OPENING OF DUNEDIN. EXHIBITION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5629, 26 November 1889, Page 2

OPENING OF DUNEDIN. EXHIBITION.

[Per Pkess Association.] Dunedin, to-day,

The strong south-westerly wind which blew early this morning had -i good effect in considerably drying the streets and rendering the procession a fairly imposing astir, and though the assembly had been affair, early this morning people were called for the unusual hour of 11.30 every point of vantage along tho route was occupied long before that hour. The Colonial Bank creeled a capacious stand on front of their Prince's street frontage, and seats thereon were filled by the families of the Bank's officials and customers. Several private stands were erected, and the public one near the entrance of the Exhibition was well patronised, while several enterprising persons made a \ cry fair day's work by letting window space at a shilling per head. The ships in the harbor made a fine display of bunting, which was conspicuous also oil the public buildings, banks, etc. The procession was formed opposite the Triangle Reserve, but there was some delay" in the marshals getting it into mov'eable order, the result being that it did not start till a little past ten. The volunteers and Friendly Societies made an effective display, the former being largely reinforced by country corps and contingents from Southland, while the Friendly Societies mustered in unusual strength. Unquestionably the finest display was obtained by the Druids, who were over 200 strong, and had pictorial representations of Caractacusleading his army against the Romans, besides several allegorical tableaux. Several of the trades, notably the implement makers, had well arranged devices 'md displays of specialities. It is estimated that considerably over 2000 to-k part in the procession, which was far and away the best arranged and carried out thing of the kind seen here. The time agreed on was slavishly j followed, with the result that the Governor's party was three-quarters of an hour late in reaching the building. The Governor, accompanied by tiie Countess and family and naval officers, drove from Government House into the city as far as the Bank of New Zealand, being heartily cheered along the route. Within the building itself everything was in a far more forward state than most people anticipated, continuous work durtbe last fifty hours having removed a lot of blemishes and covered up a multitude of defects here and there. A little .scaffolding remained in the bay and had packed goods in it, but speaking as a whole, we have the authority of one who has spent a lifetime in connection with exhibitions, for saying this one is in a remarkably forward state, reflecting great credit on the management and executive, of the colonial courts, who have worked cvii amorc At 12.15 the band within the building playing the National Anthem signalised the approach of the viceregal party, who on reaching the concert hall were preceded by a procession headed by a detachment from the Imperial warships, two of whose officers carried Imperial and Colonial ensigns respectively. Then followed the Governor and party, Executive of Exhibition commissioners of other colonies, the Ministry, and distinguished visitors, making the party about fifty, who were conducted to a seated dais. The hall though little more than two-thirds full, owing to a number of seats having been reserved for foreign visitors, who however, failed to put in an appearance, presented a very pretty effect. The choir and instrumentalists number nearly 400. The gallery facing them was well filled, mostly by ladies, while on the floor space v.iy dresses formed an effective contrast to the military and naval contingent. The formal part of the programme was then gone through. Mr Roberts read rather a long prayer, but he was not audible, except to those immediately near him. However, lie made amends when reading the address I from the Commissioners.

Mr Roberts addressing His Excellency .said the Commissioners desired to accord their heartiest welcome and convey an expression of devoted loyalty to Her Majesty's Crown and person. He proceeded to detail the steps leading to the opening of the Exhibition. The project was first put before the public at a meeting on October 25th last year, when it was warmly taken up with the result that 1050 gentlemen subscribed L 15,800, besides which the Government granted a subsidy of LIO,OOO for the purpose of providing collections of a public character, which could not be exhibited by private individuals. The appeal to the self-reliance and patriotism of the people of the colony he claimed, had produced an amount of popular interest and voluntary effort which had never been seen in any previous enterprise of the kind. He thanked His Excellency for the interest he had shown in the undertaking, and especially for the influence Lord Onslow had exerted in the tine art department, and similar recognition was extended to members of the Government and exhibitors The building covered over twelve acres, the main structure being 1102 feet long and 4f>s feet broad. The Committees officially represented were : — New South Males, Victoria, South Australia, Mauritius, Fiji, and the Republic of Costa Rica. Ml' Roberts then presented the Governor with a copy of the official catalogue, and requested him to declare theExhibitionopen. His Excellency, in reply, assured them of the satisfaction with which he received the expressions of loyalty, which he said it would be his pleasing duty to convey to Her Majesty. He remarked on the extraordinary contrast presented by the condition of these islands now and that of fifty years ago when they were just emerging from barbarism, when the foundiug of Auckland was just begun, when Christchurch and Dunedin were still undreamt of, and Wellington had merely been thought of at London. His Excellency drew a graphic picture of the state of the country in 1839, of its great forests and vast solitude, and went to picture the change that had been wrought in its appearance by reclamation, tillage, railways, and steamboats, whereas fifty years ago the Europeans who inhabited New Zealand lived only by the forbearance of the Maoris, now equal laws existed for Natives and Europeans alike, the representatives of the ancient inhabitants voted side by side with themselves, and were on one occasion able to use their power to such a purpose as to arrest the progress of Parliamentary business. Such growth as that, he considered, warranted their endeavors to call the attention of the other nations of the world to its capabilities, and to demonstrate to all the advancement of which they are capable. He congratulated them all on the success which had attended their voluntary effort and personal exertions, and remarked that a debt of gratitude was owing to those who generously lend for exhibition their treasures of industry and art. He joined with Mr President in expressing the hope that this gathering might be instructive and beneficial, and dispel any jealousies that rival enterprise might engender, and enable us to cultivate friendly sentiments and mutual esteem. His Excellency ilien formally declared the Exhibition open. THE GISBORNE DISPLAY. [from our own correspondent.] Compared with the bays of other counties the Gisborne space does not present an imposing appearance, though the best possible measures have been taken in the arrangement of the exhibits. There is a decided want of manufactures. The phut-) display is a satisfactory feature, though other counties display it in a like manner,

A brief description of the present appearance of the building is appended. Entering the main bar you find yourself immediately beneath the dome with the statue of Her Majesty confronting the in pouring crowd. The prevailing in decoration of the dome is gold, which has been freely used. Through a large glass aperture the fernery is revealed in all its wealth of foliage. Turning to the left, are the small British section, in which the work is incomplete in consequence of the late arrival of goods, and the New Zealand Wool and Grain Court, where a large collection of wool and grain are placed. Next wo come to one of the special attrac tions in the shapo of an Armament Court. On one- side are submarine mines and torpedoes, and on the other the guns, great and small, the principal among these is the frowning six -inch breech loader. On the walls are models of the mighty 110-ton gun, and the still more modern 67-ton breech-loader supplied to such ships as the Lome and Anson. From these an excellent idea of the gigantic ordnance of the day can be obtained. Glancing along the avenue, the arch marking the approach, the Auckland Court comes into view. Eighteen bays are taken up by the exhibits of this province, which is one of the most complete sections in the Exhibition. Prominent among the objects on view are flax, timber, varnishes, and a show of stained skins, including Musket's hide, now in the shape of a rug. The decoration of the Court is very pretty, and everything goes to show the expenditure of considerable care and labor. Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Nelson, and Westland are stationed in the northern portion of the eastern avenue, the longest in the building. Standing at the approach it is difficult to see any object at the other end with distinctness. The courts do not present any remarkable scene, except that there is plenty of coal and timber scattered about. Succeeding them is the Canterbury Court occupying nineteen bays. The Midland Railway Company have a fine show of timber here. Pottery and harvesting operations are well represented. There is no particular distinctive attempt at decorating, but the general view of the court is not inelegant. The remainder of this and the whole of the southern avenue is devoted to local exhibits from Otago and Southland, of which it may be said consistently, that they give one an excellent idea of the pitch at which local industry has arrived in this colony. The "oods are of most varied description, and no small amount of money has been expended in fitting up the bays in a manner calculated to set the contents off to the best advantage. The south - eastern octagon, however, forms a special court in itself, for there is located New Zealand mineral exhibits, for which Sir. Ta.s. Hector is principally responsible. He has done well with the small material at his command, but when all is said that is possible any New Zealander with a conscience must blush at the way in which New South Wales puts us to shame. The main feature of the court are two gatewaysbuilt up of various minerals cemented together, and the very origiivil gold trophy already commented upon, and the very fine model in relief, is an interesting s'ght and worth studying. The great kauri tree in the southwestern octagon marks the end of the Now Zealand section, or the beginning, according to the quarter the visitor approaches. Then comes the New South Wales Court, which under the superintendence of Mr Oacar Myers, has been made a blaze of color. Very fine collections of wools and timbers are to be seen here, but the mother colony's great glory is the mineral court. It is in the main transverse at right angles to the rest of the section and covers over ten thousand square feet. The mass of minerals, both ores and pure metals, is enormous, and the effect is heightened by gaily colored banners bearing the names of the chief mining districts. The collection is the result of time, specimens being added to it at every successive exhibition which has been held of late years. Victoria, which is situated in the upper half of the western avenue, has no mineral court. She depends upon her manufactures, but unfortunately her business men, laboring, it is said, under a feeling of irritation at what they consider the neglect of th«ir own Government at the Melbourne Exhibition, have declined to better themselves for the nake of Dunedin. Mr Commissioner Fletcher has consequently had much ado to make a decent show, and his 26,000 feet of space is by no means overcrowded. He has a large special collect' on of pictures, and the pastoralindustryis to the fore. Thereare some resplendent b'lliard tables, and some gorgeous models of the great nuggets which have helped Victoria to produce three hundred million pounds worth of gold. In the verandah is the combined Australian Wine Court. South Australia, represented chiefly by wine trophies, has a small space in the main transverse. The remaining portion of the western avenue is occupied by the ethnological collections, to which Maoris, Tongans, Samoans, etc., have all contributed. Generally speaking, they remind one of a museum, with its collection of weapons, implements, and not forgetting the number of portraits in oil, and sketches of phases of savage life. We have now finished a circuit of the buikliiigSi a»d come back to the dome, from where we must return to the aisle, which runs across the centre of the ground. In the main space arc the very small British and foreign collections of specimens of musical instruments, etc. The machinery annex runs across the building to the south of tho main central avenue. At the eastern end the plough and other agricultural implements are exhibited. Towards the centre are wood and metal working contrivances of various kinds, and then comes steam threshers, steam engines, etc. Altogether this section is large and full, and when the machinery is in motion will be busy and probably noisy. In the place north of the central traverse run two narrower avenues, in these are the Home industries and educational courts. The former take up twelve bays, and is well fitted with the work of 150 exhibits, which it is stipulated will be done outside a factory or workshop. The exhibits range from the fancy work of female hands to the models of locomotives, etc. The educational section is divided into five departments, separating the university work from the secondary schools, the secondary from the primary, and so the last bay is given up to exhibits forwarded from London by the Agent-General. In the parallel avenue arc placed the aquaria, tourists' bureau, and a few other odds and ends. The whole Exhibition has now been briefly described, except the Art Gallery and fernery, but they need a more minute description than there is time to give. It may be added that work is still busily going on in the gardens. Tjiey look somewhat bare at present, but a great number of quickly flowering plants have been put in, which the summer heat will .soon bring out in all their bright array, and with the rockery fountains and artificial cascade, designed by Mr Joubert, the three acres of open space will eventually not be the least attractive part of the Exhibition.

The centre space of the southern half of the Exhibition contains the art gallery and concert hall. The gallery, as is generally known, is built of brick, not a particle of wood entering into the composition, except a few necessary battens for hanging the pictures to. Being a solid edifice, this is about the only portion which will survive the general demolition after Easter, when the Exhibition closes. Attached to the gallery is a smaller iron annexe, in which some of the least valuable pictures wi'l be placed, pictures not belonging to foreign Contributors. Some little delay was caused

in getting the gallery ready, by the fact tli.it the asphalt floor was found unsuitable, as it was feared the fumes of ammonia would hurt the pictures. The upper portion was consequently removed, and a strata of cement laid down, which lias had the desired effect. The concert hall, like the main building, is of iron, with a wood-lined concave roof. It is reported to be of excellent accoustic properties.

[from our own correspondent.]

Duxkdin, to-day

Dunedin presents a lively scene to-day, the streets, despite the wretched weather, being thronged with people ; trains are arriving from north and south ; steamers are coming with hundreds of passengers. All the best houses are tilled with visitors, but still there is no great difficulty experienced in obtaining lodging. Trade is naturally brisk, and the papers are crowded with advertisements of labor wanted.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Monday will be observed as holidays. The Premier arrived this evening. Durhis visit a Cabinet meeting will be held, when questions of the investment of English trust funds in colonial stock and the duplication of the cable will be discussed. For the Cup, to be run on Wednesday, Tirallieur is regarded as sure by most people. Gisborne passenger by Mararoa from Melbourne : C. D. Pitt.

His Excellency the Governor will entertain the president and vice-presidents of the New Zealand and South Sea Exhibition and other distinguished, visitors at dinner at Government House to-morrow, and on Monday the Countess of Onslow will give a ball.

The. procession, .after a circuit of the principal streets, entered the building by the main entrance, and the societies formed a line on cither side of the Australian Courts and remained in position until the passing of the Governor. Invited guests and holders of tickets for the opening ceremony were admitted to the Exhibition by the main entrance between the hours of ten and a quarter past eleven, and at once proceeded to the concert hall, where they were conducted to the places allotted to them. The doors were closed at a quarter-past twelve, and no person admitted until after the opening ceremony. All invited guests and holders of tickets were seated prior to the arrival of the Governor. Invited guests and gentlemen connected with the Exhibition attended in official, academical, or morning dress ; officers of the service in uniform. The president, vice-presidents, executive commissioner, and commissioners of the Exhibition assembled at the main entrance ai;d awaited arrival of His Excellency tlieGovernor. A guard of honor attended at the main entrance of the building. The Avenue of Nations (New Zealand coiu'ts) was lined with troops. His Excellency the Governor, his guests, and suite, accompanied by the president, vice presidents, and commissioners proceeded by the New Zealand courts to the concert hall, and moved on to the dais erected for their accommodation.

The National Anthem was given during the approach of the Governor up the centre of the concert-hall. A prayer was said by the President, the choir responding Amen. Then was sung the Old Hundred psalm. A song of Thanksgiving: music by Mr F. H. Cowon. The President then read the address, and His Excellency replied and declared the Exhibition open. The colors were run up on the chief flagstaff on the central dome, and a salute of seventeen guns fired. The " Hallelujah Chorus " was then sung, and the opening ceremony concluded with the National Anthem and cheers for the Queen. His Excellency then left the concert-hall and proceeded by way of the Australian courts, and the President presented the official representatives of the various courts to His Excellency as he passed along the Avenue of Nations. The Exhibition was then opened to the public, His Excellency leaving by the main entrance.

Those persons who visited the Christchurch Exhibition in 1882, or the Wellington Exhibition in 1885, will be able to form some idea of what their Dunedin successor is like from the fact that it is four times the size of either. The arrangement of the buildings is somewhat similar to tho plan followed at Christchurch, viz., four main avenues running round the sides of a quadrilateral figure, with large tranverse courts. The shape of the building approaches the oblong, but the eastern side ia the longest, m fact the avenue running down its length is said to be 20ft longer than the main artery of the Melbourne Exhibition. The direction is almost north and south, the principal entrance being un der the dome at the northern end, and behind the dome is the fernery, which will be one of the special attractions. Visitors from the other colonies say this fernery is the finest that has ever been constructed in the colonies, and could not be done elsewhere under a cost of several thousands. In the central space behind this again are the gardens, originally intended to cover seven acres. The space has been gradually filched away for various purposes till now there are scarcely more than three acres left. The ground appears however, to be ample for all requirements horticulture does not make much show in it, and it is not likely to for many weeks unless artificial means are resorted to, as the soil is mostly sand ; but the area will be a useful breathing space for the crowds, tired of wandering through the covered aisles around. A rustic bandstand occupies a prominent position, and there are rockeries at each end of the fernery.

The south-western octagon marking the beginning of the New Zealand section is occupied by a big kauri built of segments of bark, with a section of the tree from which they came lying close handy. The opposite octagon is almust filled with the New Zealand gold trophy. Sir James Hector, tired of the usual obelisk, has designed a unique form, which it would puzzle anyone but an expert to describe, but it might be called a globe covered with great pyramidal points. Gateways made of minerals, cemented into a wooden framework, also mark the miuci al nature of this particular section.

At tho southern exit are stalls for cows, where dairying operations will be carried on. The space outside, triangular in shape, will be devoted to side-shows, such as the switch-back railway, Eiffel tower, etc. Of the lat-er nothing but the foundations are to be seen at present. The Commissioners complain of the delay in goods coming forward, and some of them have to deplore the permanent absence of exhibits that were promised. Mr Fletcher, of Victoria, finds that he will, to all appearances, have a considerable space unoccupied which has been paid for, but probably there will be no great difficulty in filling the gaps, as people keep turning up at the last moment, who are glad to tind an unoccupied corner. Such was the case with a British exhibitor who arrived on Friday, and the Government of Mauritius have also determined to be represented, and will have to be provided for.