WELLINGTON EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10300, 27 November 1896, Page 3 (Supplement)

WELLINGTON EXHIBITION.

THE OPENING CEREMONIAL. The Exhibition, on which so much of the attention of the principal business men of Wellington has been concentrated for the past few/ week's, was opened on Nov. 18. The weather was nob' favourable, as about two o'clock a drizzling rain came on, but this had no perceptible effect on the'attendance, a steady stream of visitors pouring in 1 continuously '' from ' the moment the doors opened. The arrangements " were excellent, . and a great contrast to the Exhibition of 1885. The alleyways were lined by militia and voluntoers, and the way was thus kept clear for the Governor, who appeared in the concert hall punctually at three p.m. This hall, which holds over a thousand, was full, and on the stage were 300 children arranged in white, and each provided with a flag, who sang a series of national and part songs appropriate to the occasion, and sang thorn well. His Excellency was accompanied by Ladies Alice and Dorothy Boyle, and suite, . • but Lady Glasgow was still too unwell to attend. Upon the platform were as well the members of committee and military and naval officers, When the Governor entered he was greeted with the National Anthem to the strains of an organ built at Petone by Mr. Croft, and the voices of the children trained and led by Mr. Parker, At tho end the youngsters waved their flags, and the whole formed a pleasing and effective scene. The speeches then began, interspersed at intervals with music. ' The ceremony proceeded rapidly and crisply, and was all over in an hour and a-qunrter. After that the visitors dispersed either to rove through the building, or on to the cycling ground, where there were some sports, Those who were guests of the committee were entertained at after* noon tea by the committee. The whole affair was managed with great precision and neatness, and waß nob spun out to tho point of being tiresome- . THE EXHIBITION. Of the Exhibition itself it is not necessary to say a great deal. Tho buildings are not pretentious, but appear well adapted for the purpose, and the lighting is excellent. One of the most ntriking objects is the fountain at tho entrance, erected by Mr, utson, The design is a large nikau palm, with a Maori houd in the centre, and extraordinary trouble was taken to obtain proper models, the result being that £100 was expended by the builder over the work. The oxhibits are purely Mew Zealand, and mostly local, the principal exhibitors from outside Wellington being the Kaiapoi Woollen Company. The committee could have filled a great deal more space if they had it, and were they not cramped for room, the Exhibition would doubtless be much more of a colonial character than it is. There is no attempt at classification, and the effect is sometimes slightly incongruous, but general display is striking, and affords many objects of interest. There is an Art Gallery filled with pictures lent for the purpose, many of which come from Christohurch and Dunedin, and this is one of tho most interesting sections in tho Buildings. The venture promises to be a financial success and is more than likely to return a handsome profit, THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH. Mr. S. Brown, President of the Exhibition, read a telegram from tho Premier, expressing regret at hia absence from the opening ceremony, owing to the extreme pressure of public business, and wishing the Exhibition every success; also telegrams from the Roman Catholic Bishop and the President of the Canterbury Industrial Association, wishing tho Exhibition every succoss. In asking His Excellency to open the Exhibition, Mr. Brown went on to say that the cost of the Exhibition up to this stage had beon about £4000, towards which the Government had given a donation of £500. A guarantee fund had formed in case of loss, but he hoped there would beabig surplus which would bo devoted to promoting manufactures, industrial pursuits, and technical education. Ho compared this Exhibition with that held in Wellington in 1885, and said in many respects this Exhibition was better than the ono held eleven years ago, The area covered by this Exhi bition was nearly double that of tho last one,' but in spito of this, owing to tho limited ground at their command, the executive had had to refuse large numbers of exhibits, in consequence of which whole districts were left unrepresented. He briefly referred to the gatherings which were to be held in connection with tho Exhibition during the season, and predicted for them great success. He paid a high compliment to the Canterbury Industrial Association for the generous and loyal assistance it had given to the Wellington Executive in carrying out the arrangements in connection with this Exhibition,

HIS EXCELLENCY'S ADDRESS. Lord Glasgow thanked the president for the very kind manner in which he had referred to Lady Glasgow, and he also thanked tho audience for the kindly way in which they had responded to the president's expressions of sympathy and goodwill. He and his family had been deeply touchod by the great kindness and sympathy which had been shown them by the people of the colony durinp Lady Glasgow's severe illness, and he felt sure when he told her of to-day's sympathetic demonstration she would feel that she had roceived her reward for whatever she had done in trying to do good. ' It was a great ploasuro and privilege for him to opon this Exhibition. He had walked round the courts during the morning, and the conclusion he had come to was that the committee had done most excellent work, and tho Exhibition had surpassed his fondest anticipations and was a very fino exponent of the industries of the colony. This, the nineteenth contury, was a momorable era, and one tiling that recommended it was that tho lattor half was a term of exhibitions. The first year of the latter half of this century saw the opening of the Hydo Park Exhibition which caught on magnificently, and now the century was going to end with the groat Exhibition at Paris, which the French hoped would bo the greatest ever held in the world's history. In arranging this exhibition, Franco was working in co-operation with Groat Britain and the other countries and colonies, in order to make it a great success. New Zealand had been asked to send exhibits to this Exhibition. It was hoped that the twentieth century would bo ushered in by an Exhibition that would promote peace and goodwill among , the nations and among men. The present year was a great one for exhibitions, and ho referred, in detail, to the various exhibitions thab wera being held in different parts of the world. He dwelb upon the great educational benefits an exhibition conferred upon a community, and said they wore all much interested in seeing the success of British products. . Ho felt sure that all things being equal the people of New Zealand preferred British made goods to those of other countries. Comparing this Exhibition with one hold in Wellington in 1885, th 3 people would see the great progress the colony had made in these years. Exhibitions were of . great; advantage in older countries,' bub they were of still greater advantage to i/ew countries like . New t Zealand, He felb sure they would all find a great deal of interest in the Exhibition now being opened. The idea had struck him thab it would 'be as well if they had specimens of what , the colony did not produce as well as specimens of what tho colony ) did 1 prod Thore were many branched, of industry in which New Zealand had not yet embarked, and in which it would perhaps be bettor, if the colony did embark. - If exhibits had' been prepared - showing" what v. the • • colony did not , produce it / might have had a good effect , on enterprising citizens of community. :/■ His Excellency / then detailed a 'few of - the % industries -"which he thought.' might with advantage '/> be started 1 in New Zealand. . The , cultivation of beet,; for; instance. Why should b the ; colony not produce all its own sugar? ; The northern part of the . colony had an admire able climate for the growth of, the tobacco plant,/and the tobacco industry might be fostered.: Tlion why not 1 rival South -Australia in the production of olive ?..Thore was not; the slightest; reason why Now should, not produce as good, olive oil as the sister colony. Mulberry trees ■ grew well in New Zsalaiid,' and/why not produce "our own silk ? /•;, The time J had \ also come j when. ho thought -the>;colony/ should produce its own wines, samples of | which expbrts deelarod : could .not be sur- | passed.! .; Casks to store the wine should

also be made in the colony.' The very beet sand in the, world could Ibe obtained New Zealand for; the- manufacture of glass,'and why should local industry not Supply all bottles required ; in'tbe colony? The cork oak grew to perfection in the North Island, from . which all' corks'required . could be manufactured. - He could go on for an hour detailing the.: industries t; on V. which jNew Zealand could yet embark, bub he would refrain from saying 5 more on the subject, He i'hoped ana ' trusted that the result of this Exhibition ' would '■ be to start many more industries which could be conducted for the good of . the colony and its people. In f conclusion,*", ho declared the Exhibition: open ( and wished .it every 9UCC699* ' ]•.% . . • ; • , The Hon.. W. C. Walker, Minister of Education, expressed, his great pleasure at being present 'to-day; on behalf of the Government, and he was asked to propose a hearty vote of t!:anks to Hib Excellency for opening this Exhibition. '' Mr. George Fisher, Mayor, in a brief speech, seconded the motion of thanks to the Governor. . . The motion was carried with great applause. . '•

Mr. H. B. Kirk, vice-president of the Canterbury Industrial Association, briefly expressed his gratification at being present, and his appreciation of the remarks that had fallen from the previous speakers. The ceremony concluded with hearty cheers for Lord and Lady Glasgow. A GRAND MUSICAL DISPLAY. The ceremonies incidental to tho opening of the Exhibition were continued at night, when a musical festival was t>iveo on a very large scale in the concert hall, the foaturo of which was the fact that the productions were the wofk of local musicians. The principal production- was a cantata, " Hinemoa," a Maori legend, for soli, chorus, and orchestra, written by by Mr. Arthur H. Adams, of the Evening Post literary staff, and composed and conducted by Mr. Alfred Hill, the well-known Wellington musician. The principal characters were taken by Madame Eveleen Carlton (soprano), Mr. Harry Smith, of Dunodin (baritone), Mr. John W. Hill (tenor), and Mr. Harold Widdop (bass), the chorus being performed by Mr, Maughan Harnett's Musical Society of about two hundred voices. The cantata proved to bo full of beautiful airs, the solos being especially graceful. The work was enthusiastically received, and Mr. ill was loudly cheered. Tho odo, "Oh Lord, Our Governor," composed and conducted by Mr. Robert Parker, and the anthem, " The Earth is the Lord's and the Fullness Thereof," composed and conducted by Mr. T. Tallis Trimnell, were afterwards given with very fine effect by Mr. Robert Parker's Festival Choral Society, a chorus of some two hundred voices. The concluding item was the National Arithemby combined choruses. The concert hall was crowded to excess, and the whole of the performance was a magnificent success.