Looking Backward

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1136, 25 May 1911, Page 4

Looking Backward

In 1810,. said Mr. Carroll, two ships arrived in Wellington, the Cuba and Oriental. They brought immigrants and settlers. The two ships named were preceded by the Tory which brought out Captain Wakefield, agent of the New Zealand Company. He planted 'the New Zealand ilag at one end of tho Petone Beach and the landing party was hospitably entertained by Epuni and many other notable characters. Even, in those, days perfect harmony and friendship existed -between -the- - immigrants of tho day and the preceding ones who had been here for sonic centuries. Happily these harmonious- relations had been preserved " and maintained to the present day—with the exception of a'few casual interruptions. . (Laughter.) In a brief spaco of time—something . like. 70 years—the progress and development of New Zealand in all'branches'of. education, art, and industry had been marvellous. The position of tho country and the spirit of its people enabled it to stand abreast of some of the foremost people in tho world. (Applause.) Following tho example of a previous'speaker-, said Mr. Carroll, he would submit a few figures. They would show the extent to which Now Zealand had moved along the line of progress.' ..'..- Remarkable Growth. Mr. Carroll proceeded-to refer to the position and prospects of New Zealand industries: "I desire to remark," he eaid, "that we to-day are capable of hitching the wagon of progress to the great powerhouse .of industry." Dealing with the' growth of factories, Mr. Carroll stated that in the year ended March 31, 1900, there l were G43S factories and workrooms in the Dominion, giving employment to. 48,938 persons. • In 1910 the number of factories and workrooms had increased to 1*2,518, and the number of employees to 77.50 G. This was equivalent to a 95 per cent, increase in factories, and a 85 pa* cent, increase in the number of persons; engaged therein.. Taking. Wellington City separately, iu 1899-1900' -there-.were 550 factories and workrooms-, --giving employ--ment to 5908 person?. ; During the sue- . ceeding ten years the numbers increased to 1074 and 8728 respectively. This .was a . 95 per cent, increase in factories, and an increase of'4B per cent, in the number of those engaged in the manufacturing in- ' dustry. It was to be hoped, continued Mr. Carroll, that this remarkable growth would continue. Only one thing was likely to affect the growth., of manufacturing industries, namely, a dearth of suitable labour. Tho position was now becoming, acute, but 'manufacturers' might i rely on receiving tho "earliest consideration.of the. Governmciyt.-.in-fliis- respect. Ino JSgnres. of tho . census just-.taken-as ■ t(j. the value of iji'aiiufacturcs were not yet r'endy, . The figures-',for. the Wellington .Provincial District in 1900- showed that the total value of-manufactures was .£3,209.74.0. In 1% ..the-', valiic- -had. "in-' creased to ,£4,893;285. „ -Very likely the figures of tho census just, taken-would show-further-'remarkable evidence of increase,, and that tho rate-of, .progress and development had been 'maintained. , Tho. figures just jiuo'ted;.showed' an increase' in Value equivalent to 52J per cent.'. • ! . . Growth of Shops.. As to shops, the earliest [reliable, figures showed that in -1907 there wero -10,727 shops in :tho Dominion- giving ' employment to 29,141 persons, ■ who-.; received .£1,482,375; in r.wage'ik-.-, li'ifrMlQ ;t!)ere /were 13,244 shops,..employing. 34>1G9 ..persons;who received •£1;812 ) 054:-in - wa-ges-. .. -Tho rate of .-increase. .disclosed.- ; by (he /figureswas 27:}' per cent. in.-.thp case-.of shops, 171 -per cent.- in -the- number -of.-.-persons employed,' and 22.1 .per-cent, in the total amount of wages earned. Taking Wellington city alone—from 1907 to 1910—tho . number of shops increased from 11SG to 1533 (30 per cent.); tho number of. employees from 3317 to 4065 (22} per cent.), and wages from • -.£180,449 ■to .£233,680 ■ (27Jper cent.). The speaker quite appreciated and recognised the value of remarks made by his Worship, the Mayor : and by Mr. Ballingcr as to-thc- importance of promoting commerce, and manufactures, .but there was no -possible--reason--for-. any. misgiving as to a..decline,in any. branch of industry so far as Wellington was concerned. The outlook from the employment point of view was good. During the last five years, not only had Wet-, lington afforded steady employment to tradesmen and'imskilled-labourers, but hundreds .of new . arrivals in these branches of industry had been absorbed quickly and easily by the city and district. ' ■ . ■ ■ The.Coming-Winter. The approaching winter promised to be a favourable one. There was bound to bo loss of time, owing to weather conditions, but general activity in the various trades could be expected, and, with extra work—both civic and private—the speaker considered that tho outlook ... for both employers , and employees was bright. Conditions were likely to bo better than at corresponding periods during the past two years. In considering the future growth of industries and tho dovelopment of manufactures, tho speaker hoped that in tho handling of the great problems affecting labour and capital, by which the country was faced, nothing would be prejudiced bv a mistaken'view. The aim should be to bring about the best possible rcsultsfor all" concerned. There should be a, combined alliance, embracing the powers of labour and capital, and the energy and. industry of tho-people. There should-be a constant effort to reduce the cost of production in all our largo concerns in order that the Dominion might be able to compete with outside manufacturers and products. This consummation, the-speaker had suggested, ho was sure all would heartily endorse as devoutly to he .wished. It was going to take place if tho youug people, with tho example of the past before them, and animated- by the illustrative lessons that had been handed down, set themselves to cope with the great industrial and commercial questions confronting them. Water-power electric energy must come to our assistance. It would bo of tremendous assistance in production and the growth of manufactures. Tho peoplo of this country wero ready to apply their industry and enterprise to the business side of life. In this we'had a true spirit of nationalism and patriotism— a desire to excel in our own, for our own, ;• and by our own, that spelt success m future'undertakings.. . At the close ot his address, Mr. Carroll 1 stated, amid applause, that, ho had much 1 pleasure in formally declaring the Exhi- [ bition open.

A HARBOUR VIEW. REMARKS BY MR. K. FLETCHER. The speech by Mr. R. Fletcher, chairman of the Harbour Board, was voluntarily cut short by tho speaker, owing to the lateness of the hour. .Air. Fletcher agreed that, the aims of the Exhibition wero most creditable, and he hoped a survey of the other rooms would remove any prejudice against articles made in New Zealand. Generally they got a cheaper and a better article made in New Zealand. He had some interesting figures lo quote, but he would band them over to the press, and those present, could study them in their papers. Proceeding, Mr. Fletcher claimed that thero was no harbour south of tho Lino better 'equipped for handling shipping and cargo than Wellington was. The spirit: of emulation of a national character would, ho thought, Ihi of more use to New Zealand than'the oarochial spirit sometimes shown. New

Zealand Had its part to play, and there was plenty of room for all of us. In Wellington, however, our public men did not show the. optimistic spirit they might show. More optimism and less pessimism would ho better for the city. To his mind the lines of the present Exhibition were better than those of the Exhibition at Chrislchurch, and those on which it was proposed to go in another place. UNDER THE LIGHTS. "THE BEST EXHIBITION HELD IN WELLINGTON."

SOME OF THE EXHIBITS. To : see the interior of the Exhibition on Tuesday and again last evening was to witness a. feat m high magic. On Tuesday everything appeared to bo hopelessly behind, and many admitted it as they perspired at -their work, but a night and a morning of unremitting toil effected wonders. All those who had the pleasure of visiting tho big show, either yes-, terdav afternoon or evening, were surprised and delighted with the extent, completeness,- and brightness of the Exhibition. On all hands could bo heard such expressions as: "We never knew it was anything so good as this! i feel as if I must, asleep! "Quite a good show!" "The best Exhibition we have had!" So it is. \\o Kington has had Exhibitions before but both in arrangement, size,, and quality this Inhibition stands above them all. The site is a littlo off the beaten track, but the big Harbour Board sheds are highly suitable for such displays, and nothing but credit is due those members of the Wellington Provincial Industrial Association Ao conceived the idea of pan togan Exhibition there. Under the brilliant li"ht-Ras in ,r U" and electric in J — he pla?e looked exhilaratingly bright list evening, and the many beautiful exhibits thit'lank the thronged way,.formed a colour scheme that was altogether delightful to the eye. • , los of the exhibitors have gone to great trouble and expense building Lndsome pavilions for the/ dwpla ot their manufactures. Sic; able amongthe e nre the Wellington Woollen Cornsanj (•'Pe one" goods), and the Kaiapoi. Woollen Company, which can lay claim to re"lly inVLive displays not i b m the manufacture of sucn g cS&nv started in promptly to display the simple f^L***^* diirin" tho afternoon, deftly making E&vwasttwsg". There is nothing to be alarmed about 1 is quiet and peaceful. . There i an Metric stove silently cooking good things to eat, and a girl in white lends a coStable domestic touch to tho scene. Z she .irons (with an electric iron) all obHviousto the.nany eyes iocussod on her skilful hands.- There are brilliant -radiators" a,?lowy. and-.an amazing-variety of. lamps and fittings to instil the advantages of -electricity. - • •,, Dimock and Co. are not far away with a tastv display of pig in its many delicious forms, from the whole animal in waiting for the- oven- -to-dishes., of- nice., moist sausages of the' kind tho wond hungers for. "Frimlcy' is a word that I-stands out in big, bold letters in the, Exhibition, and-the display ot canned iruu and vegetables is without doubt,-one ot tho best in-the show. Coal is a- necessity. -We must all have it—by the ton m tho"'winter-times so we have-the West--port Coal Company, the Paparoa Com--nnny, the -■'Bnmcer • Company, and ■- the; Wai'pa -Company, each showing fine speci-. luons-'cf the products of their-mines. Oil-stoves figure-prominently in one of tho mnin-stroets—the avenues in- the Exhibition should be given names—and tho Welsbach' Light Company, give an inter-, csting display of stoves and burners adapted to-.their...mantles, the use of which' is'world-wide. Welsbach heaters also figure among the interesting variety of., gas .stoves .being shown by the "Wellington Gas' Company. The Te Aro Steam Laundry's model laundry in the''annexe'-attracted a good deal of attention last evening. It was worth' it. llobt. Martin, Ltd., gives a neat little lesson on how'to housc-decorato artisticalb". 'The-candle electric lights aro aiiattractive "novelty" at "Martin's." '.Mr. Hardie' Slin-w "has" an excellent display of high-class photography in a big range, of tones. - "His" delightfully "delicate Tight-lino sun-prints aro 'the purest -form" of "art" "in regard:- to : photographic" "portraiture. "Bartlett's" have a studio next the Art Gallery, upstairs'in'"J" store.' With" this firm the likeness is not the only thing. They get that, of course, but go a long way" towards getting a natural '.effect by making it a picture. Their idea is'evidently to get away as far as possible-from the old stilt star-eyed kind of photographic portraiture, and to eliminate" nothing that is elementally characteristic of tho subject.. Mr. W. G. Baker has a display of-. oil ' paintings-in the same gallery. Alcock and Cov's fine exhibit is one'that cannot -fail to catch the eye: It' consists of one full-sized billiard table;'and four half-sized"dih'inp-billiaTd tables.of different designs 'and prices. The soothing green- of the cloth, and the rare finish in the workmanship command attention. Alder and Mackay." of Edinburgh, who have commenced to manufacture gas meters in "Wellington, have a good show of wet and dry meters, and a display of ingenious automatic lighters fpr street gas lamps. The Milburn Cement Company have a display • of their products and manufactures, anil there arc? eomo fine lumps of Tonga Bay granite to showthat New: Zealand has littlo need to import buildirig-stone. Messrs. Newton and Son. exhibit soaps of all colours and perfumes, and a wonderful'.ship--under full nail ingeniously made of soda crysials. Around a corner the New Zealand Candle Company have an exhibit as bright as a Christmas tree.

THE ARMAMENTS. FROM 1798 TILL THE 'PRESENT. WHY NOT MOPuE OF THEM? Mounseers',' shall -we brynge yo gonn'o? Shall we brynge canon extem- ' 'pore?. The spado and the bullet are as typical a couplet in the epic of existence as tho single drop of water in which the philosopher Thales -professed to see the cosmogony. Here, for instance, is a little cohorn mortar in the armament's bay. He is ticketed "King Cornelius, 1821," and the card adds: "Used in the Maori War." Whv, that is not one fraction of- his history. The Goddess of War, when she invented her gmit game to amuse humanity, designed a certain number of pieces to go on tho board—skill, mobility, weapons, courage, sentiment, and, lastly, Death. But, as lons ago, as IGOO, Death grew to bo such a terrific piece in tho game that men rebelled, and murmurs were beginning to be openly heard on earth that the game "had outlived its usefulness," aaid, really, was not worth playing; But,- sometime after 1600, came the engineer Vauban, with his scarps and counterscarps, his bermes and terre-' pleines, his almost uncanny skill in fortification, and -warring man resolved to sit down behind them for ever more, and bo immune'from Death. This was (or would have been) Utopia, and almost (in principle) the s-amo Utopia as the politician strives for by Act, of Parliament to-day. lint it was not to be. Other men soon saw that shot—not. fired direct with "low trajectory," but east up in the direction of the clouds—must reach tho fatuous heads of poor, burrowing man, and the cohorn mortar came. The cohorn lias been used effectively wherever bush, or trench, or the lattice-work of a pa, sought (by mere mechanical means) to stand between him and the hate of man for man, and has perhaps reached his highest utility in tho bloody grapple in "The Wilderness" (Northern Virginia) in 1561. Thereabouts, too, the cohorn figured in tho Maori wars,'and, then, as it seem-ed,-men grew tired of him, as children weary of toys. The direct-lire weapons which were even then being evolved in Prussia, made it dangerous for'him to be on the battlefield -at all, and—off ho went. • In 137", however, came the siege of Plevna, where direct fire from the Eus-

sian bronze cannon came to no account. The little eohorn.' was missing, and Ins successor had not yet come. The "invincibility of the trench" once more burst out in all the text-books, and it seemed that th; Goddess of War had once and for all recast the game:— The skilful Nymph reviews her force with rare. Let "Spades bo Trumps," shs said, and trumps they were. Unfortunately, however, even ■Ihis lesson of Plevna and "of the Boer War could not last, and the British howitzer of ISO!) sent the short-sighted Boer trench into disgrace. The howitzer of 1911 is a T«ater studv still, but the little cohorn m the exhibition, mounted on roughhewn wood, is the prototype of it all. The puny thing measures about twelvo inch's from touch-hole to muzzle, and, with his impertinent little chin, cocked against the. roof, he is himself a study. Beside the cohoni is a double-barrelled Nordenfeldt, long since displaced by the pom-pom and so forth. He materialised in the brain of the inventor about 18/9, and wns to be a terrible implement a"ainst savage tribes. Unfortunately, | however, he never matured, as swifter "rapid direct-fire weapons' rushed him olf his legs. Be is, however, the centre-: piece in tho bav, and gains strength from tho fact that he is the biggest thing in it. But,' like most of the big Government "notions"-nnd tho whole shabby' court is supplied by tho Government—he is a fraud as far as efficiency goes. A brother of his ("the Gardner gun) choked when Dervishes rushed a -Bntisli square in the Sudan, and, since hen, no self-respecting Department should eshibit him. . ... „ A Looking at the court how you will, one must see that it is not educational, iho rack of small arms, numbering, about forty-six, are supposed to begin in 1798. The date given on tho ticket on the leithand side seems promising enough, and one starts out along tho line of barrels to inspect. Alas, the tawdry hand soon shows itself. There aro flintlocks up to 1850, and the Department has, _ apparently; not ventured to affix a precise label to anv one weapon. Wo get, for instance, nothing to indicate what small arms.and <reat tactical changes supervened between Waterloo and.Mukden. In the midst of the forty-six small arms, however, the new wood-encased weapon (M.L.E.) looks pleasant. But, taken altogether, the display of small-arms is not educational. There are too many blanks on the tickets, between one date and another and, really, tie only interest in tho collection must bo vagnelv and disjointedly antiquarian. One can see the very weapon with which "I--o's matchless infantry moved out for the great charge on tho third ;dav it Gettysburg. That, is good.' Unfortunately, however, one misses' the weapon - wuu which Wellington's"men fought, at Waterloo.- There arc many" other--blanks--too; Sniders and Martinis, :of course,, figure largely - but. as'' they come within the ken of the "present generation,-their completeness 'could be dispensed with if only some types of earlier periods in history were supplied. " Of the other things which line the court there are cross-sections of ' shell—Gin., Tin., and Sin., with the 80 shrapnel bullets in each, glued in-resin. This,'too, is an ancient display.. The interior of a shell has been a great study to physicists and -,-chemists,* ...-and : .those; German publications-.'s which/'HTeat': -ofrr' grannt schrapneU" do : not secnv-- oven • to, - have heard about this-- court iiv- the Wellington Exhibition.- , '. '". • " '• It is a disappointing display on ■ tho whole. Even the raised military maps . of Lndysmith, Pretoria, and Johannesburg arc wrong in trace, contouring, ami profile. The whole bay is less -than fifteen feet square.

FROM SWORDS JO. PLOUGHSHARES

MESSAGE FIIOM THE LAND. :' First the sword, tlieri the" ploughshare. As tho' visi'toV'prccced.s,:.nloi!g;the.gaHer}:. bays ho passes •'firsl'.i'a / grim;., exhibit wherein are arrSyed the weapons'of many. generations, from the old flintlock to tho modern .303, from pistols of tho-days of Dick' Tiii'pin'to the murderous-looking.; Mauser automatic of quite recent repute. It is the Defence Departments stand ot arms,"' an' exhibit well worthy ot more than casual "ecrutiny: On the other side of th' 6 partition is the Agricultural Do-' partinent's 'exhibit,'wherein" the products of the-arts of peace, the blessings of tho harvest, are set out in glorious array.Sheaves of golden grain, lusty tubers, fruits of various kinds, honey, flax, and so forth, are there-to givo the townies111011' message from-the-men on the land. Insect'pests of various.species are also there,' muto- evidence- of deadly warfare; which' is waged-.-y.caT-iu.-.aud:year r -,out.by the farmer. Hard by is a profusion ; ot.' literature, •:euib"o'd.ving.-,.the, science , of. insect war, and various other • subjects rof special importance to alio man ,oar, tho, land. ■■-.- ■■ " .'•■■.'•"■'•■ •■ '- .-- ■