COLONIAL AND INDIAN EXHIBITION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1284, 9 July 1886, Page 3

COLONIAL AND INDIAN EXHIBITION.

Jlfrom the Mai7.] The Colonial and Indian Exhibition now being held in London has realised the most sanguine predictions of its promoters. This is essentially an age of exhibitions, but we venture to say that no similar undertaking, since the Great Exhibition of 1851, has attracted so much interested attention through-

out the world as the monster collection of colonial products now displayed in the metropolis of the Empire. The exhibition has attracted visitors from all parts of the five continents, and the displays of colonial products, manufactures, and arts have been described and criticised by the newspapers of almost every civilised country. Under these circumstances, it is gratifying to leam that the almost unanimous verdict of exacting critics is highly complimentary to the resources, intelligence, and taste of the British colonists, and it is particularly gratifying to the people of this colony to learn that the New Zealand Court is one of the most com-

plete and attractive features of the Ex hibition. New Zealand was singularly fortunate in securing the services of so able and enthusiastic a Commissioner as Sir Julius von Haast to undertake the care and display of its exhibits, but it would be ungracious to withhold a very large share of credit from the members -ithe present Government, especially fir Julius Vogel, for the zeal and discretion with which they urged, in various quarters, the importance of our products and industries being. adequately represented at the Exhibition. Full descriptions of the New Zealand Court have been furnished by several of our English exchanges, but it will, perhaps, not be out of place here to take a brief view of this interesting section of the now popular show. The entrance is appropriately devoted to a collection of Maori trophies, which it will be quite unnecessary to describe to colonial readers, but we may ray that this department is under the immediate supervision of Dr W. L. Butler—a guarantee that the display is well selected and well arranged. This is followed by a number of maps showing the physical features, geological formation, exports and public works of the colony, and diagrams giving a variety of valuable information in a perspicuous and interesting manner. Near this is an avenue of cases containing examples of the foliage and fructification of the New Zealand flora collected by the indefatigable Inspector of Forests, Mr Thomas Kirk. There are also large exhibits of the products of the different mines in the colony, native copper and copper ore, gold, silver from Richmond, antimony, and chrome ore ; these are all tastefully and effectively displayed in show cases. Near these are two pyramids of building stones, showing a great variety of this material from all parts. A great feature of interest is found in the Natural History Court, in which , Professor Parker, the Curator of the Otago Museum, exhibits a rich variety of specimens of fishes, saurians, crustaceans, aod other invertebrate animals. The exhibits from the Natural History department of the Canterbury Museum fill one of the smaller Courts, and are one of the greatest attractions in the Exhibition. The Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association show a well-arranged stand of wheat, oats, barley, flax, rye, and other cereals, and have rendered it instructive and interi esting by supplying labels on the different specimens, giving information as to the localities, amount produced per I acre, and other valuable statistics. Near this is an admirable stand showing samples of seeds, mangold, peas, beans, tares, oats, wheat, rye, and various grasses. This is contributed by the Farmers’ Co-operative Association of Canterbury. Paintings, photographs, wool, woollen goods, furniture, carriages, and an almost endless variety of other representative articles make up a display of which New Zealand may well be proud, and which will, we believe, materially accelerate the commercial progress of the colony.