ST. ANDREW'S HALL EXHIBITION.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7142, 21 April 1885, Page 3

ST. ANDREW'S HALL EXHIBITION.

His Worship the Mayor of Napier formally opened yesterday the Art Exhibition and Museum of Ourioa at St. Andrew's Hall, Port Ahuriri. There was not a large attendance at the opening, owing to the inclement weather prevailing, but as the day wore on visitors became more numerous, and in the evening there was a very fair gathering of sightseers. In addition to the attractions of the exhibition, a concert was given last evening, at which several lady and gentleman amateurs assisted by contributing vocal and instrumental selections. Town and Spit residents who desire to aid a good cause, and at the same time to receive an equivalent for the small Hum demanded for admission to the hall, will do well to pay ft visit to the exhibition. The hall is full of objects of interest, prominent among which are specimens of Maori, Fijian, and American Indian workmanship and implements of war, hunting weapons, &c. A beautiful exhibit is a pretty inlaid box of almost numberless specimens of New Zealand woods, and nearly opposite this is a copy of Miss Thomson's wonderful picture "Waterloo." The list of exhibits comprises so many rare and interesting articles that a mere catalogue of them would occupy a larger portion of our apace than can be spared, and in briefly mentioning a few of the more noticeable exhibits it is not to be understood that they include a tithe of of what may be seen by visitors. A Chinese pillow, French sabots, Fijian cloth, Hindoo swords and daggers, model of a Canadian toboggan, Indian moccasins, Afghan suow shoes, sandalß from Cashmere, Khoofgarie inlaid wcoi from Googirat, &c, almost without (end, give visitors the not incorrect idea that the hall contains noticeable specimens of art and construction from nearly all the countriea of the globe. The literary antiquarian can gladden his heart by looking at a French translation of the Koran dated 1649, while mimismatologiats may wax enthusiastic over a collection of British c#in» dating from Edward 111 to Victoria, and may have the additional pleasure of treading on the corns of misguided naturalists who care not for coins, but are sure to become entranced over a collection of beautiful coral sponges lying cheek by jowl with the box of ancient and modern cash. The hall containing all those objects of interest is nicely decorated with flowers, flags, and evergreens, and there is a plain and fancy goods stall presided over by Mesdames Welsh, Patten, and Cunningham, and Miss Keyworth. | "Creature comforts" are not forgotten, there being an enticing refreshment stall

supervised by M&adames. Baxter and Trask, assisted by sirena solicitous of sales in tho persona of Misses Ingpen, Raikes, Plestead, Robottom, Kraeft, and Russell. The exhibition will remain open during the week.