HAWERA INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1667, 10 February 1904, Page 31

HAWERA INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

THE PROSPERITY OF TARANAKI

to AN IMPORTANT EVENT.

?. ' Special to the “Mail.” ; sc HAWERA, February 3. Exhibitions are said to be a reflex of the productive capacity, energy and enterprise of a people. If this be true, then certainly must it he claimed for Hawera that it possesses at the present time all the elements that go to make up a prosperous and industrial community. It is on the West Coast of the North Island where one has to go in order to seq what can be accomplished by close settlement. The small dairy farms and the numerous factories dotted here and there throughout the district bear striking testimony to the grit and industry of those who play such an important part as the fanner in .the development of. the colony’s resources. Hawera is but one of several large inland townships on this coast that orq just.now enjoying the benefits of a bountiful season. Hawera his now come into greater prominence by reason, of thej, important industrial exhibition which was opened under such favourable conditions to-day. It seems but tie other day that the disastrous engagements of the Ngutuotemanu and Turuturumokai were fought, yet the hardships borne by the early pioneers have not been without their just reward, for Taranaki is a hive of industry, built up by many of the descendants of those who shouldered the musket in less peaceful times. There is to-day the sound of the music of harpists and fiddlers and of brass bands, gay colours are flying in the streets, everywhere a brilliant summer’s sun glistens on snowy Egmont as though in joyous consonance with the and happiness of the multitude. < j ‘Nl , Qf Hawera’s great day the people are/making the most. The oountry has mxide a descent upon the town and the h£art of the town is given up to liolidayrihaking ire This indus-tnal-exhibition is a big Undertaking for

Hawera, but the people have unquestionably shown that they are alive to their opportunities, and so they are holding an exhibition that does them infinite credit, and the district cred t, showing, as it does, what the province is really oapalble of producing. The Premier arrived hy special trail from Wellington siibftly after 10 a.m. He was welcomed ; by the Mayor, and after .visiting the District High School, opening the new waiy.l at th© hospital, and unveiling a fountain in the hospital grounds to the memory of a local benefactor (Mr Lawrence Milmore, by whose generosity the west wing, nurses’ home and fountain were erected), Mr Seddon proceeded to the Opera House, adjoining the exhibition buildings, where he addressed many hundreds of people. He said that the exh bition opened that day marked the progress of the province, and was proof positive of the intelligence and progressive idea.s of the inhabitants of the district and all honour was due to them foa* the display they had made. He trusted that Hawera would be represented at the great exhibition to be held before long in the Mother Country, an exhibition which it was hoped would surpass the recent efforts of France apd America. He touched upon the importance of the dairying industry to the colony, traced the splendid development of oar industries of late years, and quoted figures to show the great progress New Zealand was making. Taranaki, he said, was the' dairy of New Zealand, and unequalled in the known world- He urged on all settlers to continue their efforts in the promotion of the industriesof the district, for by doing this they were improving in every way the position of the people. The Premier having declared tin, exhibition open, the crowds streamed into the buildings to see for themselves a great display of industrial life. Dairy farmers were, of course, more partiicularly interested in the exhibits of the firms who catered for their industry, and in this section a very fine display is made. The Taranaki dairy farmer is up to date. Ho knows that there aro keen outside competitors in the field with him, and he realises, too 1 , that modern appliances are necessary if he would maintain the reputation of the products which count so much in New Zealand’s export trade. Hence the eagnemess with which he seizes upon anything new in Jie way of machinery which may aid him in producing a better article. There were numerous interested spectators all day around the annexes in which such exhibits are displayed. In this section the firms represented were—A. and T. Burt, Wellington ; W. and J. Dutch, Wellington; New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, Wanganui; Newton King, Now Plymouth; J. Anderson and Co., Dunedin; A. Harvey and Sons. Auckland; Smart Bros., Stratford; Cowell and Kneebone, Hawera; and D. R. Jones. Eltham. There were some fine stalls of colonial woollen manufactured goods, including ready-made by Ross and Glendining, Wellington; Archibald Clark and Sons, Auckland; the Wellington Hat Mills Company; A. Paterson, Hawera; the Hawera Tailoring Company and the Roslyn Woollen Company, the latter’s being a very imposing exhibit. The commercial section includes exhibits of gas and oil-engines, incubators and poultry appliances, cordials, furniture, harness, ironmongery, tinware, horse-shoes, iron foundry work, brush ware, soap, farm produce, fruit and flowers, bacon and hams, vehicles, glassware, agricultural implements, fancy turnery, coal exhibits and hundreds of other. things that need not be enumerated. The art gallery is of "genuine merit, and the pictures have been hung with a view to artistic effect. The principal artists represented are— W. G. Baker, Wellington ; Miss R. M. Halliwell, Auckland; H. J. Bell, Auckland; Bertha Tisdall, Auckland ; A. F. Fallwell, Auckland; Ellen Atkinson, Wanganui; C. F. Kelly, Christchurch; M. Driver, Napier; Signor Nerli; H. E. Heffer, Paraparaumu; G. E. Buffer, Dunedin; Grace. Downey, Hawera ; T. R. Attwood; B. Westenra; T. A. Pruden; Edward Fristrom, Auckland; Mrs P. Izett, Wanganui; M. J. Worsley; A'. M. Bradbury, New Plymouth; J. D. Perrett, Auckland; Ella Adams, Wellington; Charlotte Youmans, Wellington ;'K. .Holmes, Wellington; Mrs L. Stowe, Wellington ; !/. W. Wilson, Wellington; F. Sedgwick, Wellington; J. W. H. Parsons/ Wadestown; J. fG. W. Dalrymple, Wellington; W. F. Barraud, / Wellington; . J. F. Scott, Dunedin; W. a. Collins, New Plymouth. There is a large court specially devoted to exhibits of grass, etc., shown by Mr T. W. Kirk, Government Biologist, and these make a display of more than ordinary interest to the farming community. Many visitors to Hawera were for the first time enabled to make acquaintance with the utility of the much-boomed Taranaki ironsand, which is now being placed on the London market. The display is made hy Mr E. M.*--- Smith, fM.H.'R., who is here personally; to supervise the effective arrangement of his exhibition. AH kinds lof manufactured from Taranaki ironsand are on view* from the natural deposit of sand to rails, hammers, axes, r knives, emery paper, etc. The stand in which

these exhibits are to he seen was crowded all day with interested spec tat era,, who went away very much more, fenlightened than they had been before ill regard to this undeveloped indutetry, which promises so much for tihe future prosperity ! of Taranaki, Amongst* the Wellington exhibitors in the commercial section are —‘The Gilbert Maoliinery Co., S. Luke and Co., New Zealand Candle Co. (Kaiwarra), International School of Correspondence, E. J. Le Grove, Yerex, Barker and Finlay, A. W. Moran and Sou, Singer Manufacturing Co., American Novelty Stores, J. P. Keegan, Chicago Jewellery Co., Dresden Piano Co., Wellington Tinware Co., and the Hardie Shaw Studios. The general exhibits include many interesting novelties. The New Zealand Railway Department (Wellington) has a largo stall where may. be seen all kinds of brasswork, forgings, etc., manufactured at the railway workshops. There are some curious) collections of Boer war curiog lent by Captain Mitclietl. (Mar naia), Captain Morison and Captain Co'Utts (Hawera). The North Steamship Co. (Auckland) exhibits models of its steamers and some fine models are also shown by the Union Steam Ship Co. There are dozens of miscellaneous exhibits, which do not escape the eye. Music aids visitors to pass t(het time pleasantly.