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New Zealand Mail, Issue 765, 29 October 1886, Page 30

The Kolni3che Zeitung is publishing a series of articles on the “Colonies,” from the introduction of which the following extracts are taken :—“ln England, as well as on the Continent, the news of another Kensington Exhibition was . received with suggestive shaking of heads* The present Exhibition, however, has dispelled the donbts as to the advisableness of holding it, for it exceeds the former exhibitions in every respect, and offers a great deal of what is new and beautiful to the visitor. Germans who are still in doubt whether they shall go and have a look at it may do so without misgivings, for their expectations will be greatly exceeded. Unfortunately, Germans have an incomprehensible aversion to a visit to London, and vast numbers of our compatriots go 20- or 30 times to Paris on a holiday trip or in search of artistic treasures, without ever dreaming of steering their boat toward London. The fact is that the honest German is imbued with the idea that Lendon is & place to which people only go when they have ‘ something to do ’ —that is to say, either to make money or scientific studies. To Paris they still look as the Eldorado of pleasures! And yet what a difference there is between London and Paris 1 In London all that glitters is solid gold: Paris is more than ever the ‘gilded dungheap.’ ” “The Indian of today is just as able as his ancestors were before him to make excellent articles of all kinds, provided they are—mutatismutandi—paid for as they used to be in former days. Bat instead of encouraging native art, European taste (?) compels the Indian to furnish articles de luxe in the Indian ‘ style ;’ thus the vessel which was filled in the temple with sacred flowers of holy water is mounted on a Renaissance foot, receives a Persian lid, Grecian handles, an engraved monogram, and the hideous structure is ready to become a lovely wedding or Christmas present. At the Kensington Exhibition the public may any day be seen thronging around some glass case, expressing its admiration by oftrepeated exclamations of ‘How nice 1 isn’t it lovely !' and if anybody should look at the cause of admiration he is sure to find objects which look very English, bnt about which very little is left of the original Indian ware.”