DUNEDIN EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 889, 15 March 1889, Page 31

DUNEDIN EXHIBITION.

A largely-attendee! apd representative nyfcUo iqeetiqg was held at the Exchange Jlqli Tuesday night in eonneotion with ■*-’ proposed Dunedin Exhibition. - *-ae was taken by the Mayo** xbe chair for the unavoidfd' 1 who apologised J H Coe 1 '* " absence of Messrs ■ * ~u., yV. H. Levin and E. Pearce. The Mayor explained that the object of the meeting was one well deserving of the people of Wellington. It would be remembered, no doubt, that the Otago people were among the largest exhibitors at the Exhibition held here in 1885. He referred to the beneficial effect exhibitions had on the industries and products of the colonies. New Zealand was now beipg looked to as a field for colonisation, and when there was such a feeling abroad an Exhibition tended to increase it. The more the country was known the less disfavour would be shown it, and the more likely it was to get into the good graces of other countries. He warmly complimented the Dunedin people on their energy in this matter, and said he was sure they would receive all possible support from Wellington. (Applause.) Mr Twopeny expressed gratification at the large attendance at the meeting, and his strong sense of the very generous spirit in which the Exhibition had been taken up in Wellington. The spirit of the Dunedin people in this matter was that if it was not done properly it had better not be done at all. To do it properly would require the cordial

co-operation of the other parts of New Zealand, and if this were given he felt sure it would do much to foster a colonial feeling and to obliterate provincial jealousies. They wanted to show by this exhibition what had been done in the first fifty years of New Zealand’s history, and the possibilities of the next fifty years. He considered this a very opportune time, for this reason, that, they had now came to the turn of the tide in the depression which had existed for so long a time ; and there was an excellent opportunity for restoring confidence in the Colony among people abroad. It was evident that we could not do everything for ourselves, in spite of our resources ; we wanted advertising in fact, so as to make the country known. New Zealand was a country about which it was not necessary to tell lies —the truth about it was its best commendation; what we wanted to show was that we were able to pay our debts, and had resources to back us up. He had his doubts in Australia, at first, whether an exhibition here would be supported, for people were everywhere ready to throw the Colony s debt in your face, and considered it in a bad way. Since then, however, tacts had been put before the Australian people, who were now beginning to believe that there was something in the Colony—in its scenery as well as its resources. He pointed out that correspondents of Australian newspapers, as well as persons carrying on private correspondence, could do a great deal of good for the Exhibition. Moreover, it would be a very good Exhibition. They would have a very large display from Great Britain, and the efforts, of the Commissioners would be to provide special features. It was intended also to show manufacturing and other processes, such as meat refrigerating and so forth. They wished, in fact, to have as much life about at as possible, for he recognised the inutility of the glass case plan. Another feature would be tourists’ courts for the benefit of visitors, who would in that way be encouraged and asaisted to travel about the country. As to the art galleries, it was found that the British loan collection would not be lent except to the Government, as was done in the Melbourne Exhibition, and that was not decided upon. Of course they could not do as had been done in Melbourne with respect to music, but the very best that was possible would be done. He might remark, with reference to the art galleries, that he had secured many of the pictures shown in Melbourne. The difficulty was that artists did not think they could find a market for their pictures in New Zealand ; and to remedy this an art union of LSOOO was to be held. It was proposed to get Major Dickenson, who had recently been in Dunedin, and was a very able lecturer, while he had some particularly fine views, to lecture throughout Australia on New Zealand for a few months previous to the Exhibition. There was to be a big race meeting at the opening of the Exhibition, and there would be numerous sports gatherings and similar meetings to keep visitors amused. Returning to the question of advertising the resources of the Colony, Mr Twopeny said it was intended to have a court in which the products and resources of the Colony would be arranged and shown in geographical order. Having briefly referred to the arrangements with respect to charges, Mr Twopeny said the Dunedin people hoped that those in other parts would help them to make this Exhibition a thorough colonial undertaking • for the whole question of advantage to. districts would, b.O a question of competition ip exhibits. The Government would carry exhibits free, and the local committees were only asked to pay for the fittings of the courts. He anticipated that the total cost of collecting exhibits, and so on, to the Wellington committee, would be abput~E3oo. Every advantage would be given to the exhibitors fropV a)l parts of the Colony, (Applause,) Sir William Fitzherborfc moved, “That the proposal to celebrate the 50*- 1 - versary of the foundation .-a anniof New Zealand. 1 — ' -- or the Colony of Dunedin -y holding, in the city f.v— _.i, an Exhibition illustrative of

arts, industries, resources, and manners of New Zealand, Australia, and the other countries and colonies in the Southern Pacific, has the sympathy and support of the people of Wellington.” In making the motion, Sir William eloquently maintained the importance of appropriately celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Colony. He pointed to the immense work which had been done in New Zealand —a great historical work that must be recognised and commemorated. He warmly commended the Dunedin people for their earnestness and energy, and Mr Twopeny, their representative, for the manner in which he had forwarded the project; and on account of what had been done in Dunedin the Exhibition to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Colony should certainly be held in that city. Referring to the frequent reproach that New Zealand was “a one horse country,” he maintained it had a distinct 'advantage in that they had no Melbourne or Sydney to swallow up the population at the expense of the country and production. If we responded cordially to the invitation now made upon us and regarded as co-ordinate with ourselves these other cities of the colonies, then a great work would bo achieved, and New Zealand would be no “ one-horse concern,” but a four-horse concern, in which all were co-operating for the common good. (Applause.) He

reminded the people of this city that Wellington would never have held its present and natural position in the Colony had it not been for the loyal and honest action of the Dunedin settlei’s. (Applause.) Mr T. Kennedy Macdonald, in seconding the motion, briefly contended that the Exhibition held in Wellington in 1885 had led to an enormous development of the industries of the Colony. He considered Wellington should do all in its power to aid Dunedin in this matter ; and if it only did for the Exhibition what Dunedin did for the one held here in 1885, they would do a great deal toward success.

The motion was then put, and carried unanimously. Dr Newman moved that the following gentlemen be appointed a local committee :—Sir Wm. Fitzherbert, the Mayor, the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Dr Newman, M.H.R., Messrs G. Fishei - , Menteath, Izard, and H. S. Fitzherbert, M.H.R.’s, T. Ballinger, J. H. Bethune, C. D. Barraud, W. Booth, Cana van, Cable, Chalmers, Cock, J. Danks, Davies, Dransfield, R. Gardner, George, Grady, Gale, Greenfield, J. Gray, Harcourt, Hayes, Hurrell, Hutchens, C. Hill, S. Kohn, Levin, Lockie, Luke, Macartliy, Macdonald, Miles, Nathan, Pearce, N. Reid, D. Robertson, Scoullar, J. S. M. Thompson, Toxward, Travers, and W. G. Tustin ; with power to add to their number. Mr E. W. Mills seconded the motion, remarking that the Dunedin people, were entitled to every credit for what they had done in this matter. While he would rather have seen the Exhibition in Wellington, he gave all honour to the people of Dunedin, and hoped the project would be heartily supported in this district. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. Mr Charles Luke moved, “That with a view to placing the committee in funds to carry out their duties, a subscription list be opened forthwith and subscriptions invited.” He warmly supported the Exhibition, and hoped it would be assisted independent of all provincial feelings. Mr J. R. George seconded the motion, which was put and carried. Mr E. T. Gillon suggested that steps should be taken to form sub-committees in the country districts. The Mayor pointed out that several country residents were on the Committee. The Committee would carry out what Mr Gillon suggested as soon as possible. A vote of thanks to the Mayor was carried, on the motion of Mr D. T. Stuart, seconded by Mr Twopeny, the latter gentleman expressing his thanks for the cordial manner in which the Exhibition was being supported in Wellington.