TEE NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9257, 10 January 1889, Page 6

TEE NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITION.

WARM SUPPORT FROM THE CHAMBER OP COMMERCE. A meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday afternoon, in accordance with the resolution passed at the meeting of the Council on Monday last, to hear Mr. Twopeny'a representations upon the New Zealand Exhibition, proposed to be held in Dunedin. There were present: —Captain Colbeck (chairman), and Messrs. Milne, Lodder, A. H. Nathan, A. Bell, Ehrenfried, H. C. Tewsley, G. W. Binney, S. Vaile, Churton, Ireland, Caughey, J. Waymouth, Houghton, J. M. McLachlan, Shera, Moss Davis, John Lamb, J. Coates, Garrett, Winks, J. M. Clark, Nashelski, Dalton, Tait, W. Aitken, R. E. N. Twopeny, and a number of others.

The Chairman briefly introduced Mr. Twopeny, who then proceeded to lay his views before the meeting. He first touched on the propriety of holding the Exhibition in Dunedin, and on Auckland's prior claim. It had been said to him here that Sir Julius Vogel's proposal to hold an Exhibition in Auckland had never been formally dropped, and the Dunedin people, before taking the matter up, should have written to Auckland to ascertain whether Auckland had given up the idea. In reply to this he said they in Dunedin understood that Auckland had dropped the matter, and he hoped that on this account the Dunedin people would not be blamed for a want of courtesy in not first communicating with Auckland. Christchurch and Wellington had had Exhibitions, Dunedin was now havingone.and Auckland's turn would come next. It was absurd to suppose that the Exhibition in Dunedin would be the only large one in the colony. Another point he touched on was the very large amount of work they were getting done at practically no cost. The patriotism of the people in the South had been aroused, and they were all determined to aid in making the Exhibition a success. They had done all they could, but they could not do much without exhibits, and that was the reason he asked for the goodwill of the Auckland people. The only way by which they could get exhibits from Auckland was by forming energetic local committees. Speaking of some of the objections made, he said the Exhibition was going to be held, not now, but next year, when the revival of trade would have fully eet in. If they waited for a century he did not think they could hit on a more suitable time for the Exhibition. Touching on some of its advantages, he referred to the advertisement it would be for local industries, and to the restoration of confidence it would tend to bring about, both in the colony and i abroad. It would serve to attract many people from abroad, especially from Australia. Mr. Cook, the tourist agent, supported him in this view. It was said that the Dunedin Exhibition was coming too soon after the Melbourne one. This was a mistake, as the Sydney, . Adelaide, and Melbourne Exhibitions had been held soon after each other, and yet had been well patronised. The fact was, the people who had seen one Exhibition wanted to see more. People, too, in Australia, would make the Exhibition an excuse for coming over to see New Zealand, and they, going back, would help to advertise the colony by the accounts they would give of the country. Among other attractions, there was to be an aquarium, to show the value of New Zealand fisheries. In concluding, he thanked the gentlemen present for the kind hearing they had given him, and he hoped they would cordially assist to make the Exhibition a success.

The Chaibmaj* said everyone must congratulate Mr. Twopenyfor the able manner in which he had put the matter before them. To facilitate business, he suggested that a resolution should be proposed, and gentlemen who wished to do so could then speak upon it. Mr. Miln-k then moved, pro forma, "That a committee selected from this Chamber be formed to further the object of the proposed New Zealand Exhibition to be held in Dunedin, as explained by Mr. Twopeny ; such committee to have full powers to invite the co-operation of gentlemen outside this Chamber, and to add such gentlemen to the committee now to be proposed." Mr. John Lamb seoonded the resolution. He thought it a very desirable thing for them to give a helping hand to this Exhibition. It was no use for them to think that it was not for the good of all New Zealand. (Hear, hear.) These gentlemen in Dunedin had taken all the financial responsibility, and we here should do what we could to make tho Exhibition a success. (Applause.) He would like to see a special exhibit of needlework from the young ladies of the colony. Nothing was better than to see a young woman able to make her husband's shirts and stockings. (Laughter and applause.) Mr. A. H. Nathan said that as all present seemed cordially to approve of what Mr. Twopeny had said, that gentleman might go away assured that the Chamber would do all in thoir power to assist in carrying out the views of the promoters of the ~Exhibition. He did not think there was any occasion for apologies for holding the exhibition at Dunedin. The Aucklanders had had every opportunity of holding it here, if they had so desired, but they had let the time pass by, and even now he doubted if they could do what the people in Dunedin had done. No doubt our time would come, but he thought that for the energetic manner in which the Otago people had gone in for the Exhibition they should meet with every encouragement from Auckland— (hear, hear)—and he had no doubt the Auckland people would give them every assistance to make the affair a success. (Applause.) Captain Colbeck then put the resolution, which was passed unanimously. Mr. Twopeny said he would be very glad to adopt Mr. Lamb's suggestion, and also any others which might be made. They* wished to make the Exhibition original, and they wanted ideas from all parts of the colony to make the Exhibition a truly New Zealand one. The following gentlemen were elected as a committee :—Captain Colbeck, Messrs. J. M. Clark, A. Nathan, S. Vaile, J. Waymouth, A. Bell, Churton, W. Tait, H. 6. Towsley, Nashelski, Garrett, J. Lamb, Caughey, Bridgewater, and W. Lodder.