive began the conquest of India. Fortyone years later, viz., in 1797, we find the idea taken up in France. At' the outset the promoters were .met by disappointment. The tteies were ont of joint, the people being too much concerned in the suppression of internal conspiracies and anxiety as 'to Napoleon's adventurous campaigns to be able to settle theie minds on the progressive but peaceful proposition to make a worthy display' of the nation's art treasures, such as Gobelin tapestry, chinaware from the Sevres factory; carpets,-dyed goods, etc., in which the 1 country was enormously richv The projected display in the Palace of St. Cloud-ended in a fizzle. But the idea' took root, notwithstanding the dieadvantagea/and disappointment; and in the following year, that is in- 1798, an exhibition was arranged at the'suggestion of the Marquis d'Aveze. It was held in the Maison d'Ursay and grounds, and is described as having been rather a collection of such objects! of French art manufacture as could he borrowed' from the owners than the assembling together of competing artists and manufacturers. Nevertheless, the show.] 'was bo well supported as to encourage the immediate sition on a much' grander, scale, nothingness than anofficiat!exposition beingsiifficienli tp ; satisfy the promoters. Abuildingw»« o reoted in theChampdeMars,a»d the formal opening; took place on this 29th, December, 1798, in the presence of,the First Napoleon; who bad just concluded campaign.. hU speech at the, opening cerepony the Minister of the Interior js .reported..as, these remarks:—"Th? prpdpots of (industry distributed over the whohj.surface.of the French territory do not admit of instituting, .those comparisons .wbioji are always in the arts a source of improvement ;p a central point Is necessary to industrial emulation. It is in order to prooure for artists the novel spectacle of all the industries to establish between them a happy emulation, to fulfil a most sacred duty in causing every citizen to realise that the.national prosperity.is inseparable from that of the arte and manufactures, that' the Government has Initiated this Exhibition." the display, embraced all kinds of manufactures, industry as' well at art being represented, and private firms.being allowed to compete. ! Altogether there were 110 exhibitor?; and a 1 peculiarly attractive,, section ivas that in . which were shown to the hern-worshippers ' and the artists of the day a number of art ' pieces taken poßsession.olbyiNapoleon while i in Venice, Rome, and Milan, consisting, of, rare paintings by Pfcul Veronese, Titian, j Raphael, and others; 91 thei. old, masters^, I The display on the Champ-deMarj, w«b so effeotive as to quite overshadow the smaller show above referred to, and hence it is not

uncommonly stated that the later Exhibition of 1798 was the beginning of these things in France—a statement for which there is no warrant in fact. Before passing on Jtfhay be instructive to remark that at this Exhibition a special gold medal was offered to the manufacturer who should deal the heaviest blow to English trade. A second official exposition was held in 1801 in the Louvre, upon which occasion we find the first mention of juries to deoide as to the awards. This was during the time when Napoleon was First Consul, and it is remarked as a faot of some importance that winners of the gold medal were invited to dine with the great Buonaparte. Another exhibition was held in 1802,' When there" were 540 exhibitors, including Joseph Montgolfier, the first aeronaut, and Joseph Marie Jacquard, of Lyons, inventor of the Jacquard loom for the manufacture of figured fabrics. The success whioh attended these. exhibitions encouraged the promoters to propound the idea of holding one regularly in Paris every three years. .The scheme found favor with the nation, and, in accordance therewith, what was supposed to be the. first of the new series was held in 1836, in the Esplanade in front | of the Hotel des Invalides,. there being 1,422 exhibitors. Since the adoption; lof the proposal, however, France had been made an empire, Napoleon had been crowned Emperor by . the Pope and afterwards made King of Italy,.and the arts of peace suffered by the series of Wars which commenced in 1805 and ended with the downfall of the Buonapartes in 1816. The Exhibition of 1806 was held, but it was the first and the last under, the .soheme that produced it.' ' The ne'xt'wa's not held until 1819; it was set out in the courtyard of the Louvre, and had Loulg'XVM. for its president. There were 1,622 exhibitors. Other exhibitions were held in Paris in 1823; 1827,' 1834, 1839, 1844, and 1849.; At the last-mentipneti there were 4,494 exhibitors. This was the last of the purely /national displays in France before the Great Exhibition in London in 1851 taught the wprld how much 1 there was to be gained by reciprocity in trade, As showing what need there was for the lesson, the 'Encyclopaedia Britannica' tells uS that " so ex-, elusive were the French at the time that a proposal made : for the representation of foreign products in 1849 was deemed by the Minister of Commerce to have emanated from the enemies of French 1 industry," : While on the subjeet of these early foreign exhibitions, mention may be. made of some . of the more important held in other cities of; Europe. In 1820 there were a series of. exhibitions in various cities of Austria* and

natfot-.tl exhibitions were held at, Vienna in, tv ; ~-,:, j, and 1843, the exhibitor? at the ». mentioned numbering 1,865. -National exhibitions were held in ; Saxony between 1824 and 1848; at Lausanne. Berne, St Gall, and Zurich, in. Switzerland between 1837 »Pd 1848; at Brussels and Ghent, in Belgium, between, 1835 and 1850; at Stockholm, in Sweden, between 1823 and 1844 ;,l at St. Petersburg,, Moscow, and Warsaw, in Russia, between 1829 and 1849; at Lisboni in Portugal, between 1844 and 1849; in the Kingdom of Sardinia between 1829 and 1855; at, Madrid, iaiSpava, between 1827 and 1850; and at New York.and Washington, in the United States, between 1828. and J 844. The principle embodied in the [exhibition idea was, it. will be, seen, widely recognised, but. not universally so, for in some places the promoters had to fight against both apathy and prejudice. ..Espe-v dally was this the. case in, New (York when the notion was..first-Introduoed to America. The; opposition was, however,, of only a tern-, porary oharaoter. . In England, also, much energy was required to revive this particular I form of enterprise, Jn : 1828.an exhibition' •was' ppened >m : the Royal rMewa,; Charing Croas, under the patronage of, ,oeorge IV, A vast variety of useful, and interesting articles were collected from, the artisans and manufacturers of the Upited Kingdom; but the concern did not prosper-r-it dragged put an unfortunate existence until 1.833, when the whole affair was sold, sand as an exhibition merged ,into oblivion, ; being Wards ppened as a • aorti of bazaar. On the other band, the. local exhibitions held in Manchester in 1837, in Leeds in 1839, in Liverpool and In Birmingham in 1849, were attended, by varying degrees of success. That at Birmingham; was held at Bingley Hall ;"ty was carried- out by private, enterprise, and considerably exceeded the hopes of its .promoters; -so much so that.one writer; says " it wis fairly entitled to be considered the prototype, of the,,4851. Exhibition." The Freetradft, Bazaar, at' Coyent Garden Theatre in 1845 also,, oreated widespread interest, and in tiie, r true sense of the word was an exhibition in all but name. It was. organised for the benefit of the, Anti-Corn Law League,' then fighting under the leadership of Cobden, and was so we)l patronised that'during the six weeks it was open (from the s.th May) L 25.000 was raised, moßtly. in admfssion fees, .': The firsj industrial exhibition in the United Kingdom was in Ireland. The Royal Dublin Society as early as 1829 adopted" the plan of triennial exhibitions, and these were held for several years.: first the exhibits were, confined to specimens of native industry. The tirade of thepapital and of jthe countrygenerallyreceived appreciable impetus from these displays. ( .;In England a movement was madftin the direction of holding a series of exhibitions for illustrating the mineral;wealth of thejcpuntry and the manufacturingj»ppliancea for mining purposes. This schema was nnd,ertaken;by the CqmifhPoiytebhnic S,ocieto,i, The ex,? hlbitiions were, contwued annually; without {lntermission, until .1850, &:4«J» Wjhiohbrings I us to the first of

The Great Exhibitions of the <. ... Present Generation.

foremost of which was the World's Pair,of 1851, at Hyde Park, London. When the' aubjeot was first mooted,, the idea (of whioh Air E. Whishaw, seoretary.to the Society o£. Arts, was the originator) Was merely to hold a national exhibition iri ' England immediately after the French Exposition of 1844. With this object in view several, applications were made to the Government to take the matter up. They, however, would[do nothing; and the Society of Arts then tried the experiment of holding exhibitions annually in their own building in the Adelphi. These, though eminently successful, were not sufficient to satisfy those-; with whom a national exhibition, had bepome a fixed idea. The agitation was therefore renewed, and in 1849 Prince 1 Albert (presk dent of the. Society of Artsy took up the question, and at once carried it a step further than the intentions of .his prompters by listing that they should aim at nothing less than an international, exhibition, at. which all: countries should be invited to compete. ■ " Now is the time," said he, " to. prepare for a Great exhibition, worthy, pf the greatness of this country—not merely national in its soope and benefits, but comprehensive of the whole world; and I offer .myself >to the public as their leader if they are willing to assist in the undertaking.?' The Prince Consort's proposal commended itself by its very boldness. Men. of all ranks, many of whom would have stood aloof .'..had the i venture been restricted: to conventional' limits, came forward: infilling response to the royal call, and the substantial guarantee < of L 67,000 odd was subscribed.; The selection of a site caused some difference of opinion, but eventually! Hyde Park was agreed oa as the most .eligible, theuplans of■ Mci (afterwards Sir) Joseph; Paxton were' accepted,, and the..contract for<the building * •was let to Fox and Henderson, who made a with the job on,the 26th September ofv 1850. The task of organising so huge an; enterprise was,. however,, by no. means an easy one. Writing some years, Mr John Hollingshead says:•— f'lWhen, .the Great Exhibition of 1851 was first put in - motion its promoters knew little of the.probable .success of such a display, of the extent • to which it would be supported by visitors or visited by the, public. They could only be encouraged by the records of certain exhibitions which had been merely national in character and design. They were fed upon, statistics, more or losb reliable, which •< sometimes led them Wihope, sometimes to despair, . They had to overcome the apathy of many supporters, and-to check the wild » enthusiasm of others. . Their administrative |

mechanism, with the exception of'the> Society of Arts, was all new; -and it creaked-, and occasionally stuck fast, until all the parts settled down in their appointed places < and were smoothed by action' and hard work." And there;were many who prophesied evil of theenterprise—people who,' as Mr Hollingshead pointooutv "expected that London would be ravaged at will and planted with many varieties of new diseases; who looked for the tomahawk in Hyde Park, the stiletto in Cheapaide, and dirt, strange , costumes, and , stranger ' 'maimers everywhere. Unmanageable crowds were pictured assembling in the chief thoroughfares to make the Exhibition a stalking* .horse for riot and plunder.* ■ Wild 'fears provoked over-oaution in the laying out of: plans, and' the Army and the Policewere r concentrated as if for an internal (spite -of these' gloomy forebodings the Exe. cutiVe ; Committee who. assisted the; Prince Consort worked on. with indefatigable in the full ; hope of ■ bringing to: a successful. consummation this 'bold; and unexampled enterprise. The names of .those who formed the Executive Committee were Henry :'Gola.'> Charles. IWeritworth Pilke, Francis^Fuller, George Drew, Bobert Stevenson (subsequently replaced.'by; Lien. tenant-colonel Reld), and their iaebretary/' Matthew Digby Wyatk All' bonprto'these.; meni to their leader, and to helped them. They saw farther than the majority of their fellows. Thei gloomy predictions with which they>i haaibeen 1 annoyed were completely falsified 1 , the writer to whom reference was just made remarking that "when the statistics .for 1851 came to be gathered together it was found that there had been less orime, less disorder, and fewer' accidents than the annual average "; and on thedtheßhand alii anticipations of success were amply even from -the beginning, from the day of; the opening ceremony; .Aa, most'(people !Will! remember, this gigantfo wprlds faW was opened hy the .Queen in person on the) Ist bf, May, 1851, with unusual !pomp and attention to detail. Let Gebrge Augustus Sala speak of the- great pageant aw-" As though the event, were of cthe'i day before yesterday, there rise before ire the actors in the momentous drama—the Queens the! Prince Consort, In ■; field mars,hars. uniform} i the little Princesß Royal (she wasielevbn)j bearing a huge bouqriet; the tinier Prince of Wales (he was ten), in the. Highland dress;. and the., good old Arohbishop of Canterbury, holding up his hands in benediotibo—all*n the great date by the central transept," with the immense overhanging silk baldaquin - suspended from the' root of ,House ,of Glassi And thd two i time-worn heroes,.. .Wellington and Anglesey, walking arm in arm ; in' tbe H , procession 0 [ through the n*se., ! Anil; the. 'Bham • Chinese mandarin ■iinpijideiitly : .offering bis hook-nailed fingers to the 1 yetetans of Waterloo, to Ambassador arid' Cabipet Ministers. Her Majesty 'iat'last took; notioe.of the 'bogus-'mandarin (who was ;auperoargo-4>f a'Cbmese' i ijunks / whioh' some American speculator had' brought into the 'ThamesT aacl commanded that he should be placed in a position where he

i Conld see all the ; grand pageant at his ease. 4*>d -the final thundering out' of the' 'Hallelujah Chorus' I'\The icene seems to Stfjetcbed', as it were, into the memory with naoid of treble-biting power. I haye'sden : the opening and oJoßing of a' gWat number' of international exhibitions, in most partsof the worlds since May Day, 1851; but T have no such particular recollection of the aspect and! the contents of any one of these gatheringsaslhavpof thnoaofthe House that Paxton built—of Iliiain Power's Greek/ Slave, and Rafaelle Monti's Slave'that was veiled; of the: model of Liverpool, and the malachite doors in 'the-.Russian section; of "the historical picture draWn'by - a clergyman witha red-hot poker on a deal board ; of the Koh-i-noor (uncut), and the Queen of Spain's jewels;'of Osier's crystal'fountain and the royal robing room fitted up by : Jackson and Graham' (they also had furnished the silken canopy of the dais), and the Comical Creatures from Wnrtemburg. . /• . Teetotaliem was one of the m'6?t remarkable characteristics of the refreshment department.' It was 'feared that when the people came to Hyde; Park in their thousands and found any intoxidants at the refreshment counters they wdtild get uproariously; tipsy; 7 so alcoholic beverages were pitilessly -banished from' the Palace of i Glass. 'I ''The consequence was that a large' proportion of the workingclass -visitors brought atone' bottles full of' beer with them ; that the well-to-do clause's, whed they had had their fill of the Exhibition, .went: off to Soyer's symposium to lunch op dine; and that the compulsory abstinence' from strong'drink within the walls of theiPolace itself was the means of makingjthe fortunes of hundreds of public houses in the;immediate neighborhood of KnightsbridßeV Kensington, and Bromptdn. Ih;.a< surprisingly •short -space of time the ■ humblest little grog shops were transformed' JintoV stately gin 'palaces; all' because the' Uxeciltiva Oombiittee of the Great EJxhibjtioriwere virtuous; and would Udt suffer any aje to be consumed with very meagre. «ak6s:they^ l were^ i vended by 'the' refreshment contractors. The mistake made in 185kwaa not refieateditf subsequent ex i! '< bjbitions." >i > Want of Space prevents even: a : reference to thd' leading loharacteristicS tif this, remarkable Exhibition,' but many 1 readers who still remember the old show withi affection may be interested in knowing some particulars as to this memorable fane.

The enclosure measured twenty-one acres and the building covered thirteen acres. It was composed entirely of large sheets of glass set in; a framework of iron; .except near the groundi where :it was' boarded. ' Its Jength <was< 1,851 ft; the -width in -the' broadest-part was 1450 ft?

intercepting the building at right angles iA <thb middlewas 408 ft' long, 108 ft Wtfbi arid 72ft wide; The oorisisted of three tiers of elevation' j the central portion : being 64ft -' high, the adjaoent'eide' portions 44ft, and the 'outer sides 24ft high. The materials tfsed were 896,000 superficial feet of w«jgbi»g j iron, 650 tons; cast iron, 3,500 tons *; wood, including the flooring, OOOjOOO oubic fbet; nearly 2,300 oast iron girderS I SSB wrought iron, trusses for s'uppbrting the roof and galleries (nearly a mile W length) ; j; 30 miles of gutters, 202 miles of'saSH bars,.and 3;33j) oast iron columns; 'The actual' cost was L 193.168 10s 2d\'>i Mr VVj'.att's' aSipdunt*of ; the construction of'the building cbnteins ati interesting allusion to ohe'of theoonsteructive phenomena attendant upon' the pfbgress of the ' works TKo'-glaztn'g 1 - of ''the' nave 'roof;presented formidable' difficulties, from thejgreatextent of w6rk : to be'g6tthrough' in so short a »pace of time, ingenuity of the contractors brought to v bear upon the subject;; arid provision was' 'made by them for the sitnultaneous glazing of large areas, -entirely independent of l variation of'' 'Weatber.' 'Seventy-bix machines each capable :of accommodating 'two'' glazfersij 1 these I'mfa'chines consisted of * ; -stage'. 1 of deal 'about * Bft square, with an opening; in' its 'sufficiently latge' to"atlmit or boxes of glass arid supplies of lash bats, putty, etc., being 'hoisted through it.' -The stage'rCsted-bn-•four small wheels travelling'in the Paxtbn gutters', arid spanned a widtH'consisting«f ;oiie ridge and-two sloping sides. In'bad' weather 1 the wbrkmett wert bbyered by atf awning of canvas' 1 stretohed : bver hoops for 'their protection'.' In workings the 1 mea sat at' the end «f the platrorm' next to whateyerwork 'had been 1 last done; which 5 they' pushed the Stage 1 backward to allow'tbeinfto 'insert a pane'of 'glass, and' iafl. soon as that : -waS' cbmplbted tbey'rnbVed agaifa'far enotfgfr to. allow of the insertibtfof another. Inthibinarinereacheta'getravelled nnlnterrhptedly frbm the trttn'sept 1 to the east and West ends'bf the biiilding. The dexterity acquired by the nAen iff working 4be machines'' Was veiry remlirkable. means of them eighty meri' ! ltadiie week pat in upwards of 18,000 panes of |laßs,bein'g not les» : than Buperfioial.' ,r 'The greatest number of panes inserted by a'rnan in one day was 108, being 367 ft 6in of glazing; "v There 520 from;■ the colonies; this number of tors wab 6i039i195,1ttnl average of a '. day, the greatest number in one (the Bth tefeen'ktthedoorsamounted t0?L423,792 f 4s7d': the' cash receipts were L506,i00654d ! ; ; and'affer* payingaU^expenses-thbre'Was a balance' bf over L150j006 leftover, ao there W^s' ho call; .on those who subscribed th&euarahteb fdfad. The privilfege of the catalogue realised L 3.200, W-ith a royalty of ; 2d in every Is ontthe'sales. -TheExhibitionTemained open until the lltb'Ootober, and the building- was subsequently ; reWoved J to Sydenham, where ;it wa* re-erected aether 1 numbered 2,'WBi-and 170 'tffllibil taedaW were likewise bestowed,

I In 1852 there was' an industrial exhibition lat Cork. "It was not of„an international character, but was of some importance, and was.the first exhibition in Ireland for which a special structure was raised. It wis opened on the 1(1% June and closed on The Dublin International Exhibition of 18S3 owed its existence to the princely munificence of Mr Dargan, who advanced LSO.OOO for the purpose. A building of great beauty was ereoted by Mr (afterwards Sir) John Benßon in the Dublin Society's grounds near Merrion square. It was opened on the 12th May and closed on the Ist November. A feature of this Exhibition was the collection of'fine arts—said to have been the best ever brought together in the 'Kingdom rip to that date. , In the same year, the Crystal Palace at NeW'York was opened on the 14th July. Goods from, all nations were; herein displayed. The building was destroyed by fire on the sth October, ,185 cV Munich, in ; 1854, there was an exhibition' that attraoted ware? from all parts of Germany, ther9 being'7,oss exhibitors) j In 1855 the French'had a famous gathering in the Palais de in the Carre Maigny, Champs Efyee^s; 1 , This building is still-standing.' It "was erected for the occasion referred to, and cost, with ternSorary . annexes, half a million sterling. 1 ther expenses brought, the outlay, to about a million, and'the total receipts' were only L 128,000. From a monetary point of view the venture was therefore, a failure;. but in all other respecta it was eminently successful/ The art collections Were" such as 'the world had'never seep before^the industrial side proved an extraordinary attraction; and owing to the facilities given to the , public in the shape of 'low fees, and absolutely , free admission ,'"sh occasions, the ;Ejxnipition was'most Valuable as a means of popular instruction. The number of exhibitors' was 20,839' and the admissions 5,162,330: this Exhibition was opened by Ixmis Napoleon on the 15th'May, and closed on the 30th November.' : '[ I Manchester organised »'notable parade of in 1857- It was opened by the Prince Consort on the sth May, was visited by T,335;915 persons/and closed on the 17th October. : " A losd'of JA ,000 was the pecuniary. result..' v : ''•■"• : ' : " '.••'■"■";■•-' -'•''-•' ■

National exhibitions were held in several .countries during the years immediately following that of the great show in the Palais de l'lndustrie, notable among these being the industrial displays' at Haarlem, at Florence, and at Brussels—all in 1861—and the exhibitions at Constantinople and Montreal; but "these, were' all eclipsed by the monster fair known as the International of

•1862, held in Concerning thJB, aproposal had been'made as early as 1858 for another great exhibition in' 1861 j bat this 'Suggestion temporarily lapsed owing to the ■war in Italy,' The scheme hbweyer, revived in April,' 1860, when'the. Prince Consort engaged to' guarantee LIO.OOO if L 240.000 was subscribed by hj 'ptheu; .persona. Ihenationonoe.mbre followed the,lead of the peaceful. and the project was warmly' supported, the, guarantee fuid rising to W52,M A building at SoutE Kensington by.Kelk and Lucas'to.a design by Captain Fowke., It was 6j brick,-the,mfdn hall beted u jparalleibgram C6oft wide, and'the total foace roofed, in 988(000' squareieec. The cost was This Exhibiiion was opened by the Duke of ' Cambridge o>n the Ist May,,1862. :• The Poet Laureate wrote era puitajbje £ or the opifßjs!6'n;'Bir Sterridale 1 Benneit set to music, and the prbcluceij,,by and 400 Instramentaliste. features among the exhibits were ! the machinery and the splendid collections ' in the'art eallerles. In some Respects, however, this Exhibition was unfortunate. .Its suboess was appreciably by. the 'death 1 bf the Prince December,' 1861) -and J the 'outbreak'of ,',the' American Civil War! 0 TKe totat of exbtb'itora was 29,000, of Which 16,436 came from abrqadj'''as,; against' 6;56& at''the ,1851 Exhibition« tbS 1 atteddance was 6,211.103 fo¥ the"l7i Ufa up to the of'closing, 'toe 15thN6veniber; and ; total "receipts came td * Besides the two drawbaobjs mentioned above, ii "was .discovered that the buildings were/not well adapted for the inshded^rpose. :: :" : ".The next enterprise of note was the : Fkncb-Spani<ih''lndustrial and Fine Arts Exhibition blpetifed in July, J864, in Bayonne, 'in the'Bouth'of France; and^lni lsjss there -was an exhibition in Dubltn; the funds,for whton-tyere' MncWall y : supplied' by'W.Pr' tfctere'was a good The experiment of evening openings was 'here tried and proved;a'tpicess..;. The ipjshjibition'was open for' dx'months., the number bf ftdmigsions'bjeing aboui'9op,o(K). : ?.,,*,",'', 'i "''Paris.'wW ttfthelfore'\gain ft 1867 Witha i Universal 'Exposition in the Champ de Mars. ''lt 1 was 1 Supported c6h ewpfy .by the 'French other nations, the'ifesujf v be|iig> veryqne show indeed and' on ft'g'r'and sca% ' 3% niain bdilding wad ov|fbrm In shape, and the different Bebtioriß were awaMeft in concentrio' ban'd6. x leotionsbf everV nation" could 'be examined by' pJroMdinOroni Vtik. opr .band to;the; centre, atidspeblal Mattes' of articles' from %lr^l6Wpia;be 1i W blWbJt otHhe builfllng ,in any 'continuous 'ring. Th'e'extonlal iffig,^'insjiince;was devoted to mttbbjmery T 'an|fh ( e internal ring to the ■histojry onabbrfr'om thb stone age to tß'4';pr6stinf tinie; "TKe ! b^jftng'WajiJtttly termed an eitaggeralted 'gasometer. The. plfrk wasi studded wJrthlnwotrAieDß of. bniM. fc faihV all nartsbf tES %dsbttesi' ,; SWe'dfeh cottages, Engliab lightbouses, EgypiSaiiiialtoes, and Swiss oh'alete;. and another noveltv was the introduction of -" <• '• »•'•» '. ' "' '•■ »" " j ' \

bars from all the nations of Christendom, . The exhibitors numbered 43,217; the attendance reached 9,143,270; and the total receipts were L 420,736, This ExhibltforvWas by. the Emperor and Empress on the Ist , April, and dosed on the 3rd November, 18JB7, ' '■'/. , Exhibitions of a' minor oharacter were held in various parts of Europe between 1867 and 1870; and four annual international exhibitions were promoted in London, at South Kensington; but these did not come up to expectations, and a few words will suffice concerning .then). The first was open daring' the Ist May.and the 1 30th Ootober, ( l'B7i. It served for,the '<Hs- ( | play of fine arts, pottery, worsted and woollen manufactures,, and educational exhibits. Thirty-four countries contributed, and the, total number of visitors was 1,142,154, the greatest attendance on any. one day being 21,946. .The. second of the series was held'between the Ist May. and the 19th October, 1872, Fine arts, cotton/ jewellery i stationery, machinery, 'and' raw materials were.sbovra. The'third, In whjfyfr were exhibited collections of fine arts, manufactures, scientific inventions,. and.neja? discoveries, wai open between the l4th April and the 3IVV October, 1873. The fourtn, to whtoh engineering was added as a special , department, Fas.opened on the oth April | and closed on the 31st October, 1874< The building in which these were held subse-' quently became the East India Museum. , The first great exhibition in tibe seventies was the Weltausslellung of Vienna, in 1873. An enormous building., designed by! Mr Scott-Russell,anderected by bimwiththe able assistance of Austrian engineers, was erected in the-Prater, the beautiful woodland park of the Austrian capital. The /main building was 3,000 ft in length, wijib a; central rotunda! 312 ft in .diameter and a dome that dwarfed Stj, Peter's at Rome, surmounted by an immense model of xhe Imperial crpwn. ; The bomber of exhibits Was nearly Th v show was opened by the, Emperor Francis. Joseph, in the SresenceoftbePrinoeofWalesasWDtesenttng Ingland, on the Ist May, and the dosing speech .w»4eliv«j»d on shej2hd-November, the attendance having. been 7,254,867—a .pjould have.. been, considerably greater but for an outbreak of chplera.\vl>ile the Exhibition was open. The receipts were disappointing, reaching only .the, sum of w>w, '■„;??" ,;■'.. % ' ■.-■-..',. " i The', American .Centennial of, celebVative, of the hundredth,i anniversary, of Independence,' wa,s Jheld Park7 P,hiladelpnia, and was opened by President Grant on the 10th' May, in .the <v pMueJQce of 130,000 peraons.. The funds were patted

by private tad ,j»lsy, .'|by ( donation^ ,St»'ie of Philadelphia, the Federal Government assisting by advancing a large loan, which was fully repaid. The main building was 1,900 ft long, and there were six other large buildings, besides 200 { ■ smaller ones, the area covered by the more important ... <struckures a fflone i %eing , "aboTrt forty-eight acres. Itwasjn all respects a big show, and : s !',' in some" .'parFicujars machinery for example—thodisplay was the finest ever "made -■-•■ - Were ,isßned to those who novelty introduced by the management was that a uniform admJßSJftß_fjge.,.Q{ Jbalf a dollar"was charged insteM . of issuing season ticaets; Ths daily average of attendance was 61,568, tttft) largest attendance upon anvprie day t / being 274,919. -Altogether /thfcre jjere"16,164,489 ad- ' missions, of whom over eight 'millions paid._ The Exhibition was-cloaect on the 10th total receipts _/ Wall comparisons o/ngaQOt) Q this was ./the greatest ek [■ 'bibitiou jfche world had seejg uptothatthW i> / I But/'the .Paris Eihilfitfon hj of 1878 was upon a rar4arger \ scale' than any prep*; \ .'pwyfora./ The \ 'covered; upon both/fcanki-of \ the Seipfe watT/not/less than MOO acres, tin. mam \ alone oceggying/fifty V four . \ acres./ '} ) fioenj[ display >of fineSirta) -■■>■' the maahinenf section was% special xpatdTe; the atahitecture ottjßarly all countries was ilbostpated in the Avenue *"" j'deTjNatlons, a streeWj!,4ooft a inlength; and on theqorthern ""■*' v *""jj bank of the rivefeywas the I Palace of the Troeaaero, with F towers 250 ft /high, The! number of admissions vrm M 16,032.725, counting up to 13,000,f11D0, The Trocadero was arter-

Parir. It is said that this great exhibition caused the ...State .an immediate outlay, <'.'., y of nearlyftifliyiipn,fltwlinftv bijt ~the, revenues to the 1 , Sta|» t au4.«j9 pitetnwu^j the octroi .duties .wflW ia.oreased,, A durj|jg; exhJhiUftn timflby.nearly three piUHonßj, so that there really a.Jajqge profit)on the enterprise^. ;lijis.ExhibUioii was opened ( by the President (Majahalpl'Wfahoßh in the Sresenqe of. the.. Prince,.of, fflailei, the Dae 'Aoato/.aqd otier diaiingnished persons on jfce Ist May, apd,: _se, ceremonies, were on'tbe ... Passing for ( the present theepthibjltiqns M W9 in sjd«ey and of 1580,ifl Melbourne, which wil| bp>PP?ten of other polonial enterprises ,nnder,a separate-Reading, iwe ,CQnie,to the Calcutta International Exhibition 1 of 1883-M»whioh,'MrJoubert organised and carried out at the) request -of the oHßinalp|9moter8 r andwiththVsanotionof the! government of India andjjander the: patronage of the Viceroy. .The nucleus' of the I building was,the Imperial Museum in CbowriDgheeit)ad v to. whioh large extenr aioDs werejmtkde under the immediate auper-r vjsipnof Colonel Tmor,-,the result being a well-arranged exhibition that, according to the plan, pieasared, with grounds, length and l,4Qoft in The-bnydings . were pat up in five months by Indian, work*: men, and the openfng .ceremony took place: on the 4tb of December,, 1883. Features of this ExMtyttonJwejs theorn»meiit»l v lakes, on, U)jmches?w,ere, tq,se .Been;: There! were. also fine loan collections of jewels, : B,njl a^'exhibits pf njaoliineryifrow, Western coujitnee were ,to. be ; «ep side by. side wi|;b. the industries of; the less-developed: list. tyo > arid a r anarter millions.' -. i, . f,i ■ - ,' In the some yea?; a series of special exhibit ttons were l^gF l ** BfensJpgton<,Eng% land. ,To these bntbnefreferenoeiß possible. The first'was; the'Pisherfes, in 1883.. The total number of visitor* thereat was 2,703,051,.,tte dafty,average being 10\367.: This; show MJi> ( flHrp!ua, JBB4 the health; Ex>ibU»)njprov«S«W(extra?; ordinal ajjwoMSj, the)» ~ot,a7,«te ajid. * to*a|i, of, IjaßS; and,, •thißjfhjow, bef of 3,760,681 yMtora, «ihe daily average and; last of .tike, frsries, of. [most, interest W.wCfiifL the, Colonia,! and Indian fix* Motion, It> had, its origin in an, invitation issued in Jndia and the «b)ftj% ( British polonies, to come forward; an«hby participation to proof of tl),e .wealth and industrial de« yelopmpnijHf -fto the Epipire. Ibis bnjjdiqgs !w w«Mi those oi the, Royal. Society, at South Kensington,! where previously the Fisheries,bad been j hejd. Epa, whole.jof, the British colonies Newionndf M conWbntedjv,BhareJln..fc groups of Natives w»re\,«ent ;Home from most of the o^tlyin^ ( poisesaipns~the ethnological JBDUM a *, jna4*ed;, lecture of. the Exbibifaon-ran4,,tlie display of the treasures of greater. MtaJln >wa» stwh m. to; far exwedthe , ; WtipiM»pnft<Dt,Bb-.fWlip Cunliffe shpwwasopened on tke4th May, 1880, and remained open until the WJih dflrjng which period there

f were 5,550,749 admissions, or ta vrv>Sfb.Mct I 33jg4fl[adajr. ■ ".', ;,.1., /:' ''..... .« ; The Glasgowlnternational ExfaiUw». / (a K , 1 1888 was the held ,i? the (7nite/du,Kngdom, since ? the v grouaS occupied »w« ift i Kelvin Grove Park. , trafldfcar irony i. designed in the Saracenio, or itetifamylo: » of architecture, by Messrs -CjpmbeJka > Douglas, and Sellers, and Jkdr Janjef^Bart; u while Messrs i contractors. The ma|n bnil«ng was Jt3owt > < x long and 205 ft wide, a>mpristog/anavsand,. ; transepts, with an, iron donw 170 ft Mfcm:-} ' and 80ft In diameter, and.wmi >ten towara^c which were 200 ft high. ,T£e." boih^ggij •altogether covered a space of, 474,000 lqWAre. J , feet, of which 268,000 ft ,we»p, fyitifflfaw ?eneral exhibits, 27,500 ft fcthe''fiiw 6,006 ft to the grand hull, ,and reireshmenj;, roomß, and, t l«),oopf|j to, w .machinery, boiler sheds, etc. indn^tr£ in - sehteq, and .the wonts' ;the'J»e..art galleries, "ss.. 'wJM-frffi.ij buildings were \ but ihemost featnreof the,imMr ~ t maffibMry, showing #e ~ .mechanical industry for which GJasgowJsri, /atDodß.':;;.pniiii( Fair ;W'<4ftgWoVaOTin' Prinw .of ,^ale^ on the v '£&,s!«, twkflhxj in a substantial profit, /. -•., , r;i . a ; sw <trta This brings us to hiWjbion, of p9,;ppwed,^Vm X ,iL. in..commemoration: .oj. ~the.; centenary ;s&£ the, Involution.", Bbni f lie^^Blan^ ; 4jt>« has seen. The, erected ;,andamong the v/iwdera, dispb*jred;) jbefpre goM^^;.i)llnnanSj^founi^..inch.a|ttej a !«fi«M mm, from tfie earliest periods teidate.„ |^,* beenJbappil; said ihat biped aha demonstrated In skilfully, dejvjftejdjQ arrangement the element' of cyclopedia, .nqtbing was overlooked, . ThlagreatfhoWj closed on the Bth inst,, we ti ajjtendiiujejO ! d continuance teing ;set op^n^a*^

Colonial ExhiWtfofts. t ; bourne prior to the lorpjaJt WW|*v j tion of the colony. It was a maltaffflMv... and joaroely calu/or niefttion beyond l)|3e&,, t j th^M^.#*i»No anjthg ha what kjsm*yg. Melbonrne in 1854. The prnie object in libe first instance was to - afford facilities to colonists to make a preliminary display of the wares to be forwarded to the Paris Exhibition of 1855. It was held in William street, on or near the site now occupied by the Mint, and was open for the thirty days of October, Governor Hotham presiding at the inaugural ceremony. The mainbuilding there belngT9,Oo6ft^^rMlwi^ There were 428 exhibits, the cost raphe GoV vermieniKyjQtf,ooo (frbft ft whion3*j[ave to/ to deducted the HWf /jD^ foraona visited it. . M there exhibitors. -sThe craning ceremony wuwerfornjed onjfih Ist October, and daring ants oonnnnance 67.405 perßons/mrandmittß|L f The Melbo/m jpxhibitun of jJo6 was of an and n> a snJcessfnl issue, were doe/to JudgeSßindon. were made on a large seatajiL new building beiDg ejected for tmpurplleaJn connection with Jfce Public ftfitary. It «hs 220 ft long, sunerfioial spaojQTGovernorJlanners-Satton conducted thevMening on me 24th October; were were Qjroo exhibitajF; and the show mob open J«r 105 daysrand evenings, in which perm 1 the attendance mounted up to g The fifth exhibitMt in Melbonrne was promotes mainly fojjpthe purpose of affording colonial* exhibitors* chance of showing their fellows what to the Vienna Exhibition. It very big affair* "Tlg£ opening jf&a&ijpb 6th November, lg?2,S»dit /era&eaopen for sixty days, fe atUnaksKe hem/set down as 160,747, &d fteJtotal reMptftat L 4.973. in Melbonrne in to the Philadelphia ■ptfrKjt wa»-hew infce Mnseom Hall, and Siias thV4wF WjLio date in the colony, Theto w<Jjy4»spO enubitors, all the colonies being rmresedtedJand 78,000 ft of space waa pnmdja. DUs«Bxhibition lasted from the Md to the 16th November, and the ' •fduHstto/B totted np to 240,000, the receipts {rom amission fees beeing L 6.344. that was made in thecoloniet overtfie preparations for the Paris Exhibition of 1878 had the effect of suggesting to many Australians that it might be a wise thing to invite the nations of the world to show their productions in the colonies. The

inuig got raised anonc, ana aner a wmie IB was resolved Ira venture on the tm<ieltaidng,, , .At, Sydney/ in the first In^oepiPwi j ' jr S .intindecl' that-thfe 'Agriotdtafflnftopf [ d 0 *" South Walee ß hotild J^ro^ojie'th«,ML enterprise, but? decided to take bbtheiriloftldenthe entire '•'"* respcmeibility, and the meht also agreed to' a like torqpOs&l °ni< >** irespiot to an exhibition to be held hx&W* oa bouraeimtoedlately after the one ia Sydney! l '* &> Brilidfr Commission Was .appo&ited,' and v ' si< l LIO.OOO placed at 1 Ooiriin^oherswereßW 1 authorised by Austria, BeW|tinV x ftmiSf ol Gennany, Italy, iand, the United States, and JapanVW6 b l' a speak firstof the Sydney feternatidiaL'Tif' " ; may t» said the site chosen ni Domain, where a o o ;f" square feet was provided, or rather more')., 4 than fifteen acres; The fofj ~ mally opened by'(^^rnor l; lMto^tt}A o ™i 17th September* • 167 ft.' r '"»«»J«3H} 4sS» « exhibitors of riearly 14;000 pective of those b the awxiliajrytffowfl ii'' ji ' the > Agricultural Hall r Wd: '7^WO 1 kwafiS 111 , aJ werfefcentlff by the' RcMb|Hon" Icn> -was: kept open until the-20Q»"Apni,M80{' Je " and during its continuanre it 1,117,538 persons, of B ow * admission. The amount' m g admission fees 'and oonoeW6ns ) 'did . ' ; , reach." the' original < eitittflite 5 of (> 'EBO,tIOQF •the , total being about Li 5,600L rnl T&'% . 9 f il acknowledge'toatfrom^a'mone»aiy!^l&l d - J * it watfeattaatfcii %tli|« Mi ' receipts'would defray tte -^rdin^ry'4«rß>gls '??' ; extenses-no mention of the di^SiSMSm^ alAi and another aocouht«ay#< the net'cW, after "*'". deduoting the amount rOceiveft MWlsn£M* :kr * 1 Bales of concessions, etc., ! w«jP f la6|;Sß ,onM 6¥Bd* T » i ''• ' ,: -'-' " : a(n :,a:ira ■- nThe Royal Commission 'did not; see, thel? "* way Wgo bn with their work>fc tJWtol "? bourne Exhibitions atSydhey^^:«fter^' iß n deal of talk aid writing : '&&WV»iß& a W* ii *} appoint Sir Herbert Saodfoidiu- their aentotive, and preparations we^'-wfeffloCTfir 10 ** 4 so weH that the & 0 ' hardens was ready byltb^'JMal?' 13979 quia of NormaAbyson the- M Octobirl^lSSOi' 1 "^ 8 The P 9 ' ,: the Exhibition itself 3 | Borea,ibeing considerably larger thatajtb^'br? 11 London in iBSV. In aft resr^ols^vatW 1 " s of finance <th> show Was «i i btffliaW reHßfiis Tle7d * ) the British' exhibitors nnrtbowa against 748iaatb PhilideipbJ^^d'w"•'•* JTOJ Sydney; that there were attoMttei" 4*fe 9iM 4? foreignexhibitor*[and that thes^Vonßritisff' U works of which than did collection-iamountßd |tf than M.467. In-this ooiiiecaoß'itm'ybb a - ,ui mentioned that Mr Ai / Metblrer^whW»fta jav3 *J here representing * :/ in the disposal of these painflngs "v& : makingthe art display ago^ofl«,hla^rt : 'f asaitance being formally and wvtay^oi.''' B ' ,b -; nlsedmSk Herbert San^ord'f^to,^^* 1 port. The atteadanoeat'thfa EiMblfion' J : ,] ' ■ ■ The Adelaide Exhibition of 1 »<** ; piaiHied as a private «nlie»al^ 3 V»^ti|@i -. knbert and August, aad September of ifly^ultargl<fidoi^ ofwhlohiwasgmnledior^o^pii^m l ' K »"t show ajt thevMdbotttßeiExh^DSonT^Tho- 1 *#tg venture took Immensely, there being a daily average attendance q 4,878 totalling

276,692—and the returnß from entrance fees mounting up to L10,43915s 6d. In November of the same year a small exhibition at' Perth (Western Australia) was promoted,.by ,Messrs Joubert and TwoTtiH next vehtUre.in this line in. Australia was the Adelaide;,' Jubilee international Exhibition of 1887. 1 organised to celebrate the Jubilee of the BritUh flag havtejg been plfcnted'at Gleuelg on' the '2Bth December, 1836, by. Governor Hlhdmarsh, Rtfc The 1 first ciinceptibn of this'ExtyW-' tion (says Mr H. J. Sott in his Well-vprtUcii' handbook) "was due to some of the members of Parliament, who after their retard from the Melbourne Exhibition in 1881 urged the South Australian Government to make a fitting celebration of our jubilee. In 1883 that expression of feeling found vent in a resolution 'to' erect a prbpeY building with appurtenances suitable to.the occasion j But in the following year a; new Ministry "came Into' power. They gave' way to the 1 representations of the country members,'who, with a very new-sighted' policy, 'considered that the expenditure of nearly L200,()00, as was then in the erection and management of a Jubilee Exhibition would not be a benefit to the country at large. Their' opinions for the time prevailed, and a Repealing Aot' wa9 passed; but since then not one, of 'the members of our Parliament but has regretted his want 1 of confidence in the, recuperative' powertof our country, and the energy and enthusiasm of the prime mover in the scheme of a guaranteed exWbition-Mr E.T. Smith —merits the favor of his Sovereign and the gratitude of his fellow-citizens." A, guarantee fund of Over L 30.000 was subscribed;' the sister colonies toqk up the mitcer with a will; a Royal Commission was appointed in London under the presidency of the Duke of Cambridge, Sir Herbert Sandford being sent oat as its representative; and the Government undertook the erection of the main'building, at a cost of over L 32,000, without charging a penny of this outlay against the Exhibition fund, the arrangement being that the' structure ahonld be afterwards devoted to the use of the Agricultural Sobiety, the Chamber of Manufactures, the School of Design, the Art School, and a proposed technological museum (for which the first donation' was received from the Indian Government as an outcome of the Caloutta Exhibition). Competitive designs .were called for, and a premium was given to the successful competitors, who moved to be Messrs Withall and Wells. The buildings were situate on the slope of a hill, bounded by North terrace oh the one side and Frome road on the other, and, the main building covered an area of upwards, of a square acre. It was . built in briok, stone, and cement, with underground cellars and a permanent art gallery. Ex- j hibite were received from all quarters of the

took place on the Ist August, Governor Loch presiding, and the attendance that day numbered 24,100. Governor, Jervois was there as representing New Zealand, j and Sir James Heotor, our Executive Commissioner, tres also in, with'his superintendent, Mr C. Callis. New Zealand's Court, it may be mentioned,' was 220 ft long and 100 ft deep, and 'the total number df entries from this colony was 528, [ including woods,'wool,' grain, minerals, pic?i'res, and a collection of birds',and food shes. Mr P. H. Cowen, who had been engaged at a Ice uf LSOOO, acted as musical director, and had under his command a ohoir of 800 voices' and sixty-six instrumentalists. The Exhibition was formally closed on the 31st January, 1889, up to which date the receipts were L 101.730 6s lOd, and the tptal admissions had run up to 1,901,798 ; 'ljut there were 35,269 persons present on the Ist and 2nd February, and this number Wrings the total admissions to 1,937,067, of tfhom 695,399 paid. The daily average | attendance was 12,669. Writing a day or two' afterwards, the ' Australasian' said: ?If a comparison is made on the basis of | population it will be found th>t the attendance at all colonial exhibitions is immensely greater than at any exhibi--1 lions in England or on the Continent. I' Nearly two to one of the. population ! Victoria'visited the present Exhibition, hereas : only about 1 in 7 of the population the' United Kingdom visited the Colonial aind Indian Exhibition, which was the most successful of the exhibitions' Recently held in London." In this connection it may be i df interest to show in table form the Numbbb Of 'Admissions' to International Exhibit TWNB AND PBRCBNTAOB OP ADMISSIONS TO TUB .-. J POPOtAmOJT OF TUB OoUHTRT OB CotOMT.

JNOTB.—This table Is in Sir Herbert Sandford's book. The ex«wt details of subsequent exhibitions have not Dfcen published. ......

sumers, Li) 00 being placed at their disposal by the Provincial Government. The moving spirit, who was undoubtedly Dr Eceles, was indefatigable in h?s labors, and wiseheaded too; in fact,'this gentleman was to the 1865 Exhibition what Mr' John Roberts is to the present movement, in Baying which we advisedly pay Dr Eccles a high oompliment. The Exhibition was formally opened on the 12th January, 1865. It had been expected that Governor Grey would be present in person, and, arrangements were made to celebrate his visit, it being notified that the firing of, a gun should be the signal for a general turnout. The gun'was fired at midnight, by whom is a mystery even unto this day, and the volunteers and the people turned out, but there was no Governor, it being subsequently ascertained that the alarm was just a hoax, the author of which has kept his secret as effectually as Jack the Ripper keeps his. At the opening ceremony, in the absence of the Governor, the speech was delivered by Superintendent Harris, and it will be remembered by surviving old identities that Dr Burns and the Rev. E. G. (afterwards Archdeacon) Edwards offered up the prayers, and that Mr G. R. West conducted the singing of the' Hallelujah Chorus' by fifty members of the Philharmonic Society. The collections from Great Britain and India did not arrive.in time; but the display made was very creditable for so young.a settlement. There were 1,598 exhibits (exclusive of the Indian of .which 1,214 were contributed by New' Zealand settlers, and 202 came from the Australian colonies. The exhibitors numbered 700;, there being 258 from Otago, 103 from Great Britain, 71 from Auckland, and 48 from Canterbury. Mineral and agricultural products were strongly represented,' and there was a fair display of machinery and native industries* The floor space occupied' 21,342 square feet, and the wall space 19,975 equate feet,; Con-, sidering that the Exhibition was, held under special disadvantage, in that it was a,time when affairs in the North were, the of much disquietude, it must be, accounted a great success. The closing day was the 6th of May, and it may be mentioned that Julia Matthews (Mrs Mumford) sang on the occasion. It was subsequently announced that the admissions for the 102 days and three evenings the Exhibition was open were 29,831, of which 4,055 were by season ticketholders; and as the number of season tickets issued was 239, it will be.seen that on an average each season ticket-holder had visited the building 16$ times. The average attendance per day was 278, the greatest number of visitors on any one day being 1,400. The total sum received for season and.day tickets was L 2.195 Is, instead, of L2»500 as'estimated. No rent, was to exhibitors, The industrial Exhibition held in the Garrison Hall, in Dunedin, in June, 1881,

following figures:—The total area of the building was 188,376 ft, the length being 663 ft and the breadth 282 ft. The total space under cover was 114,200; square feet, of which 77«400ft were devoted to manufactures, 27,200 ft to machinery in motion, and 960 ft to ar t. There was also an open space of 74,176 ft for implements. The foundation stone was laid on January 30, 1882, and the Exhibition was opened on the Ist April in the same year. It was closed in July, and during its continuance 226,300 persons paid for admission. The New Zealand Industrial Exhibition, held at Wellington in 1885, was promoted by the Stout-Vogel. Government, under the immediate direction of Sir Julius Vogel, who was, at that time Colonial Treasurer. In his Budget speech of September, 1884, Sir Julius propounded the basis of the scheme in the following words sr-" To give ua a knowledge of what producers and manufacturers can do, and the extent of the improvements, they make, we .propose that an industrial exhibition shall be held every one or two years, and that two gold medals, besides others of less value, shall be given to those who do most to develop the industries of the country by combining, excellency with economy. We propose that the first exhibition shall Be.; held at Wellington i next year, when Parliament is sitting, and that it Bhall be .followed by exhibitions> itt .other large centres alternately in each island." The 'proposal was favorably reoeived by the. House, and it was resolved,to; oarry it; out. Mr C. Callis, pf Dunedin, was appointed general secretary, and mainly through his agency;.4he manufacturers and industrial associations in the South were induced to support the movement. The site Ohosen was the reclaimed ground on Lambton quay; plans ,of a suitable building were prepared by Mr C. E. Beal,! the Colonial Arohitept, and approved ■■■. by , the Colonial > treasurer; and the tender of Messrs Mur' dpoh and Ross was accepted ior ihe;buildidg, which had a frontage to Stout street of abqut 250 ft, with an average depth of 105 ft. Subsequently, it was- found neoessary to .secure the,, Yolunteer. Drillshed and St. George'*" Hall,. - These.-places required.ietvtiin expenditure to make them suitable for the purpose, and the whole cost under the heading of " buildings "—inoluding rents, rates, and decorations—waS.'L7,7s3 7s; 6d. , the area covered .by the building was 83,425 superficial feet.; ;' The Exhibition;, was opened by Governor Jervois on the Ist August, 1885, and the home industry bianoh on the 22nd of the same month, when: Mr Thomas's cantata was .^performed*. The number of exhibitors was as follows.:—ln the,! (general> branch, 396; art seotion, 158; home industry, branch, 655; total, 1,109. A feature in connection with the Exhibition was a military band contest,

) New Zealand Exhibitions. The earliest of ■these" wis', the New Zealand Industrial Exhibition of 1865,, held at Dunedin in the building (to which temporary wooden annexes were added) now known as the Dunedin Hospital, in King street, fhe proposal first took shape a,t a meeting held in the Chamber of Commerce on the 24th January, 1863, when it was resolved that it was desirable that a committee should ascertain whether the superintendent (Major Richardson) was willing to pledge the Government to provide a building either by placing a sum on the Estimates, if that was their power, of by recording their ap- J

proval of the scheme and their intention to. provide funds for a building. Dr Ecclea Atod| Mr F. J. Moss were deputed to approach! His Honor on the subject, arid they did ao| but the movement was not immediately pushed on, nothing being done beyond baying an expression of opinion favor-, able to the project. In opening the 17th session of the Provincial Council ! on August 17 of that year", the then superintendent, Mr John Hyde Harris, made this reference to the question:—** It affords me.much pleasure, in recommending to your favorable consideration .the proposal which has been made to hold a New Zealand Industrial Exhibition at Dunedin in the yea> 1865, and which now only requires your sanction in order to its becoming an established reality. The General Government of New Zealand and His; Excellency the Governor have given assurances of their cordial support, and it is believed that the special' patronage of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales will be obtained. I feel' confident that you will join with me in viewing this undertaking as one of no ordinary importance to the colony,'and that you Will enable me to adopt measures to secure its success." On the 12th September, 1863, Governor Grey issued a proclamation appoiritirig the Commission, which consisted of His Honor the Superintendent as president I the Colonial Secretary, Colonial Treasurer; Native Minister, the other Superintendents, Judge Richmond, and Major Richardson as vice - presidents; arid Dr Heotor, Dr Eccles, Messrs Thomas Dick,. T. B. Gillies, J. Paterson, W. Mason, E. B. Cargill, John Carglll, RVB. Martin, James Rattray, Henry Clapcott, R.S. Cantrell, W: H. Reynolds, and Julius Vogel as commissioners. Mr T. Dick was appointed bon.i treasurer, Dr Eccles hon. secretary, and I Mr; H.' P. M,orse secretary, ' On the 25th September,' 1863, the' matter came before the Council in its pecuniary, aspect, the Government asking members to I agree to* an item on the Estimates of " In--1 dnstrialExhibition L 4,00»." Mr Macandrew moved a* an amendment" That before deciding upon the grant it is desirable that ' a matured plan 'as to the arrangements conI neoted with' the proposed Exhibition be ! submitted to the' Council, : and 'that, any grant on the part of Government shall be conditional upon at least an equal sum being guaranteed by the promoters or otherwise, ■provided the same does not-exceed L4,(K)0."" Leave to Withdraw this amendmeh,t was refused, and the itefti agreed to as read. Farther grants' were made, and on the; j Bth December, 1863, it was announced that the Provincial Government had voted L 9.500 fof the erection of a building, arid a further sum of L 4,000 for general expenses. The drawing up of the plans was entrusted to Mr William Mason (of the firm of Mason and Clayton), who 'bad been, api pointed arehiteotto the commissioners; and five, tenders Were sent in, the accepted one; being that, oF Cornwall and ; Itoreman, !at L 10.250 for the building. ' Over 180 workni'en jwere- set going, and the o'ontract upas pushed ahead as fast as possible. As to the funds, ?it should be mentioned that, the General Government provided a sum equal to that Voted by the Provincial Government, the "latter also' undertaking 'the cost of fhe bdildlng. ~'~ A v»ry strong local'eommitteis afforded-raluable asaiitanc*to thecomraisr

slobe,5 lobe, and the show was opened on the 20th' one,, 1887, wma&ijng .°P« n ontil tbe 7th J*najMy,.lßßß,|hetween: which dates there were aver admissions of oaah payers and season-ticket holders, which may; be taken return for a .colony of 317,000 inhabitants, being an average of nearly {two Visits for, every, man, woman, and child. The fjnanoial outcome was completely satisfactory. Nptone penny of the: guarantee was called op, and at the end the amount was handed over to the guarantors intact; and not only thiß, but there was a cash surplus of 1700 or LBOO after paying all debits, and this, by vote of the Commissioners, was divided amongst the employe's In proportion to the salary received, every man, no matter what, his position, receiving a bonus. Come we now to speak a few words as to the Melbourne Centennial International of 1888. It had been generally expeoted that New South Wales would include an exhibition among the centennial celebrations m the parent cojony. But there were difficulties in the way—-among them the want of a suitable building,--and the festivities: passed, off without a display of the kind. AS soon as it became known that an exhibition would .not be : held in Sydney, the it(ea occurred to, have, one in Mel* bourne in the Carlton Gardens building. The Government <were approaohed on the subject* and Premier GUlies "sounded '.' his brother of New South Wales* Sir Patrick Jennings, aa to. whether the elder colony would be likely to take umbrage if such a thing were seriously proposed'. The reply: was of a favorable nature* and on the Ist December,.' 1888, the Victorian Premier announced the, scheme, to his Parliament—the result of which was that aa Executive Committee was appointed on the 6th January following. ChiefJustice Biginbotham was made president (afterwards resuming through an unfortunate dispute and being superseded, by Sir James Maoßain, president of the Legislative Count oil), and Colonel Sargood waa chosen as i executive vice-president. . Bartheroisunder-> standing above referred to, the preliminaries werecarrieiout with the greatest unanimity., It was a happy thought to conciliate New' South Wales oy offering her precedence in all things. The co-operation of theilmperial Government was readily granted, L 5.000 betogyotedtowardathe expenses of theßritish Commission; and the project received support alt round, every; colony being officially. represented, save the Crown colonies of Western Aostralia and Jfiji, and help being actively given by Germany, and France, while Aostro-HuDgary, Sweden and Norway, Turkey, Italy, Bpain„Phina,: Japan, Madagascar, and other Irountries were represented by private exhibitors. Applications for apace poured infromallquarters,. and the Kxhibition enormously: oatgrew the .original design, the Commissioners finding it neoeasary to cove? yearly the whole pf the northern, portion of the Carlton Gardens,;while; on the north side;.three open sheds.i aggregating 1,600 ft long, were created to acoomiriodate the machinejyi f Instead, pf, atotal space of acres. 'The )Erst,,estf(nate. of jCwCif*: the additional bui-dingf was ab6utX6©,Ooo,or»e Inoluding Mr J. Ttfpore's qame ta LJ24.000,i and the decoration* and pafatiflgramonntedti, to L15,W0. ,TJw, opening i Bereatony

innst not be oyerlobted. 'lt washromoteli Tftbut) explained in his preface to the catalogue that " the holding of an exhibition i was deemed one way of drawing attention to I the already existing manufactures,, and pf encouraging the colonists' to use ■ locally- < made articles. 1 Beyond this, it was felt that I an exhibition would be, jihe best way of showing what the colony was capable of doing in manufactures, and also, in what direction new industries might be started." The , nrpjeot was warmly supported by Admiral Scott, Messrs C. S. Reeves, A. Burt, M. Sinclair, C. M'Queen, E. S: Sparrow. A. Thomson, R. Reid, and others; and when Mr Robert Brownlie undertook the management the concern was carried out as well as it possibly could be considering the drawback in the want of a larger building. There were 435 exhibits by 398 exhibitors; the Exhibition was open for six weeks; the total receipts wereLl,9oo at la per head-rthia was the only source of revenue, and f ther,e was a deficit of about Ll'2o, which was defrayed by the Committeemen,, .'"' '"•,."..,' In Canterbury, prior to the Exhibition of 1882 (which was 1 projected and carried out. by Messrs' Jbubert and. Twbpeny as a' private speculation), three industrial exhibitions, were held in Christcnurch under the auspioes of the local industrial jassociatipn. These, though by no means.of the pretentious character; of that in 1882, were yet very, compaot and excellent expositions of the progress made at different times by the various local industries of the district, They .comprised exhibits of the products, jofj: the Kaiapoj Woollen Factory, pottery and fireclay goods, implements, iron manufactures of all, kinds, and generally What is known as examples of loaal manufactures, including a number of. carriages. These were carried on much in the same way as exhibitions, ,are all over- the world, though of course on a much smaller in that there were 'concerto/idjamatyoper,-* formances, and musical gatherings given in connection with.them. There was also a,. very creditable show to the patter' of art, the pictures of a good 'many of-the .local artists, as well as those in other, parts of the colony, being, exhibited. They remained open in each instance about a month;,' and, what is rather the 'exception with' regard to, exhibitions, the financial .results were,exceedingly, satisfactory, ' No special build-; ings were erected, : the exhibition in each case, being held in the drill shed, to which: some,'temporary , in? hexes were added. These were followed by ttie Exhibition of 1882 already referred , to, which was on a far larger and more , tended scale than had ever been attempted. before. Indeed until the.'present pflie this was the largest ever.held la the eolimy, «pd. was besides -thej onto one ,pf ap Jnwrnational oharaoter. For thiß special bftijdidgß, somewhat pn the lines of the building, ' here, were projected and ereptpd in Efagley t 'Park. . colleotei from nearly" every country in the .World, except the, Fijian and Polynesian Islands. The British exhibits on that, occasion were exceedingly., largo, and filled a great proportion of tha ; building. The French: exhibits' were also. very; good indeed, and Altogether _,the, Exhibition was, on a large'scale.', - Some idea, pf the sfcw pf ft jjiay be tfjfcmpQ, from the J;

':ia .rWhioh eight the, iOaffiaV a band place on the 31st October, on which occasion His Excellency took the opportunity of publicly recognising the services rendered by Sir Julius Vpgel and Dt; Hector, who had both forked with the greatest zeal for the success;, of the undertaking.. The total number of admissions was 132,784, and the amount, taken at the doors was L 3.639 8s Bd, and the statement of, receipts and expenditure showed a debit balanoe of L 9.364 5s sd.

The Present Ekhtbition. J . The idea irom which .this undertaking I sprung was a very modest one. It was simply, thjs: That it might be possible to secure a considerable proportion of the ex-, hibits that had been on shuyv at Melbourne In 1888, and with these atld as many fresh exhibits as could be obtained to. make a display of an international cbaractor. That -was the notion in Mr Hastings's,mind when he first took counsel on the subject with one or two fellow townsmen. Anpt his scheme as to bow the necessary; funds could be raised was tb'e same a% that which has been adopted—vi?s.i theforma,tipn of a guarantee, company; buttheoriginalestimatewapthat LIOiOOQ,-would be ample for,the,purpose. A. little talk: and a ideal of thinking, resulted inMr ; .R.L,Stanfqrd drafting aiprospectus, .which.was presented, at a.publio meeting of/ which Mr R, Cbisholmj was chairman. At, .that meeting, held in April, 1888,, it was , resolved that the town should be canvassed witb the yiew of induoing people to takp . up the shares....; tN effprt ; wan. < ipa,dei bu,t it dtd, not result as satisfactorily, as the promoters ,had hppedit wo.uldj and, in sbort, tberewasat that time a strong probability that the proposal, would haye to be altogether abandoned. The embarrassment -was; however, of only,a temporary nature,! Mr been ponsultedip, the; matter, opuceive.d the idea of alteripc tbe soope, of thei/proposals, and interested bimselffWfpundiogpublic.opinioo as to .tbe feasibility; of v holding an interr bolohial instead pf ,an, internatiopal exhi.-, bition,;Jfe wrote a series of leading articles in.the 'Daijy Times,',and' l,jUiii»rviewed.; a number of among them M' nJ°bn Sobertsi chairman, s of jjthe. Phamber; of Commerce. of the deliberations, was -that;, the sqbenie as propounded was.. .vpluajftrlly dropped,,and fresh oirpijlars were sent out to the;pruxpipal cijizens asking:them to attend a meetiflgon. the'2sth, Ootpber toooneider whether ,she project was practicable. tA. fair number responded to the invitation.; Mr Roberts addressed those present, saying, thatjaltbough ,he djd not f,eelYery ; strongly. on, tbe gubiept, he. hpartily, approved of it, and believed there wasa reasonable, of , BtUMjaaa if .the., matter, ,»» : ptopeily brought. Mr, twopenytftlsoi gaye.his views» ;on the jubjeijt; : and, following the lead of Mr Jiobert Wilspn, who was, the first man! to guarantee LlQkvLoW' was .subaoribedimthe' room by„w ( a.y,pfrgnarantee.; -These *ontribntlons were—Mr J. japberts, Mr John Boas (Sargopd, Son;«nd Ewen),,Mr iR, Wilson, andMr A, Lee Smith, each iLIOOj :the late Professor M. Bfpwn and )Pr,ifielcher, each IJSO, ,A Bubrcpmmittee waslat once ap-. pointed;!^!,draw- up a prospeotus, and in doing po, ithey i followed the ol that .wWpli c|fr: #ten/«!d: fod: ~,;■ .b . .vfu---:/ r.Mi.*!-;i;!

drafted. A strong general committee was formed, and so little time was lost that by the following evening, 'the 26th October, it was definitely decided to form a company, with a capital of LIO.OOO, in LI Bhares. Executive officers were also appointed, Mr Bartleman being elected treasurer, Mr Hastings secretary, and Messrs Stanford and Milne solicitors to the company. From that date the enterprise was an assured success. • Guaranteed promises of support came from far and near; the canvassing for funds became almost a pleasure, bo easily were j the people persuaded to take up shares;! and on the 23rd November the enterprise had become so solidly based that the shares were allotted and permanent office-bearers appointed. Mr John Roberts was eleoted to the presidency; Mr Twopeny was made executive commissioner; Mr Bartleman, treasurer; and Messrs B. Hallenstein, A. Lee Smith, M. Joel, T. Brown, J. H. Morrison, W. Gow, and W. Dawson were ohosen as direotors. These appointments were made at a publio meeting held in the Town Hall—a meeting at which the hearty goodwill of all classes was so warmly and spontaneously; expressed that there might have been a risk of running, into excesses but for the leaven of caution which, characteristic of most business enterprises in this City, speoially displayed itself in this oase in the resolve not to stand finally oommitted to heavy outlay until the fund reached LIO,OOO. There! ,wasj however, no anxiety felt as to the finding of that sum ;. indeed, Itwataeen even then: that the movement was practically certain to swell to larger proportions than were at first estimated, and in view 6f probable developments the directors early tooki power to raise! the guarantee fund to L 15.000 as soon as this could be legally done. Late in November Mr Twopeny was commissioned to prooeed to Wellington to,lay the scheme before: the Ministry: apd see what ! assistance would bei given by the! o6lony* This mission was discharged with /admirable tact, and resulted most, satisfactorily. Mr unfolded the scheme in its entirety, and asked the Ministry to help the promoters by officially recognising the' Exhibition as the ; colony's jubilee celebration;, by using ■ their influence to obtain the loan of the art collection shown in Melbourne, and endeavoring to obtain the co-operation of other colonies ; foreign Powers; by undertaking the expenses connected'with early history, Maori, and South Seas exhibits; and by providing a building to contain ' the Government ex-' hibits and a pioture gallery. These requests were oivilly received and considered, and a fayorable.answer returned offhand to all , the demands exoepting that whioh involved I pecuniary' assistance—this being left over | until Mr Twopeny went up a second time in March, when the Government said that he might have LIO,OOO andTjspend that sum

BXPEHDITDBR. BoildlDßS of all kinds .. ..£30,000 Gardens .. .... ~ 1,000 Iteming „ :. " ',. 8,000 -' Srfarieg, wages, and office' exoenses.. 5,600 Advertitemente ■ ■'■ .;" 2,600 Muslo ... .< ~..,-. ~ 2.600 EDtertalDments .. .. .. 1,000 Publio exhibits .. ~ .. 2,500 Sundries .. .. ;. .. 1,000 £47,000 How this will be borne out, remains, of course, to be seen, but the outlook is not at .all dispiriting. The cost up to the opening day Has been, roughly speaking, about L 40,000 in all. The building has outgrown' .expectations, but in proportion has cost less thanwas estimated; the receipts from nearly all sources have been in excess of the first calculation; and it is confidently expected that though ho profit will ensue, the shareholders will reoeive baok a large proportion of the money they guaranteed. As instances of the increase in the reoeipts, it may be observed that only 1,000 'season tiokets were expeoted to be issued, whereas up to Thursday last this number was exactly doubled, and the catering privileges and Bide shows realised more than was anticipated. From all that can be known as to the probable: financial outcome', there fs not the least need for apprehension. Share-' holders were reminded oyer and over again that in. subscribing for shares they were not merely putting down their names as a matter of form, but must be prepared to pay every peUny for which responsibility was accepted ; but clear-headed and experienced men are; conducting the enterprise : on business principles, and the measure of'buc : cesß achieved so far warrants the expectation that the final balance-sheet will be such as to cause neither reproach nor discontent.

The Executive Qfllcers. ..' John Roberts,' President of the, Commissioners, -was born at Selkirk, Soot 1and,;in.1845., He,received theruditneots-; of educatlpn at the parish |oheol,;Waß for two,;years,, a ,pupjll ; .at jthtj Cheltenham (Glpupester?hirp) Grammar jSohool,. and the last years iof, hip sehool-ibQy.illfe ,were : passed' at the Edinburgh Academy and Queen street Institution. From 1862 to 1864 he was, employed in the, establishment with:. which, .his father, was oouhected—the firm, of Geprgo :Roberts and; Co., woollen manufacturers, of Selkirk. Iq 1864 hj left for Melbourne, and spent four' years in the employment of J. Sanderson and Co.j and, the knowledge of station management and, the wool business thus acquired served him in,good .stead in 1868, he opened business in Qtago under the style of Murray, Roberts, and Co.. Mr Rpberts was at one time a 'member of the Provincial Counoil; held a Seat in the Taieri County Counoil from 1873 to the end of last year, with the exoeption of a spell daring 1884, when he was absent from the colony; was one of the original directors of the J

GROUND JPUAIW OIP TTHE JBIJi:JL.I3XIVC

CUMBERLAND y <, STREET

to tbe bf»t advantage. It heEemid have amply redeemed even more than was at firet expeoted, having given the free use of the post and telegraph office for Exhibition purposes, free .passesbntheraUwayswheneveraskedforyand the use of the electric light for the gardens land fernery, besides largely endowing the Mineral Court, defraying the expense of the Armament Court, and paying the cost; of transit of the English pictures. -' ' - About Christmas time the question of site caused some public stir, and after much di*' oussion thattn Crawford street was preferred to eleven others, the meeting of shareholders thus acting oh the recomraen.datiou of. the, Executive Commissioner iand'Mr R. flay, C.E., the latter gentleman having reported gratuitously upon the aubjeot. The deoision a'rrived at has never been regretted, the Commissioners having long since recognised that there wbb no other part of the town where the show obula have been carried out except by inearring prohibitive expense. • It may be ; wot|;h mentioning that the site of the "Exhibition was under water so lately ad 1881. It wasjin thatyear that the reclamation of that parfi of the then existing foreshore was com-menced.-Further, as another instance of how Dunediaand its harbor haveimproved, it may be called to mind that on the 18th January, 1850, ithe third Provincial Council passed a resolution giving a bonus of LSOO to the Gil Bias, a brig b£ 179, tons, to run . between Otago and Melbourne, and a public dinner wasTgiveh: to Captain John 'Niooll for- having brought that vessel to anchor off Grant's Braes, after waiting at the Heads until the tide | was favorable. An historical that; kind isiinteresting, as showing'the pro- ■ greas that has been made. Vessel drawing 19ft have been berthed at the Dunedin wharves, and most of the Home ships Come right up to what it ist fondly hoped Wilt some .day become a second Broomielaw.; .The -site/of the Exhibition was granted -by' the Harbor Board ireebfoostt : >'?-//1:

Mosglel.! Woollen Company, and is ndw ohairjnanof the Board ;y-Ma<. Is responsibly connected with many of bur leading mercantile institutions.

Mr Richakd Ernest Nowbll Twopbky, executive commissioner, was born .at, Little easkrtdn'(Rutlapd), "-'of'mfch'tJaflsh his fathjer was l in 'Augusiy 1857. His early-years 'were spent in France, and he was subsequently educated at Marlborough " College'' and ;■ at the- University' of Heidelberg. ' Coming out to Australia : in 1876, his connection with exhibjtionß began with his < appointment, in 1877, as secretary to the South Australian Commission to the Taris Exhibition;' . whero' l he'' Jv first ' "beoaW acquainted with Mr-IJoubert. In' .1879 he was appointed seore'tary' /to, the 'South Australian Commissioners to the Sydney- and Melbourne Exhibitions, and in > February, 1881, he planned, 1 with "Mr 1 Jonbert, the /Adelaide Exhibition, 'which 1 was successfully carried ''but in July, August, and September of the same year. In November; 1881, Messrs Jbubert andTwopeny promoted an "exhibition tit' and subsequently initiated and managed c the l Christohuroh Exhibition of 1882.' Mr'TWppeny has for some time paeV occupKd tc TOe r editorial chair of the «Qtago Tiifflffi}" and frbm the first has been a most 'promoter of the Exhibition scheh^ie. 1 "' ' " , ' MrJuiiES general manager, Was born at Gharettte, in France, in 1824, and'iß the youngest son' of M.' Alexis' Augusts' 5 Jbubert,'an officer;in' 'ttje 1 imperiallJavy. The subjeot of thisVptic® 'graduated at the 'Collegeßoyal B6urbon, J fn Paris, eipd ijraii'-' ' appointed 4» the frigate' Heroine/ which ija the coUrse'of a lengthened voyago called in at the Bay of'lslands in 1839,' when Mr Joubert left the frigate; and, under the. guidance of. the chief of the Rprotareka tribe, undertook to ; walk'acrbsß island to Hokianga to 1 meet 1 the Deborah, "a vessel ibound for ! '-%dney. Falling' to"-find'' this vessel there, he compelled to' return 1 to- -'the; Bay; from which-*pla'c£ he sailed south in the frigate Aube, whioh was despatched to found.' a- French colony at 1 Akarpa. Mr : Joubert' arrived-in November, 1841; wttßin 1b44 appointed Chancellor to the Frbnoh Consulate, arid held tnatpbsition until the fall of the Bourbon dynaßty In 1 ' 1648, When he removed to South'Australia-' ■and entered into ripreantile pUrsuita. In 1851 he Went to Mount Alexander (Vi6toria); •and for - two years • managed the construction of -'public' work's' 'contracted -for t>y' Mr Mather, r :C;E''j 'and' air';the; same time carried bit busiifess on his'own aoddunt atSawpit Cully (now called Elphinstone). In 1853 Mr Joubert went to New Caledonia to meet: Admiral; Fevrier vDespointes,*ho went there to take possession of 4he island ; ■ and undertook Government contracts for the, snppjy 'of'" tn'e ne w l colony. ',ln ; lt»S4 L J and' 1855 if* Jomrt pftid Sfeveial Tisitt to New; »daleddnia;''• atid also visited' New Guinea, J Borneo; '"' arid■' ; 'yarl6u>'-"' and north 'i 1 wejt "fbf JU From 1855 "*j H 1g65 •Mr i jonbert'dwelt 'in Sydney,' in and 1 tfbpttt''tyhioh' tojra he carried out large jpbntraots: In 1 ' JLB67 be was appointed secretary of the Agricultural Sooiety of New Bo#th "Wales; and wfaile in -that position prombted tge'lndustrial .Exhibition in Prints ''-MtnV Park n in 18§8:: This was'the beginnrng ; bltionsin Anßtralk; j anl ;th* sUcoMS of ttis' '

>lhe question of site having been Battled; .further arrangements. were;. made •' with -rapidity, (The* capital war increased' to (L 15.000 as previously deemed f likely ito *;fcj©■ necessary'; Mr -Twopeny went 'to Melbourne and Sydney by way of the >NorHh, 'dtirrjngnjpthe people wherever- he . went, and making a hit in securing the services of Mr ,Joubert as general manager; ; <Mr. jA» Matthews visited'! the Sounds in; search of rare ferns afld alpineplants; 'Mr James Hislop was appointed arohiteot; arid ,lhe foundation stone was (aid by Governor Jervoia on the 20th of March, These were ..the leading stages in the enterprise'up >to ; that date. Since then the premises have being a perfect, hive oft industry, and the .whole of ithe works have beep carried out ■ -without' one: serious . aoeideat; ■ As to the finanoial a&peot, the original BBtlmate of receipts and expenditure was as follows;--'; ; •■■'<,• ■ ;;:;; i'-'-J.. uuiins.'" ■■"• ■■' -'■''■• ;V/ l,PoOseasontlokets ~; .. ~i *2,000.. c 240,000 admissions. . .. ~ 1,200 Payments lor'spaoe ,"'.. .. 4,000 ■ :'" OUeHng, catalogue,, etc. ~ „ v 1,500 ' _ Sideshows • v.;! • •.;■;.- ■*• ■* 600 :,' ' Art unions. . „ „■ ~. .600 ;•' Speolal oonoerts ..'"• .»• " ' ~ ,1,000 . Sale tfbuUtfrig V. ■V. ■ .. .WW ■ < -•■• Governmentsubsidyforbuildings L .: ■ 6,000 ..:, lor public wc-<iii';o >» ,i „ r:) Jt»fMte.>. _;...* . .*„., „ v , 2jm ■: '' '' : '"I \''.'... i ?j l " ;i ; ,i! '", '..:" ,OQ !* ','"l

first attempt led hiur to suggest the ereotion of. the permanent building in Sydney, which .cpst ,L27,#., In 1877 Mr Joubert planned the scheme of the International was subsequently appointed secretory, of >be Royal Commission for, the Paris. Exhibition, Whilst *? P**. In 1878, .the President o( the French on Knight- • hood of the Legion of Honor for services rendered-r-amongst others,^'for the warm i sympathy he evinced towards the victims of ! the flood jn the southern provinces of' Prance in 1871, when, he made a house-to-house canvass in Sydney, and cabled, home L 1.200 for distressed countrymen. 1 1n, :1881 ifix,, Joubert 'Mr itwopeny. promoted the Adelaide and Perth. Exhibitions, and in 1882 they,were Msqciaied in another enterprise the Industrial Exhibition at Christchurch. Mr •Tonbert. initiated, and carried to a, isnccestfuj issue the" International Exhibition at Caloutta in 1883-84; acted as, representative of New", South Wales at the Centennia} Exhibition at Melbourne in 1888-8?} and w%.jin 'Victoria was interviewed by. ,J(lr Twopeny, who persuaded him, tp accept the, position of general manager of the present venture, '■ Mr Dqtoias . BUm^,vfl[^»6s. :**s&'■ tory to -the, Commtaioners,' was ; bprn on -the 13th"May, 1857t,>na;.•Js.a, '-fm'-.ffi Major-, general who.servea < in, the ; Afghan anc( PersiafnTwarßj anid u»;the Indian Mutiny. Mr Hastings v/asEducated at St. John's Colh?gp,, Sussex, and J(7 year/} twelvemonth! ty Ga]io^ fe the .College;p£,]D^lany f( nected wjth ;the Lemberg University!,.. flel • came to. New Zerianft; as % cadet' fm l A' Bhß PP^ rm '#.sfee JMh; |sjaj% .an|,Mer;, W! of ( ill. .hea||t)},j.jand ,#£ -then, *****.* B<>" , Imft,, m, ..the t ,&i$ ■Post OJfice s ,.and Audit,. !)epartmsntj?,., After to as m^he ? , following,th l is, Ji w i as. fpr the/space of about three in gaining, general ei-, perience t M.&.mjjsfif, of ■ f pubUo v wor^s,,ano\jsojfoj#h;. .'.Then, he Vent to;wellingtbn,. an^, business, there for a short term, he came to Donedin, as agent for the-' Agricaltural and Paßtorlal 'The Athlete; ; i; but, JMpnly'a short" life, and;on ftH.Ja^nft'p ibok, servipe, as a repqrtjiuY peopinitog attached for a tinie <to! •This situation.was. resigned <ro hlg ing to go bto business on, his 6wn^ccount, ; His first secretarial appointment here was in connection with the BAtepayers and Pinan :/ oial Reform Association; next he, became

the Alexandra Palaoe, giving daily organ •'.. recitals, and frequently (took the week-day services at St. Paul's Cathedral for Sir John , st &W t '-*- H 9 wfenrned.to Mpw Zealand in. , lftal resign* ap>KCepCTnnedm three years latgr.' In 18lW he accepted a similar appointment in Christchnrch, where he remained for four years. Daring his sojourn in that city he conducted .with marked success ithe?three principal • musical societies—viz., Lledertalel "Musical , Society, and Amateur Comic Opera Company, In the latter part of hut year hjs visited Melbourne! and gam an orgin rtwtal $ in the E €hibit§on fßujldJng. J U Janupy oi 1 thwyPArhe was unanimoasly eleoieaf old position as organist of the Pro-Cathedral, Dunedin. Among the e&oeissfcl pupfls of Mr Towsey may be mentioned Mr Philip .Newbury, who-is in England and promises to be one oi the best tenors lor oratorio and 'concert singing. Mr Towsey was appointed in April' laW>*J musical djreotor of the New £ealand and <. South. Seas Exhibition., ..and, .is, ora,# Ijhe, , }1 Directors of the Society of : Mimehm,6i „ .Adstralastal ' "-' '•"• ' '-' « This may-be an appropriate' place & give''' ,a correotedikt of the: permanent pTchestra • WJfK-.Mlt, Towsey a charge.-It, it Mr.l •mm : - -j :;.-. n ,..!,.. ; rf v«a b..-•;.(>!.■■/. rriA First Violins.-L«46r,Si2Dor N. Sagarin: MrJF. 'BcUpteJ. ;1 r ■.-.. -y.'UuM ■*■-■»>■' .-■.:,-•■ H- • I'DeHos. r — Sen, Winokelmum; Ctaor,, (i il^t.l»,.Bss»i* 7 -^ne!p»l,i,Her)f, 9kf« t i m *. ; •'» ' i PJn^~m-^S'llr-J«hii»nd.p'''''''' ; '! :: .i;>i'.. ■ jSKaSk^JrIRSf *■***»' ri M *« J jßMßoon,w-MriEos|«.... f U'i -r ~ ■.:♦.. / 'Coroe^—Mr Cn>UM,poombi,MtCb»pnj»n. I ■ ,. L , ■'• iHorw.r-Mr(Curty, MrB.JUUBni : t-.j".'-!CEjI:-'w I.m« ;!J | -...■;.. ■/■,: .up Mijiai . 4fli l ß»r^<*«d t froni.^ffoni i Ae ( *iy|d^ hive M exactly Imposing appearance, firing tolts want of tieight, but ftieT'dome' minarets, which are Its hiort '« K W, ^ tli M iP#, nature. W ; hen the, ,%fc set >n foot, had .been definite,^ , wHr l> , r hoJ4 '. the Exhibition, the ftfy wWnaturalljr the, .; to be decided. No twelvejbcalUies v ndrtbern an,d ( some at :w?n»n<l some on BMlk .■■&*** "battle of the s^tes,^' am.?- ij ,cably settled at last, and tte ConMni«?|oners ~ cajne to the conclusion that by the sslectipn. ; of *he present position a good deal of money; ~

MtfOßffiS

w6»ldlie wecl'owiiigt'itotWbooWiieidjj of ;; ''' |te pm^fkM%^^ ( qimW^ " •'• ' Ofte' atea ofgrdnndW&paifciqr EifMHif.f,; bniK iteeins 1 of , shaft? its -two longest Jpek^griMßdlet'','' ". <>r,m , foMrsr^ fopc Square tnrretB !3 bright "" ipffij 4W6 octagonal 9 totferaf jalj' 6t T shlin - " 'sobieln&mprenMisibfe way*Wariabiy baa ';;' a cheering (but'hbt mebriatincTeffect on th ¥ e . probatly fejr,etatl«-," ! ';| tic&B 'with'r&ard r $' -ffitf V4t§»*"» th!baaing which P& bpenplaced' • ' a^obFdiß# B ki wmmmL Wmw, n »» i ;;ftiree Kundried tEiusaiil !froi£ f fortwpy^s%« iron' Tb'ej main building by', ** ''Messrs, M'JJath, and, Walter, whb hkviJ""' 7 ' [Chat the fif6oV^We%blnl^e^dl^ T!^f to n g; r r whatever .v'eliibfe;te in, <a '°' JjgSteittfcl**''drift if bounced colors, and barfed across wim Vthfi' *;; : The-' i^£A^i^'SdUß^ o l>l& t -''l admissidn n f! bbiiterfeyjn^'baf ° " regulatW&q serVices drE?^ ; M#n ;; ", JjiSPinaßse nave been MKarefl. .rapEHii ~ TEspinasse',is.a"JfcentiisinainPWSto* fl tßlfitofer, experiences led to Tiitf,reOT\nint&da%ii 4>y InelaPtf*bttr i; } ; snpVnt^de»t^r : ' : P temember the esap^d^to^^^%ttj&bv^'''.. Sn|nbilt Yi 'day," and in 1879 he was t!o,tiie, i; ' r . ' again the same : r t £^^;*lobi-rßm"' . worn- '.:-K OJ CTTn»™j.'f(s^ r ??f;j!)Sti!fcsrfp'.■frKif

secretary toj the Macandrew Memorial pnnd Committee | andsucoeededlfr ß.. Houghton' (this gentleman resigning). as iecifcrary to the Chamber of Comnieroe. -'- 5 v -u

The Archttept..' :; iZ : > Mr fa*k¥B Hj»W£P K w <born ,ip JEJI.«gQW on the 26th Aprili 18B9» and Dameout to Otago wfoh Jjfo parents ,in JB6Q, JHftrWM educated first at * tbfi, School, receiving the last two years of his general tuition from Mr James; Idndwy. now; of Oatearu; E -ffl8 t fifrt J Bitnatfon ,J wA W the Piiblte WorkslOflSoej intoiwhicHJie;went, asaolerk ;bntJMr!W.N. Blairdiscorared in the yonngvelefk* speoiaj aptitude l for; drawing, and -gave himv <work.to ; do, besides encouraging; him to; study in thatji direction<i i Mr ; flislop twasjooe of those (who were sacrificed-, by thei retrenchmentj policy' of the: Government ia! ,1&75 or 187&jjand do* ,tiieaawent Sduthi surveying for twelve monthg.;! On<fetauming tpDunedin he-jras;artioled; for three y«ar* •to, the firm of M*Bon, iWales,iand Steven- ; son.' This term having expired» he rejoined;- ; the GovernmeJjt service under Mr Blair, and iwaa stationed at ?tb.e Publio Works Office at Jlalson. for inine >qr ,ten traonthe..'ißeing to l)unedin owing to,the, death i of his mother* :Mr;Hislop went?into partner ship, with MtM. (Tettyvi the fitai *eing known as Hislop attcbTerry.' The partner-; ; ehip lasted for aftor./)which .-Mrf Hislop went; inio ,00 his /owuii aooonnb Amongl^O/prinoipaLworksrthafc' have been carried;' out aocofdingito-fcfcej designs and i under, the dirjectionrctpfb Mxt Hislop awsibß/ p?ohange .Contt,; .Brinoeh sfcieet f, street from the jQarrisonHftiritoHaUaiisteinl i Brothers' factory ;,ti>o • Gity Boot iPalaoe,. George street; Evftus'a roller, Timara; andE,oßS)'s>4-rcade, ! Timaru.! v <v

a* ! ffenley-bh-Thl&esY, ( 'JErig- J Tatid, 'ln strae,' iffi) %nitk WsMfiß> parked talent fbr'mußfy.,' Mine age ofseven he<«iAnien6yd ; theStadjr lot;the pWqrte ' jfti? sW?l3%feJhfe; mage-Am'tJS. DbQW 1 gaining a scholarshipfor |fim?ing" Ifter,; 'etititHflr^ft * His boyVvbi& 'fitf studied the pianoforte and'brgan'nndt'r Sir' John Stoinef and Mr ' and had the' privftes',of reoeiving 1 lessons i£ harmony from 'Sir'-Fiftu'B3!jßy. a She coHege'Afr Tbwß«iy staled wittfftr^H.' C. UeattonV'of - L went as organiat. In '1866' he .Was-'sefected" organist; and cljoirmttter.; of. St.' :FafiPtP jtfie, ©uiiediH&%lierpifif remained In' teacher of various branpbtß bfnTOsi&'xintll" 1878, When" he bbtoined' yave' of abiaence" and went' to England,'wfeVe'for^e^rfy'iwb I '' yearsfate pursued his feuajoid. B^udlesWilder, Mr Berthold 1 Tbnre, for , 'harhiony^and f Jn p r W. Shakspeare for'singinKroesidesittena-'' log lectures $1; ' Browne and Br?' lileWellVfl ' Thomasl' aiid Bodying*latyng&k Bebuke* "M l 'fce : a«ytt»i^WW^ ,l,! ifi®l» , at !

jf'> : -?'i, ■*;

whioh the effeots of a wound received in active service laid him up for four years, and his present position as "Superintendent of Admissions" is the first he has been able to accept since his recovery. In the entrance hall of the building there are four turnstiles for the admission of the general publio—the two on the left of the'main door being for the admission of adults and children, those on the right being for the admission of adults only. The holders of season tickets, the Commissioners, and the repi tuieucatives of the Press obtain entrance through a broad space under a central archway between the two sets of turnstiles. The framework of the entrance machinery is decorated with fancy scroll work, and over the central archway is the legend "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof." A row of colored lights along the top of the structure gives an attractive appearance at nights. Separate arrangements have been made for the admittance and exit of workmen and others engaged in the building. To the right-hand side of the main entrance there is a door which gives admission to the Maori Court; and at this door are fixed two turnstiles—one for admittance and one for exit." For this entrance brass tickets are issued, whioh any employer of labor can purchase tor one shilling each, and which will last a workman for the whole period of the Exhibition— under certain-stringent regulations as to their surrender and retnrn. A similar door is situated on the left of the main entrance, which will be used for the general publio only on special occasions. The whole arrangements appear to have been made with absolute security against the possibility of the abase of free passes. The same system was, we are informed, put into practice with, .entire success at the Sydney Exhibition of 1879.

) Plaoe. '•" , Year. Admissions. Percentage. ijondon .. ,. . 1851 6,039,195 21.951 Paris ,. 1885 6,162,830 11.324 tondon .. .. 1862 6,211,103 21.471 Paris ;■... ,. 1867 9,143,279 21.899 Vienna .. .. 1873 7,251,867 20.358 Philadelphia . ,. , 1876 10,161,189 ., 22.277 Paris .. . . 1878 16,032,725 13.412 Svdney «.' Melbourne . .1879 1,117,686 158.984 . 1880 1,329,207 154.557