THE HOKITIKA EXHIBITION.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1717, 4 February 1874, Page 2

THE HOKITIKA EXHIBITION.

The formal closing of the Hokitika Exhibition: and the distribution of prizes takes place at the Town Hall, Hokitika, this evening. On this ;event,; the JSxliibition News, a sheet which has been published in the interests of the show, during its continuance, makes the following remarks :— : " The time has come when we have to bid farewell to those readera who, week after week, have followed, the fortunes of the Hokitika Exhibition; an enterprise which, insignificant as it may appear to the outer/world, yet involved an amount of labor which may well be characterised as . gigantic— for the obstacles to the undertaking were not aloue to be found in the : amount of work attendant upon getting iip such a collection, but in the apathy and lassitude displayed by the public generally. Here, as in many other casas, the people were perfectly willing to fold their hands, and to watch the process which should lead to a successful issue, and, upon its achievement, to congratulate themselves as if the result were-, due to their owu laborious efforts.^ But, to what cause soever it may be ascribed, there is no doubt that the second Hokitika "Exhibition was a decided success. As compared with the first, both in number of visitors and quantity'atid quality of exhibits, the Exhibition just closed was a considerable advance upon that of 1872-3. When we take into consideration that the receipts were nearly, treble those of the previous year, and yet that the whole of' them, .with i the exception of L 75 were, expended in the district from which they were raised; we cannot but .conclude that this, enterprise must compare favorably with any ,df those which put forward their holiday claims to tr-e favorable consideration of the public. But after the temporary gratification which,* we are assured, so many persons have derived from the, Hokitika Exhibition, there remains a permanent benefit 'behind, in the shape of the nucleus of a museum which will be a source of pleasure and instruction to the present and future people of Westkrid. Its treasures are not great, nor ;is its magnitude surprising, but if all those who are able will add something to it, the time will speedily. co.ne when we. shall not needio be ashamed of either its quantity or quality/ - ■; - ; :! ,. ; !