CHURCH OF ENGLAND FANCY BAZAAR AND INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

Otago Witness, Issue 577, 19 December 1862, Page 6

CHURCH OF ENGLAND FANCY BAZAA R AN D INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

The Fancy Bazaar and Industrial Exhibition in uid of the building fund for the new Church of St 1 Paul, Dunedin, were opened on Tnesday in the Old Club House and grounds, Maclaj^an-street, kindly lent for the purpose by Mr. John Jones. Tlie baziar was originally announced to be held in the grounds of the Grange, the residence of Mr. J. H. Harris ; but soon after the the prrposal to combine with the bazaar an exhibition which should, as far as possible, illusirate the uanufactures and &how the natural products of the Province, it was deemed better to secure a place ■where the more r.iie and valuable specimens shonld hp safe from damage by wet weather. The Club House afforded thii requisite ; and it i 3 in many respects convenient, apart from its centrality, even though the pleasure of open-air promenading be lost %i the patrons. We regrd a Bazaar as a pleasantly exciting, and upon the whole easy, mode of raising funds, for any object \ihich merits public assistance. Ladies, we know, are always ready to aid in works of charity or usefulness ; and many of them no doubt become subscription collectors ■with zest and earnestness. Put the efforts of the fair workers are not in such a ca«e, concentrated ; and there is not the immediate spur of competition. To make or to procure a stall full of fancy articles must certainly be a more egreeable duty, ■when volunteers are plentifu l , as is, we should fancy, generally the case ; and there is then in st>re the reward, which seems to be found in the disposal of their wares by the impromptu vendors, and the pleasure of social intercourse, iv one of its most enlivening public forms. There is too, the desire not to be outshone in the columns of the Committee's balance sheet, which actuates those connerted with the several stalls ; and Jast, but not least, there is the pleasure with which the "sterner sex" individually yield to petitions, preferred with pretty pertinacity, to purchase at most uncommercial rates, things of which they neither know the names nor can guess the uses. In practice at least, the countiag house and the ledger must be forgotten within the charmed precincts of the bazaar ; and thatj perliaps, is a good, in an ardently trading community. For the Bazaar, the club room is appropriated, but it is extended to more than double its original size, by the available ground upwards, and outwards to the street boundary, being boar.led aud canvassed in. The place is nicely adorned with flags, evergreens, and flowers, the e^ect being greatly aided by the line of pillars supporting the club-house verandah, which afford a natural line of decoration ; for the weatherbiarding has been removed, so as to form really one apartment, extending from the street to the back of the club-room. But before entering the Bazaar proper, many visitors are likely to lingor, and all may do so with pleasure, over an inspection of the large and excellent photographs by Mr William Meluisb, illustrating the " Progress of Dunedin." There are views from various points, and from the snme point looking noith and south ; there hangs a print precisely similar to that engraved in the Illustrated London News during August last, and which was taken early this year, and near it is another, from very nearly the same point in Dowling-street, showing the city as it is, the photograph having been taken during fie present month. VVe doubt if ever before the progress of a city in its buildings was so well recorded as is +'ie progress of Dunedin in these works of Mr Meluisb.. Entering the Bazaar proper, the visitor has on the right hand the long line of stalls, and to the left, Been through the laurel-twined openings, are the refreshment stall and the post office ; while, in front are the orchestra whence Mr Kohler and his talented assistants daily "discourse most eloquent mu*ic," and the small rostrum from which . Jiut at present vre decline to publish for what that rostrum is chiefly intended. We confess our ignorance of the nomenclature of the Bazaar ; so we cannot run up any long list of the articles upon the stalls. We know that many of them are elegant and others pretty ; and we believe that we are not wrong in including the majority under the general title of "fancy." Whether they are generally useful as well as elegant one may ignorantly doubt ; but we know that th t has nothing to do with their appropriateness to the occasion. We must, however, make some attempt to individualise the several stalls ; and here follows the result of that attempt : — No. 1 : Mr 3J. Cargill, Mrs Harris, and Mrs Douglas. — Here there are some charming specimens of coral work from the Mauritius ; leather work ; fancy clothes for children ; and very pretty vases. No. 2: Mrs Cantrell, Miss M'Kenzie, and Miss "Wilson. — A very capital general display, including needle and wool worK, choice flowers, dec. No. 3: Mrs Edwards, Mrs Moss, and Miss Darling. — The most prominent object is a Christmas tree, loaded with toys and trinkets, which bear* a notification that it has been p;esented by Messrs Watprs, Morton, and Robert-on, of the Arcade ; and the stall is crammed with more pretentious toys and presents for children. No. 4 : Mrs Young, Mrs E. B. Cargill, and Mrs Worfchington. — Thi3 stall lias a profusion of choice plants in pots — to .be sold, gentlemen, not to be smelled, and passed by with a word of praise ; hand bouquets, -work boxes, bronzes, and cbildren'3 articles. No, 5 : Mrs Ick and Mis 3 M'Leod. — Some large worked cushions and ottomans, collections of ferns, papier mache goods, bronzes, including clocksj toilet articles, &c. No. 6 : Mis Bamtord, Mrs Kissling, and Misses Bamford (two.)— On this stall there is a draught board composed of thirteen sorts of New Zealand wood ; a card basket, of nine sorts, and a lady's dressing case similarly composed ; a basket and trays, fretted over with minute sea-weeds from the Moeraki beach ; and some photographs. No. 7 : Mrs Webb and Miss Jessie Orbell.— A malachite writing desk, elegantly mounted, is sure to attract attention here ; and amongst the other contents of the stall are some elegant Indian lobes, a, finely-worked large ottoman, and varied articles for the toilet. - -No. 8 : Hrsf Martin and Mrs Morse.— This stall is devoted to cut flowers, in bouquets aud otherwise, flowering plants, ferns, &c ; around being hung ""iia-skets, &c, of Victorian sea weed, charming in their unpretending elegance, and which are labelled as *' the work of orphans." The stalls, it should have been stated, are tastefully decora'ed, in front, according to the pleasure of the ladies presiding over them respectively ; and all are thoroughly well filled with articles for sale. The Post-office, that thoroughly established minor mode of helping the proceeds of a bazaar, is under the management of Miss Buchanan ; while the refreshment stall adjoining, and at which various kinds of

creature comforts are provided, including oysteis, a tasteful innovation, is presided over by Dr and Mrs Buchanan, assisted by members of their family.

THE EXHIBITION

Was, as we have mentioned, originated for the purpose of bringing together samples of the manufactures and products of the Province, and if possible of the Colony, together with specimens of natural products filtsid for the raw materials of manufactures. But the time allowed was too short, and the idea too

novel here, to allow of the object being carried out with any approarh to completeness. The Committfe received very many inquiries from the various ProviDces as to how assistance could best, be affor.-ed ; and in several cases gentlemen, or Committees, set to work to get together samples to represent their own districts. Enough has been done to arouse a general feeling of interest; fi iends have learned the way in whioh they could have given aid, if there had been longer notice; and the Committee have gained practical frperience of how to make an organised effort hereafter. The Industrial portion of the Exhibition must therefore be accepted for what it is — , interesting a' a faint indication of what may be done ; and we believe that should it be determined, as suggested, to repeat the experiment next y ar, an excellent collection, really illustrative of what is being produced in the Colony, and what can be grown in it, ■will ceitainly be secured.

The photographs which are mentioned above as being in the entrance-hall, form part of the Exhibition. "With this preliminary remark, we will endeavour to_ name some of the more prominent and interesting objects in the two Exhibition rooms and" the tent at the back, confining ourselves for the present mainly to manufactures and natural prodnction.°.

The most striking object in the First Room, is the gilt octohedron, representing approximately, the bulk of the gold obtained in this Province since the first dis coverylastyear.intheshape in which the precious metal crystallises. The faces of the octohedron are about 4 feet across, at their bases, and the weight of auch a mass of gold, may, we are told, be set down as about 22 tons. Around the octohedron there aie fine samples of various kinds of gold, contributed by the Banks and l.y private owners ; and theie is also a remarkably fine .' oeeimen of quartz, from Victoria. Mr. Beve- i. , of Princes-street, exhibits in a case, an enlarged ju -el of a patent lever watch ; together •with gold aj 1 .silver watches, and brooches,' pins, and other articles of jewellery manufactured from New Zealand pcld. There are nlso two interesting samples of coppfr ore. iichi> set as article •> of jewellery. Mossrf, Ho,^ and Heaver contribute some boautifnliy firii-liO'i biooJidi, rings, &c. ; and Mr E. Jones hns ; moiigifc his collection a very elaborate piece nf ivory carving, set as a brooch. In the second room, tliis gentleman shows, under a iiuyroscopc. a diamond in its natural state, as obtained from one of the South American rivers. The beautifully fretted appearance of the diamond will well repay the trouble of a careful examination. Worthy of being mentioned as amongst high-class artistic productions, are Bomß' imitations of dahlira and other floweis, cut from tarnipa, by Mr Morton, of the firm of Waters, Morton, and Robertson ; for they have a perfectly natural look as regards their form, and something more thaa the beauty of the purest •wax flowers.

Dr Hectori the Provincial Geologist, has contribu- ' ted from the stores of that department, a collection of thoroughly recognised sod named (typical minerals,

beginning of a Museum ; the specimens relating to iron, copper, zinc, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, being each grouped and cleaily labelled. Then there is a collection of typical tertiary fo3sils, purchased in M' Iboume, and photogr.iphs of some of them, illustrative of one branch of the proposed productions of the department. A similar collection of the tertiary fo^ils of New Zealand, bring 1 ! home the interest more directly to the visitor ; and this is s-till more pleasingly done by a dozen Lir^e boards, placed in front of the counter, on which are displayed nath p mosses, si>a wperts, and ferns. Some ot the sea weeds especially arc strikingly beami'ul. from the delicacy of their growth and the richness of their colors.

In the Second Room there is a central stand or trophy, from the top of which are hung strings of New Zealand biids, some of them very singular in form, they hiving been prepared for presentation to a public museum by — Rei, Esq.," the exhibitor being Mr W. C. Young, fcielow there are a good nianv of the richly plumed birds of Australia, stuffed and exhibited by Mr Arm stron?, of the Arcane; and a penguin, contributed by Miss JJamford. Between the-e lines nnd cases of stuffed skins, thpre Jiangs a cage, in which there is a decided "olject of inteiest" — an English spairow fat and lively, but evidently disconcerted at king th>' " cynosure of all eyes," as is mnst ceitainly the fi'ct On a side table, two steieoscopcs art' occupied with cleveily manipulated potographs of New Zeoland bush fccenery, the work of Mr Lusk, an amateur.

Of wool there are only a very few samples shown It is suggested as an explanation of the miserable display of this important staple, that holders do not desire, so early in the season, to &how the quality of their stocks There are one or two samples from Invercargill, and three pent by Messrs Clapcoft Bros, from Popotunoa ; and the remainder consi-ts of a few very small pinches, whi -h were uudesoribed ana unnamed yesterday up to the opening of the Exhibition. Coais are somewhat better represented. There are blocks from the Clutha Company's Work*, sent by Mr Green, of Princev-Mrett ; from Lyttelton, by Mr P. J. Moss ; fiom the River Don, contributed by Coptain M'j can, of the Aldinsa; aud from Tokomairiro. the contribution of Mr Hmdy. There is also a collection of --.mall specimens' of analysed coab, fiom the Geological Department, all the known varieties obtaine 1 in New Zealand beint: represented The Buller River coal is said by Dr Hector to be far the best yielded by any known field in these inlands, and to be superior to any yet di>coyere<l in Austrnla. There are amongst tiie more curiously interesting specimens, pieces of coal brought from the Mackenzie River by Franklin in 1821, and from the American Pi airies by Dr Hector himself.

Nathe woods are best represented in the collection contributed by Mr H. Brnndreli, of Cargill street. It includes polished samples of the tutu, rnaoko, totarn, the tooth-leafed aster, the broad-leafed aster, the pepper-tree, and others. The grains and markings of some of the woods are excellent. Thei c is a bex ot red pine, made by Mr Fenwick, and exhibited by Mr G. Kenyon ; and Messrs Bullock and Walker send souip capital black pine from Stewart'* Island. Mr J. Hall contributes a nicely inlaid circular table top, all the woods used being native. Id connection with building materials, we may no-ti-e a chimney piece of indurated Cavershani stone, exhibited by Mr J. W. Feger, of tlu Edinburgh Castle hotel, together -with worked stone of the fame kind in its natural state. Messrs Jackson and Bishop of Christclmrch, have sent capital samples of their patent flooring tiles, bricks (ordinary and fire), and drain tiles; and our own Mr H. Farley shows other good biick3, made on his Anderson's Bay field by Mr Wm. Hodkinson. Other contributors of bricks are Mr Lambfrt, of the North East Valley, Mr J. F. Arlidge. Messrs F. Warwick and O. Clarke of Caversham, and Messrs Burton and Gartshore, of Arthur-street. There are good blocks of lime stone, from the New Biver district ; a useful looking whitish stone, from Mawiki, the senler staling that there are vast quantities to be got, in great masses ; bricks, manufactured at Waikaui : and specimens of stones and shells from Inyercargill. Such is Southland's contribution to this department, The mention of lime stone reminds us of a sample of marble from the Hor<e Shoe Ranges, shown by Dr Hector, and which will be found near the analysed coals, on the left-hand side table. The marble is in its natural state, and also in the state in which it remains after simple calcination and slaking — a beautiful white and regular powder containing 9o percent of pure carbonate of lime, jit is thus fitted for making mortar of the very best quality. On the right-hand side table will ba seen two decanters filled with a pleasant looking bpverage, which we learn is currant wine, " made from fruit grown on the Octagon," by Mr Peter Cunningham ; seedling apples, sent by Mr Dewey, of Tokomairiro ; and Australian-grown tobacco, presented by Messrs A. C. Rees and Co. Wheat is contributed, by Mr Hnrdy from Tokomairiro; and by Messrs Duncan, Young and Co, of Eittray-3treet, their samples being grown by Mr Small, of. the Clutha, and Mr James Sliand, of West Taieri. The same firm show flour and bread from Otago wheat ; and Mr Walter Wright of Rattray-street, has cent several loaves made from mixed colonial flours. Mr G. Matthews, of the Dunedin Nursery, has a very nice small collection of seeds on a part of the central stand ; together with a good specimen of fossil maple from the neighbourhood of the Molyneux. In the tent-covered court, yard, there are fresh specimens of many native ferns and shrubs, set in row?. Here also we noticed some good castings for machinery, by Mehsrs Wilson and Selby, of the Otago Fouudry, Cumberland-street ; several* washing, bringing.and mangling machines'; and the new engine of our Volunteer Fire Brigade, looking smarter and more affective than ever, and glorying in the name of " The Pride of Dunedin," which is gaily blazoned on its sides.

Paintings, drawings, coins and other antiquities, models of machines and mechanical drawings, with many rare and curious articles, must form the subject of another notice.

It remains to bo said that the Bazaar and Exhibition were opened at one o'clock : and that during the afternoon and evening the attendance was gratifyingly large, especially considering the threatening look of the weather. Every department of the Bazaar was in a state of bustle and activity. Letters were being delivered, fortunes were being "told, mystically addressed missives were being disposed of to the curious, and on every hand sales of goods were being pressed. Everything went merrily and successfully, The band performance gave unqualified satisfaction.

The receipts will be the best proof of the business done. They were as follows : -Bazaar,received at the door, L 54; proceeds, of sales, L 120; Exhibition, receipts ; L277s 6d ; total, L5Ol 7s Cd. The charge for admission was Is to each place. These is to be added to the total a sum of LlO, for which his Honor the Superintendent sent a chrque to Mr Eccles, honorary secretary for the Exhibition, the note in which it was enclosed stating that his Honor thoroughly sympathised with the objects of the Committee. The Bazaar and Exhibition will be open to-day (Wednesday), and on Friday anl Saturday, but not on 1 Thursday, which is a Presbyterian fast day.

SECOND DAY.

We resume our notice of the contents of the Industrial Exhibition, in connection -with tbe Fancy Bazaar, at the Old Club House, Maclag-gan-street, in aid of tbe funds for building St. Paul's Church. We shall have occasion to refer to some contributions mentioned yesterday, for the purpose of assigning to them their real origin or ownership, as to which we were misled, owing to the over pressure upon the committee, resulting from the unavoidably late hour at which the articles were received.

An elaborate and very elegant circular "cardtable top is shown by Mr W. H. Dansey. "it is the -work of Mr Lemon, of Oamaru, it contrasts favorably with Mr Hill's table, near which it is placed. Only native woods are used in it. The design is geometrical, freely ornamented; and it includes a chess board, four cribbage boards, and tbe ace, duece, and tray of the four suits of cards. Air Douglas sends a neat box also of New Zealand woods. Mr Buchanan of the Geological Department, exhibits on a card a polished veneer of the Eurybia avicenciajfolia (Nat. Or. Composita:), or Mother of tbe Stars, together with a spray of leaves and blossoms. The wood is richly veined, and has much the same texture and general color as satin wood. There is near these specimens, a longitudinal transverse section of the Cyatheae, sent by the same gentleman. The samples of gold placed round the octobcdron showing the whole yield of Otago's gold fields, comprise— A bar of Wetherstone gold and one from the Dunstan, a fine sample of the yield of Coromandel, and specimens of Victorian quartz contributed by the Bank of New South Wales ; reef quartz from Victoria, richly impregnated, from Mr 11. S. Cantrell; a jasper brooch, made of a stone found on the Kaitongati Ranges, Tokomairiro, from Mrs John Gillies ; a, fine crystal, picked up on the road between the Bluff and Invercargill, and set in a brooch, but not further described in the appended label ; severnl samples of gold from the Arrow River and the Lake Wukatip district, from Mrs M'Gregor ; other samples from Carriboo (British Columbia), Waiporai, Wakatip, and Lauimerlaw Creek ; and wash-dirt with gold, from thebaseofthe older tertiary conglomerates, Tuapeka.from Mr Julius Vowel. The silks, rich in barbaric embroideiy, which hang behind the trophy, are [waifs from the loot taken from the Summer Palace of the Emperor of China, near Pektn.

On the left-hand side table, we noticed garnet sand, from Southland ; garnets from the Ilighlay Diggings ; and chromate of lend (Chinese yellow) and bichromate of potash, prepaied from the chrome ore of the Dun Mountain, Nelson, #w tetft? exhibited b^ W: Yogel.

Amongst the paintings and drawings, are the clevpr and very interesting oil colors, '• Pirate, s.s. leaving Port Chalmers,' 1 and "Aldinca, s.s. on°j the Soliinder,"' painted by Captain ltobcrtson, formerly of the Pirate, and in which there are a liquidity and motion about the water, not often found in tho work-; of artists eminent iv the profession ; and there is also ;i well executed wptercolor, by Mr W. M. Holgkins, the ill-fated Victory, as she lay lii^h and dry on the sand of YVieklifFe Bay, exhibited by Jlr A. Carrick. Two spirited water-co'or drawings of '"Views in Dutiedin, 1 ' by Mi R. S. Kelly, are contribut dby Mr Hodgkins ; and there are some cabinet gems of water colois, of which we can say no more, as they are not honored with labels. There is a portrait of the liev. Dr Burns, the father-pastor of the Province ; and as its op]) site, theie i.s not far off, a sketch fiom life, by Mr E. Abbott, of one of the Perpetrators of the Wairau Massacre. Mr 11. Ilowortli contributes a nice drawing (in sepia, we think) of a Warrior ; and Mr Hodgkins has sent a capital of bis skill in illuminating, the subject matter being the Song of Enid, from the Poet Laureate's ''Idylls of the King." Tho specimens of architectural and mechimical drawing comprise three by Mr Swyer, the Piovincial Engineer, " Bridge over the Saltwater River ; Melbourne and Williamstown Railway ; " Church and School, at Sf Kilda ; " near Melbourne ; and an interior with Palatial Staircase.

The exceedingly heavy rain during the forenoon, and especially between one and two o'clock, rendered it necessary to put a canvas "fly 1 ' over each of the temporary erections adjoining the Club House. It also, of course, checked the arrivals of visitors, but it did not prevent every part of the interior being kept or made dry and cheerful, or check the aulour with which the baz-iur opeiations were carried on. The Post Office especially was conducted with vigour and success ; and the lady fortune - teller found ready listeners. The attendance was better than could have been anticipated, considering the state of the streets. The day's accounts were not made up last evening, but it was estimated that L2OO was received in the Bazaar alone.

The sparrow that was contributed to the Exhibition, was found dead in its cage in the morning.