CHRISTCHURCH EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11521, 5 November 1900, Page 5

CHRISTCHURCH EXHIBITION.

INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT. INTERESTING COMPARISONS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Chkistchuech, Saturday. The President of the Exhibition (Mr. R. Allan) has had considerable experience of these industrial displays, as he was the first president of the Christchurch Industrial Association, formed in the year 1878, and in that capacity acted as president of the first industrial exhibition held in Christchurch. He has also been connected with all the exhibitions in Christchurch since that time, and has visited every exhibition held in New Zealand, and also those held in other parts of the world. In the course of an interview, he said : " I consider the present one is the largest and best display of New Zealand industries that has yet been exhibited As an exhibition it- is not on the scale of the South Seas Exhibition held m Dunedin in the year 1390 because that, included both Sydney and Melbourne exhibits, end the Government gave a bonus, but-the exhibits heie, I think, will show a distinct improvement on anything yet shown m isew Zealand, and there is no doubt will convince the public that real solid progress has been nude in many industries. iNot only is this the case in regard to the actual output, but in style and finish and appearance. One great feature about the present Exhibition, of course, is the very fine permanent building attached to it, the result of the efforts of the Industrial Association and Agricultural and Pastoral Association. The public have responded splendidly, exhibitors have taken up the whole of the space, and we have had a Tegular demand for season tickets. I think I can almost, say that the financial success of the Exhibition is absolutely assured. Visitors will be well provided with entertainments during the season, a large variety having been arranged for. Of exhibits, Canterbury, of course has the greatest number, but Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, and Nelson are also strong. The only difficulty we met with arose from the fact that the great bulk of manufacturers throughout New Zealand have been particularly busy during the last few months. This prevented some of them from responding to our application. However, as every inch of space has been taken up. I don't know what we could have done had they exhibited unless we adopted the proposal to take vacant sections across the road. Our Exhibition in total area covers about the same extent as the recent Auckland Exhibition. I visited the latter, and my impression was that it was particularly well arranged, and very well carried out; in some of their arrangements, I think, they were decidedly ahead of us. More space was devoted to tea rooms, and, of course, they had a display of mining machinery, which we have not, but for the actual number of exhibits and New Zealand productions I think I am right in saying we exceed them."