THE EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5802, 20 January 1906, Page 9

THE EXHIBITION.

KEPin-kSENT.ATIOX OF AUSTRALIA. :a:w south walku urged to TAKE PART. An international exhibition is to bo bald under Government auspice** in New Zuibuid towards the of this year, and our mannfactnrom aro hctnjr askeil lo take a part in it (says the ’’Sydney Morning Herald” of lust Wednesdays We trust that the replv will be favourable. ami that New South Wales proclaim and manufactures will be so wdl represented at Hiss exhibition that tho great resources of our .State will obtain wider recognition. For the most part exhibitions are a. cause of much outlay ami of small direct return to exhibitors; but the indirect return is of considerable importance. If this wore not tho wise wo bhouhl not have hud the constant succession of exhibitions which has followed upon tho memorable one of more than half a century ago; when it was confidently assorted That tho Reign of Peace had been inaugurated. Pence is a plant of too delicate a growth, and it in subject to so many untoward winds from all quarters, that tlm great glares house built for its accommodation in London was insuliicient for its preservation. Rut manufacturers found llnkr account In iho Jexbibition of IKTiI an«l in its successors, whether these wore established in I’arifl or Philadelphia, in Europe or Aiu-tralia. Every international exhibition uorthy of the name has done Us work in familiarising people with great inventions or in encouraging experts to greater enterprises. There ar> not n*auv original geniuses qualified to bo mentioned in tho same category with Edison: yet Edison has placed it on record that an exhibition was the means of his learning something which had an important hearing on his work. Some of us, not greater than Edison, may well learn where ho learnt. It mar he objected to participation in the Xow Zealand Exhibition that it is tho policy of the colony to pcnaliso trade, and that Now South Wales manufacturers. however excellent their exhibit. cannot hope to pueu trade bj' virtue of the official- ftcognilion they may receive. This is trrio far ns it goes, hut it, does not go far enough to warrant our abstinence from an exhibition which may be of remarkable importance. In the first place, it would never do for New South Wales to he conspicuous hy her absence from an undertaking of the kind. Our manufacturers have their reputation to maintain, and tho history of exhibitions is long enough to justify tho belief that worthy representation at such gatherings means in increases of business. Even if it meant nothing else it would mean advertisement, meaning by that much abused word the statement of ability to furnish certain articles of commerce, and an indio-aHon of tho resource# perhaps hitherto unTTevcloped, which go to make a great producing and manufacturing country. Wc should havo regard, too. to the geographical position of New Zealand. The colony is practically half-way between Australia and America, •and wo may mokci no doubt as to tho willingness of American manufacturers to display thoir achievements. It is no time for our State to draw- back, and we hop© to hear before long that New South Wales manufacturers have definitely decided to take an important part in tho New Zealand Exhibition.