AT THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2528, 22 September 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

AT THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION.

Thk Melbourne correspondent of the Wellington Press says, in writing of the Exhibition:--As I predicted, the fine .art collection in the Now Zealand court is a great draw, the beautiful scenes in oils, watercolors, and photography never fail to elicit exclamations of admiration from the visitors. Personally, I have had quite a big contract on my hands in running Melbourne friends round the court, and in this capacity have achieved a reputation as "t'ne'Ncw Zealand showman." The amount of ignorance which exists in reference to Miiorilnnd is simply astonishing—overwhelming, iu fact- About all the average Victorian knows of New Zealand is that it is "depressed"— bother that word—and he only knows tliis because someone else is continually saying so. My morlm opcrniidi as guide is as follows:—Having got my Victorian under my wing, and the entrance to the court reached, the big Kauri pine tree is brought under his notice and introduced as the smallest of the family—" the full grown trees being too big to ship." While he is pondering over the probable dimensions of the biggest I run him up against the gold trophy on the other side. " Good gracious !" he says, as he gazes on the glided obelisk, " you don't mean to say all .that came out ot New Zealand ? Why it must be nearly as rich in minerals as this—colony. ('"Colony "is beginuiug to jar on the nerves of Victorians, They would prefer to say "State" "nation," or, better still, "Empire.") '' As rich 1" is the retort. Why there is no comparison. You can't shove a spade into any part of New Zealand without finding gold, silver, copper,'tin, antimony, manganese, nickel, cinnabar, or precious stones !" He looks somewhat incredulous :it this, and then bursts out with "Then how is it that, the colony is so backward ?. Why,, they haven't got a sixpence to ble3S themselves with. The ouly colony that has any money is Victoria. We've got millions aud ?" "Just so, my boy," is the reply cutting short this oratorical flight " That's ju&t it you know. New Zealand is waiting—resting her oars as it were—until your colony and the others play themselves out, and then with her vast mineral resources and natural advantages of soil and climate sh« will boom —boom sir !—and the land of the Maori and tho Moa—the " Wonderland of the Pacific " — the " Brighter Britain " — will take the front seat among these colonies !" Before he has time to play up to *me I take him to the Mosgiel trophy, then confront him with Gear's display of meat, make him read the statistics on the wool and grain trophies until his head reels, and'having done the minor attractions, saunter-him through the art gallery. By that time he is convinced that Victoria is not the only colony in these seas, auii that New Zealand cannot be such a bad place after all.