THE EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9123, 3 August 1888, Page 5

THE EXHIBITION.

additional particulars. SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE MUSICAL PERFORMANCE. MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN. [PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Melbourne, August 2. It is estimated that 36,000 persons visited the Exhibition, yesterday. During the firing of the salute a charge exploded, shattering the arm of Bombardier MeKenzie so severely that the limb had to be amputated. '1 lie choir at the opening ceremonies comprised six hundred voices. The principal vocalists, were Miss Amy Sherwin, Madame Christian, Messrs. Amies Beaumont and Otto Fischer. bit- Henry Parkes, Premier of New South \Yales, was unable to be present owing to the pressure of work in Sydney. Lady Loch was presented with tin Exhibition pass set in diam ."ids, and magnificent bouquets of orchids, sent from Sydney, were presented to the wife of each Governor. Mr. Cowen's Song of Thanksgiving was splendidly rendered. It is a scholarly work. The first and last numbers of the cantata are decidedly the best in conception and treatment. The other parts are somewhat, weak. Germany has sent a magnificent art collection, occupying a position corresponding to the British art collection. The New Zealand Court forms one of the most pleasing and interesting features in the Exhibition. The Maori curios and the models of the Terraces attracted a great amount of attention. His Excellency Sir H. B. Loch entertained three hundred guests at dinner last night, including the Governors and Ministers from the neighbouring colonies. A cable message has been received from the Queen wishing success to the Exhibition. This is not a reply to the cable message sent by the Governor after the opening, but a spontaneous expression on the part of Her Majesty. The lighting of the Exhibition Building is superb. Looking down the Grand Avenue of Nations it is a magnificent spectacle of striking brilliancy. The German, Austrian, and Hungarian Courts have rich decorative effects. The Broken Hills Silver Trophy is the most striking trophy in the Exhibition. Canada makes a very poor representation, and France has only a moderate display. Many of the courts are behind-hand in their arrangements. London, August 2. The opening ceremony of the Melbourne Exhibition is warmly eulogised by the press.

EXHIBITION NOTES.

The Centennial International Exhibition is being held on the spot where the previous world s fair ol ISSOtook place at Exhibition. Buildings, iitzroy, but the permanent buildings, which have recently been used by the Government printer, form merely the nucleus of the huge expanse of timber and corrugated iron, extending over some 41) acres, and daily being added to, so that the open space on three sides—north, east, and west—is covered nearly to the street railings. The building is constructed of American pine and corrugated iron, handsomely painted and decorated. The floor, which in some parts is twenty-five feet above the ground, is of New Zealand white pine. Entering the building at the grand north gate, you step into a grand Avenue of Nations, a magnificent through area, about 300 yards long by 40 feet wide by 40 high, extending to the opposite end of the main hall, and abutting on the permanent building under a large dome. The inscription, in English, French, and German, "Grand Avenue of Nations," is displayed on arches at intervals along its length. All principal courts have frontages to this avenue, and vie with each other in attracting attention. The following is a brief account of the appearance of the principal divisions on July 21—some of the minor courts being at present undistinguishable, except on official plans. First, on the right hand on entering the Avenue of Nations is the American Court, tilled with unopened packing cases, and opposite is situated an empty space allotted to Canada. Adjoining the latter is the New Zealand Court, which is a credit to the colony, and has already been described in detail. On the other side of the avenue the German Court occupies a large frontage, which has been utilised for a very showy display of decorative art—several highclass scenic artists having been brought out for the purpose by the Commissioner, Herr Werinuts, of the German Foreign Office. In front of the court there is a large arch, covered with the coats of arms of various German towns and principalities, with velvet and gold curtains, supported by gilt pillars, to form the entrance. In he background, at the rear of the court, has been erected a gorgeous throne to contain the inevitable bust of the Kaiser. This bust, by the way, made its appearance at the first news of the death ol the last Emperor, only to be covered with cloth and re displayed on receipt of the various contradictory telegrams sent out. The exhibits in the German Court, as far as can be seen at present, do not give an adequate idea of the resources of the fatherland. Judging by the display of various kinds of liquors, the Germans have evidently little faith in the success of the temperance party in the colonies. A large collection of pianos form a principal item in the court. Adjoining the New Zealand Court, and situated opposite part of the German Court, are the Queensland and South Australian Courts, with handsome solid-looking frontages of wood and plaster, treated to represent massive stone walls and arches. The courts contain fine show cases, the majority of which are, however, empty as yet. The grand Avenue of Nations is then crossed by another large avenue, which gives a side frontage to the courts adjoining it. The Victorian Court, on the left hand side of the grand avenue, covers a large area, and contains many handsome show cases and trophies well worthy of the leading Australasian colony. On the opposite side Austria has her court, but it is very backward, and contains only unopened packing cases. New South Wales, facing Austria and France, is only a little more advanced, the principal objects being a pavilion comprising offices and a hand-somely-furnished suite of rooms for the use of Lord and Lady Carrington—in fact a Government House on a small scale. France promises to have one of the best and most attractively-arranged displays in the building. One trophy is in the shape of the upper part of a champagne bottle, about 30 feet high, and covered with bottles of Roederer's " Fiz" (gilt brand), and cannot fail to gladden the heart of every lover of it good glass of wine, though there will he no lack of that, judging by the huge hogsheads in the Australian courts. Last, but not least, conies the British Court, which, when ready, will be without doubt the finest and largest in the building. Unfortunately, owing to an unaccountable misunderstanding between the commission in London and their representatives in Melbourne, great delay took place before the preliminaries were settled, and a large amount of work remains to be done, the packing-cases being here, as elsewhere, the most striking feature. The machinery sent by the various countries is to be exhibited in separate annexes which are partly in course of construction, and do not as yet give a fair idea of what they are to contain. Suitable exhibits, such as windmills, railways, and railway plant, etc., will be shown at work in the grounds. A fisheries court will be one of the most attractive features in the Exhibition, and a very large number of exhibits have already been secured. Sir Thomas Brady, the Irish Commissioner of Fisheries, who is now i on a visit to the colonies, has given valuable |

assistance. He will exhibit a model of his trawler fishing smack for deep-sea fishing, and other contrivances which are at present unknown in this part of the world. Mr. Sherrard, the assistant-secretary, has charge of this department. The Exhibition will, in the opinion of competent persons be the finest show ever seen in the colonies, and will rank with the leading international exhibitions. Its effects are already noticeable in Melbourne in the great influx of strangers which has set in. Every second man you meet is from New Zealand, or South Australia, and it is sometimes difficult to find your way about, as the general answer to an inquiry is, " Sorry I don't know ; I am a stranger here myself." It will be a good investment to any man in New Zealand to visit Melbourne during the next six months, as anyone with ordinary intelligence can't fail to pick up numerous wrinkles here, independently of the Exhibition. The management of the Exhibition labours under the disadvantage of a vast system of red tape, which effectually prevents any business being transacted with despatch. This may be a fault on the right side, but is the cause of much complaint, and gives rise to many humorous incidents owing to the manner in which employes are bound down to hard and fast rules in every case. The fire brigade arrangements are excellent. They have been frequently tested by false alarms, and any little defects noticeable at first have been promptly removed.

A large staff of police keep a vigilant guard by day and by night. The electric light, fitted up by the Australasian Electric Light Power and Storage Company (Limited), Melbourne, at a cost of about. £50,000, is a special feature, and at night the building and dome suggest a scene from fairyland.