THE EXHIBITION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2290, 30 November 1889, Page 3

THE EXHIBITION.

Thbbb can now be no doubt as to the success of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, the universal testimony of the many thousands who have already visited it being that it far exceeds the most sanguine expectations, and is really a marvellous show. Nothing m the least degree approaching it has ever . been seen m this colony, the Exhibi tions held at Wellington and Christchurch being very inconsiderable affairs indeed as compared with it, while thoße who visited the great Melbourne Exhibition testify that m some respects it is even more interesting than that wonderful display The «rt Courts alone would afford pleasurable and .profitable occupatior for a week, some magnificent works by great English painters attracting the admiring gaze of thousands, Sir Frederick Leighton's «* Phryne at Eleusie," with its wonderfully soft coloring, the glorious picture of "The Finding of Moses," and any one of a dozen other magnificent wcJks which might be named, being m themeelyes weU worth the cost of a trip to Dunedin for the pleasure of gazing upon them. Nor are there wanting numerous splendid proofs of the skill of colonial artists, some of whose works, particularly m landscape m water-colors, are of the highest order of merit — Gully, Barraud, and Chevalier being well to the front. The next great attraction is the grand display "made by New South Wales— the Court devoted to that color y being one of the most prominent feature p of the Exhibition — her immense resources being worthily expressed by * really astounding exhibit of her mineral treasures ; and the industry of her people also finding suitable expression m a splendid display of manufactures of every description. In her Art collection, however (that is to say as regards her paintings), she is far behind Victoria, though m almost every other respect she is better represented than the sister colony. Not that the Victorian Court is by any means to be lightly spoken of, the show ot manufactured goods being really excellent. The South Sea Islands exhibits are of great interest, aud far and away the best collection of Native productions that has ever been got together. The Armament Court is also a centre of great attraction with its great guns, small Arms, torpedoes, and mines, and the ♦exhibits of Italian statuary are of wonderful beauty and excellence. The productions and industries of our own colony are such as may well fill New Zealanders with pride, and m some respects calculated to evoke a feeling of finvy on the part of visitors from other colonies, particularly as regards the manifest superiority of our cereal produce. In this Canterbury generally has a worthy display , ahd Otago is not far behind, indeed as regards wheat we are inclined to think that the Oamaru district has the pride of place. The Ashburton Court holds its own well with those of other counties of our own provincial district and will look still better m the course of a few days „When all the exhibits'have been arranged. Au^ong other matters m whioh New , Zealand takes the lead of all the colonies is ia her' exhibits of woollen manufactures, to which $hose of no other colony nearly Approach m yariety and excellence. Then again not the least interesting part of the great Show is the Court devoted to Educational exhibits. Here we were pleased to see on every hand unmistakable evidence of the capacity of our children and of the excellence of their teaching, the work of the pupils m , drawing, painting, modelling, and of the girls m needlework being m the highest degree creditable, the proficiency m art , instruction of the Convent Schools being •especially noticeable. Nor is this surprising when the visitor comes to inspect eorne of the work of the nuns themselves, among examples of which may be mentioned a splendid historical picture m wools, and equally creditable work m oils by ladies of the Dominican sisterhood. Hie art work of some of the High Schools is also very noticeable, and among these the Girls' High School of Auckland deserves special commendation. But these are only a very few of . ffce salient points of an Exhibition to •fft&h it would take many columns of •desori>tive writing to do the very .scantiest iustice, and we heartily recommend a_T who can spare the time and •outlay involved m paying it a visit to •do so, and especially to take the children. They will learn more m a week at the Dunedin Exhibition that tbey could acquire m years of study and their parents will m every way be will repaid for their time and trouble. And let us hope that the public at large will be given the opportunity. They have not had it as yet, Sox tbe railway fares are three times as much as they ought to be if it is desired iha_ the public generally of the greater p&rtof the colony should make the trip to the Oity bf the South, lt is pleaded for 'the Bailway Commissioners that they fixed ihe present high rates for the opening week because during that time the wealthier section of the public would be attracted by the Exhibition, t&e races,and the Agricultural Show, and that to have auried them cheaply would have been to fhrow away thousands of pounds, but at is confidently believed that during the Chrifltgiflß and New Year holidays inducements wiU be offered to all and .angular by really cheap excursion fares. We hope that tins is the intention. If it be so the railways will earn enormous returns, for if the rates are only sufficient ly libei-al we believe that everybody who caJ) manage to get away will mafcd the trip to Dunedin. If it be not so, then the Bai.way Commissioners will inflict a positive wrcng.upon the community (for the Exhibition has been subsidised out of the general taxation and onght to be made available to a# large a number of /the taxpayers as possible) and the Commissioners will also miss the chance of making such a haul as they wili not have the opportunity of making again for many years to come.