THE INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5356, 6 September 1895, Page 2

THE INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

VISIT OF THE COLONIAL TREASURER.

The Hon J. (i. Ward paid ayisit to the • industrial exhibition yesteiday afternoon. He ffu received by the President (Mr H, B. Kirk) and thememberß of the Exeoutivd ■ Committee, conducted through the exhibition, and spent a considerable time examining the exhibits. After Mr Ward had completed his inspection the party assembled in the committee-room, where the toast of " The Government, coupled with the name of the Colonial Treasurer," ' I was drunk in champagne with musical honours and three hearty oheera. la proposing the toast Mr Kirk expressed the pleasure of the committee at ■ the vioit of Mr Ward, and said that be was glad to be able to state that Mr Ward had given an assurance that, immediately on bis return, to ' Wellington from Invtrcar^ill, he would cause the £500 granted by the Government ■ towards the exhibition to be forwarded to Christoburoh. . He was also glad to Bay that Mr Ward had been favourably impressed by, what he bad seen. The Hon J. G. Ward, in responding, said that he looked upon such undertakings as this exhibition as most important in the interests of the colony. He would admit that he bad not been prepared, seeing how little noise had been made in preparing for the exhibition, to find it so good and so. extensive. 'He had seen other exhibitions in New Zealand aad also in other colonies, and he would say that the present one com- • pared most favourably with them. He thought that he knew a little about the ■ industries which were carried on in this colony, but he mußt admit that • he had. just seen, in this exhibition,.' artioles representing one or two industries ' which he bad not known existed here. The - Ministry folly recognised the importance of euoh undertakings as this, and had fully intended that one or more of their number should have attended the opening. Owing, . however, to the very difficult and important business whioh had reoen'ly occupied their attention, this had been impossible, and they much regretted it. His Excellency the Governor would also have liked to have been present, but had been prevented by the -same cause. He would see that the amount of the grant which had bees made towards the expenses of the exhibition'was Bent down with as little delay aB possible, and he would also Bay that : the Government would' be glad to exhibit any objeots which .were at its disposal, and which might be acceptable, snob as the collection of designs for postage stamps* whioh was • already on its way to theexhibition. He regretted that he had co little time to see the exhibition on this occasion, but. he hoped that, when he returned with his wife, he would hare time to pay another and longer visit.(Hear, hear.) , Mr Hart said that one way in whioh the Government could assist the exhibition, was by making the railway tickets issued at excursion fares in connection with the--exhibition available for return on the next - day, so that people from the country could see the exhibition at night, which they all wished to do. If this were done the attendance from the oountry districts would be very largely increased. ' Mr Hull corroborated Mr Hart's re-. marks, and added that he had received a letter from a resident in a /country district, stating that if the concession , asked for were granted a large number of people from that district would come to town to vißit the exhibition. > ; The Hon J. G. Ward said that he would telegraph to Wellington on the subjeot. He projpoaedv the health of the President (Mr H. B. Kirk), which was enthusiastically drunk. ■ . Mr Rirk suitably responded, Mr D, Harris Hastings, honorary agent at Dunedin for the exhibition, said that he had authority from the manufacturers of that city to express their warmest sympathy with the Cbribtohuroh -Exhibition, and t> state that the reason why more of them had not exhibited' was the shortness of - the notice whioh they had received* They had not forgotten the ■ generous assistance whioh Canterbury had given to the Dunedin Exhibition, and they were ready, should the opportunity arise, to repay that assistance to the full. (Applause.) The party then separated.