AT THE EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIX, Issue 3008, 21 December 1896, Page 2

AT THE EXHIBITION.

THE HOME INDUSTRIES SECTION. When the President and Executive entrusted this very interesting and important section of the Exhibition to a committee of some half dozen ladies they adopted a wise and practical course. It is certain that no committee of men could have so artisticallydisplayed the numerous exhibits contained, in the tw*o bays which form the homo industries section, even were lady exhibitors willing in the first place to entrust their delicate handiwork to them. Though we mention delicate handiwork, readers of this article who may not yet have inspected this portion of the Exhibition must not conclude that it ia composed of ladies' work only ; on the contrary, the exhibits contained bora aro of the most diverse and unique description, the work of exhibitors varying from that of the little ** dot " to the aged grandmother—from the handy boy enthusiast with pocket-knife and chisel, to the practical and skilled artisan —yet all emanating from the home, and the result of the right use of leisure moments. The work displayed here, bo it noted also, is not intended chiefly for advertising purposes, as iatho case in most of the other sections of the Exhibition. In many instances it is the result of a useful “hobby" in the individual, but the chief idea of the exhibitors, as of the committee in obtaining the exhibits, is to show how homes may bo decorated and provided with useful articles. Coming to the exhibits themselves. There ace displayed quilts of every nature—some twenty odd varieties; one of the patchwork quilts is said to bo composed of 3000 pieces (the writer lacked time and inclination to verify this), and is a wonderful combination of ingenuity and patience, and a triumph of crazy-work. There are some handsome rugs made from waste products—chiefly pieces of cloth. A handsome lace kerchief, well nigh upon 80 years old, is an object of considorablo attention and comment by lady visitors. Specimens of dressed dolls, wool work, patch-work, crazy-work and splashwork are numerous, and are very good and choice of their kind. The same may bo 6aid of the attractive and varied display of plushwork, drawn-throad-work, knitting, oroohotwork, &c., &o. To particularise, and. at the same time do jugtice to the fine and infinite profusion of “ fancy-work " displayed, would require more space than we have at our disposal. i As to tko exhibits other than ladies work proper. There aro various displays in modelling. A torpedo-boat (at night this is lit by electricity) i« a very neat and very complete piece of work, reflecting considerable mechanical ingenuity. The exhibits of model yachts are also very fine. The miniatures of the Tower bridge, Loudon, the Eiffel Tower, Paris, &c., display great skill and industry on the part of the makers, are very perfect in their construction, and much admired. A realistic bush sawmill, made by two boys in “a way-back bush settlement," out of old jam tins, excites curiosity and laughter. Representations of a parish church, with its adjoining parsonage, made of card-board, and complete with all accessories, comes, from Karori, and while no doubt serving to beguile the leisure hours of the maker, aro now subjects of wonderment to the many youths attracted thereto. Some carved wooden chairs, the work of a student of St. Patrick’s College, Wellington, during his mid-winter holidays, are not only attractive as to design and workmanship, but are also of the practical class of work, being quite fitted to bo placed in the hall of any house for ornament and use. A carved table from Christchurch comes also within the useful and ornamental category. In photography there are some nice specimens by amateurs, as also in chip-carving. The new and beautiful “ cloissomo ’’ enamelling is well represented by speoimensof vases, karaffes, plaques, &o. An exhibition of the many useful and tasteful articles that can bo made with simple tools from a bullock’s horns and bones ia exceedingly interesting. A case of kindergarten and other tiny work by the children of a private is unique, and shows how very entertaining this system becomes to the little ones in usefully occupying their minds and bands during school hours. Hero our description of the general co itenta of the Homo Industries must end. We can quite understand that considerable difficulty was experienced in this department in making the best display possible of the exhibits, owing to so of them coming in late; in fact, they are coming in still The committee of ladies who procured and so well arranged the exhibits in this department consisted of Mesdamea Brown, Blundell, Devine, Frances, Holt and Tatum, Mr Mlllward, the vice-president of the Exhibition, was chairman. HOW MB NICHOLSON WOULD HAVE TIMBER

SAWN. It is not given to every man who baa an “ idea of* his very own ” to win the encouragement of so practical a man as Premier Seddon in the furtherance of hia hobby, but auob ia happy boast of Mr W. Nicholson, of The Pines Palmerston North, and at one time a prominent tradesman in Wellington. For 47 years Mr Nicholson has worked among and breathed the atmosphere of timber, and be has sent to the Exhibition diagrams and timbersorao examples illustrating how to cut timber so that it will not warp. According to hia well-thought-out and amplydemonstrated belief, all New Zealand timber should be either rung or cat when the sap is down, and then pieces should be out off on the square of the grain, the advantage of this being that it will be well and truly seasoned in half the time ordinarily occupied. In the northernmost corner of the Home Industries section is this exhibit, and there you will see pieces of timber chosen by Mr Nicholson to demonstrate his contention. Again, kauri, if out according to the Nicholson plan, becomes a musical timber, and makers of mnaical instruments would be. delighted with the timbre of violins and pianofortes (the soundboards thereof) made from snob material. Another advantage to be gained would also be in the making of beautiful veneers—the im f ni could eaMlr become the Now Zealand mahogany. Some 1 Va lying by the wayside up Danovirko way have been so treated by Mr Nicholson, polished, and brought down to the Exhibition. If those same pieces were taken to the factories at Home, from 16 to 24 carls or veneers would bo taken from every inch of the matai. The moral of a glimpse at the NiohoUoh exhibit forces itself upon

tfio observer. Wo have flic possibiUtaos of a great and artistic industry lying in our swamps, by the roadside, rutting in our fallen bush, or burnt, wholesale. A little knowledge U a useful thing, and timber exports, cabinetmakers and all workers in an 1 kdlora ut timber should give Mr Nicholson'* theory, his pr.vcUce and his exhibit very carolul inspection. COLONIAL ENTERPRISES AND LOCAL INDUSTRIES. ST. OKOROE AND IRVINE AND STEV PSflON’. As you approach tbc -entrance to the concert hill in the Exhibition an array of jars, tins, bottloa, boxes aud packages strike the roving eye of the visitor who would miss nothing during his sojourn in Kxliibitionland. The size of this exhibit is by no means representative of the business of Messrs Irvine and Stevenson, of Dunedin—perhaps as well known by the name of “The Bt. George people ” throughout the Colony as by their firm-name. It is no stretch of simile to dub them the Crosse and Blackwell of the South. It is now over 30 years since, in » small shop at the corner of George and St. Andrew streets, Mrlrvino started in Dunedin a business which has now grown so as to bo called, not a local concern, but 1. and S.. of New Zealand. Entirely “on their own ” the St. Georg© firm have built up a groat concern, which not only has its wares entering into thousands of homos in our own country, but the goldfields of Australia.onjoy the fruits and the meats of their enterprise?,aud far-away Britain buys largely the novelties known as camp pies, picnic pies, yachting pies, &e. Their trade is suoh that in relation to other makers iu this land, I. and S. may bo said to bo not rivals to our own people, but competitors in the great world’s markets. To the Old Land they nave gone, they have been tested and tried, and their cookies have gene there so effectively as to lead to a custom which spells,“ Send us some moro.”_ A special and interesting word may bo said in re the St. George folks and that warm corner .with the contradictory name, Coolgardio. With this place the firm does a large trade, exporting thereto no less than 41 distinct senes of some of which series contain a dozen varieties. For instance, they tin 13 kinds of soup for export, 8 pies and the same number of fish and oysters, 10 sausages in skins, 12 potted moats and fish, 12 jams and jellies {gooseberry is Queensland’efavourite, wo arc told), and soon*. A novelty for this and the Home market is whole fowl in jelly, roast and curried; and a whole breakfast or dinner, of a kind to suit any pocket, can bo made up. Why, they actually have apple and Christmas puddings xa tins, and tho firm were the first to put up haggis in tins. Tina of all these goods and dainties are to bo seen on the stand at tho Exhibition.

The firm arc the oldest and largest dealers ia haras and bacon in Otago, distributing annually to the farmers from JC6OOO to AIBOOO purchase money for pigs and their curing; and one can well believe the claim of the firm that they expend more money each year in wages and in the purchase of raw materials than any other firm in the same line of business in the Colony ; and this loads to a remark upon the faith tbo firm has in New Zealand’s stability and her Government, for every penny of profit made has been immediate!}put into some froeh industry, conducted under their supervision. One of their latest is dealing with whitebait, of which delicacy they are now the largest canners in the werld.

It is interesting to take a glance over the firm's enterprises, as showing that, though wo be a small community, our business men do not lack courage in adventures. . Irvine and Stevenson are manufacturers of the St. George brand jama, jellies, marmalade, pickles, sauces, preserved and potted moats, fish, soup, vegetables, &0., oarers of hams and bacon ; makers of soda crystals, laundry blue and candied peel; refrigerators to the New |Zealaad Government and ice makers ; and proprietors of the Lily brand starch. In this latter-named specialty, which was undertaken in July of *95, the plant has boon since doubled no less than throe times; they started with an output of 15cwt, it. grow to SOcwt, thou to 3 tons, until now it amounts to 6 tons per week. Then the firm has four factories of its own—at St. 'Andrew street, Dunedin; Moray place, Dunedin ; Kelso, Central Otago ; and Filleul street, Dunedin. It has fishing stations at Westport, Bluff, Akaroaand Hokitika river, where canning ia also done. For the supplying of sheep tongues it is in touch and contract with no less than nine freezing factories. A vast, a permeating force in New. Zealand’s commercial and manufacturing life. A glance at this exhibit calls up a whole host of interesting facts and figures relating to colonial enterprise. If I. and S. wore to have their business written up until their historian exhausted the “ lines," his writings would fill a book. As wo cannot even fill a column of a newspaper, it is incumbent upon us to pull up abruptly now with just a word as to bt. George jams. The fruit for this is grown in the Toviot district, Central Otago—the same district that the Government pomologiat has recorded as being far and away the best and cleanest in New Zealand for fruit-growing. The poet might justly put it that there, in all fertility, amidst beautiful scenery end sheltered vales sloping up to the peaks capped with everlasting snow, grows the luscious fruit for St. George and merry Maoriland but the housewife, in plain, everyday prose does not hesitate to give her opinion, for she buys the jams of one of Australasia’s most enterprising firms, to whom success has come full and of an abiding nature. Mr James Patterson, who has boon intimately connected with tbo firm for many years, is the , North Island representative, witU his residence in Wellington, and associated with him hero is Mr E. H. Rad bone.

Tbo eggs iu the incubator "will bo batching out this morning, bo that visitors will have an opportunity of witnessing this interesting sight. An, organ recital was given by Mr F. Rowley on Saturday afternoon before a numerous audience,. Mr Rowley played with great taste the following interesting programme :—Marchia (Smart), Andante No. 2 (Lefebure-Wdly), Triumphal March (0. Sainton-Dolby), Allegretto- Grazioso (Borthold Tours), Military March (Scotson Clark), Andante eon Yariaziono (Rea). Mies Hassell (Timaru) sang two songg with good effect.

Mr E. W. Soager gave another of hia popular lantern entertainments on Saturday afternoon, showing some capital views of the Tower of London. People who walked about during the proceedings prevented the deecriptions of the views from being hoard hy some of tkoao present. This afternoon tho oolonially-intorosting elocutionary contest “or amateurs commences, and they, with the musical items, will probably run through this week. Competitors from all tho centres have entered, and a glance at the Exhibition advertisement will inform readers of .the variety and interest of the programme. * An important item at this special Exhibition holiday season is the tram service. Mr Hall is putting into active service his best horses (the horses are fine-looking animals at all times), and the service will be made to suit the'convenience of visitors and city folk. Yesterday the flood of visitors for the Christmas and New Year season fairly sot in, laden steamers arriving from North and South, Tho hotels and restaurants of tho city are rapidly filling up, mud there ia evidence on every hand of Wellington and the Exhibition having' a carnival'time. The . cinematographe, described as tho latest and most improved' machine, direct from the United States, is announced to bo exhibited this afternoon from 4 o’clock in the Hall of Mystery. The pictures are beautifully clear, and the entertainment is one wh J ch will no doubt attract crowded audiences during its run at the Exhibition. A varied collection of pictures, of very great interest, has been prepared. Tim cinomatographe should be a decided attraction.