The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1882. CURRENT NOTES. THE PENINSULA AT THE EXHIBITION

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 586, 24 February 1882, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1882. CURRENT NOTES. THE PENINSULA AT THE EXHIBITION

The Fanners' Club have done ;i really good thing in taking v buy at the Exhibition for their choose, and tho fact that all of it will bear their bnuid will ensure tlifit no trash will he forwarded, though we think this would have b en sure in any case, but perhaps it is a* well to nuike all certain, as there is no end to ilii' vanity of some people. The Club lmve very properly determined to invite members to exhibit wool, grass seed and other products, and so far have been fairly successful in getting promises. They deserve every credit for their exertions and no doubt, th if exhibits will he much admired and tend (o bring the pfculiarly favoured spot where it is our ji. ivilege to reside into more general notice.

But this i-hould not be all, large as thft Fanners Uluh is and important as are ils functions, there are a lar;;e section of tho community that do not belong to it, anil th<'}' should rnclesivor Co stir in this matter iilso, for it is one of vital impovtanc. in. the last lender for Utiilwny Sleepers the Peninsula lias been passed over altogether, thou-h we knowthat the material is .here, from which the best description could he .savui. <md also that wo have machinery ot the newest a.iid befit deycripUon u> do tho work. Now, nothing, would this fact more thorough' hef'oru tho world than shoving specimens of our timber at the .forthcoming Exhibi-

iiun. There is a splendid variety, much of It undoubte ly suitable ior veneer and marqueterie work. It is undoubtedly the fact that much of the timber annually destroyed by fire ou the Peninsula would fetch a high price for rh :-e purposes. There is such an iui-

nense variety of tints and grain in every lore of our bush, that a cabinetmaker would fairly revel in the thought of the beautiful articles he could produce from it. in Australia, varieties of the etv-r----nal gum, or the eternal wattle, cover the land, but here each st<-p brings us to a

new description. Nor is this the only product that should lie shown t<> visitors from other

arts of the world. Our mineral re-

sourc s should also find a place in the great building in Hagley Park. We have maiiv varieties of days, some sr.id to be very valuable, i.nd the Tripoli from Wainui is declared by experts to be exceedingly good, Then, again, we have valuable deposits of guano ;

nd a niiignilieeiiL trophy of fruit could

easily be collected. Wp are glad to hear that the Hoard of Kducation have communicated with the schools, am* that

(lie pupils have been requested to furnish the products of their skill, to be sho n in the. court devoted to that pur-

pose ; but we think this of minor importance, altogether. The great aim of the Exhibition is to develop industries

on a large scale. It seems to us that the most influential men in the county should assemble to talk this matter over, should elect district committees, and arrange that the Peninsula should be

properly represented They should act at once, or the opportunity will bo past ; and they sin mid endeavor, if possible, to get the adjoining courts to that taken by tlie Farmers' Club, so that the whole of the Peninsula products could be seen togelh'T. We are certain that with a little effort a Bplcndul collection could b'inade, that would astonish the promoters themselves with the nuuber and beauty of ; t.s items. There need be

little expense incurred, fir;r tho exhibitors would each pay a little trifle for space,

and the Government would take a

goods free by the railway, so that if they weie taken to Little River there need be no further expense in that way. It would of course bo necessary for the Farmers' Club to pay some custodian to look after the cheese, and no doubt for a trifle more he would look after the rest of the exhibits.

As to thinking of putting the whole, of the i'eninsula exhibits into the little bay taken b> , the .Farmers' Club, it is absurd, for that will barely hold a couple of hundred cheeses, with some grass seed and wool in the centre. Prompt action

is necessary in the matter, and we urge it on the people of the Peninsula as an absolute duty. They have a chance, which may not ocvur for ninny years again, of showing their resources to the w.irl'l, and they should be true to themselves and seize the opportunity.