SOME OF THE EXHIBITS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1142, 1 June 1911, Page 7

SOME OF THE EXHIBITS.

[Published by Arrangement.]

ROYAL EXCHANGE INSURANCE COMPANY.

The Royal Exchange Insurance Company, which three yeai'9 ago established an independent branch in New Zealand, with head offices in Wellington, is one of thee oldest and most historic companies in the world. Its foundation goes back_ prior to the exciting days of the Soiun Sea Bubble crisis in 1720, and it was ono of the few companies which lived through that financial cataclysm. The company has just purchased, for the Australasian Widows' Fund Building in Customhouse Quay, facing the Bank of New Zealand, and, curiously enough, the relative positions of the company and the bank are the same as in London, where the Head Office of the company in the Royal Exchange is only a matter of a few yards distant from the London office of the Bank of New Zealand.- Mr. 0. R. Bendall, who for 12 years was district agent for the company prior to the establishment of the independent branch, is in charge of the New Zealand Head Office. The New Zealand directorate consists of three members—Mr.-'Wil-liam Brown, managing director of Laerv and Co., Ltd.; Jlr. George Wilson, of Messrs. Aitkin, AVilson, and Co.; and Mr. George Harris, barrister, of Christchurch. KOKATU QUARRIES. On the western' slopes of the Tinakori hills, immediately behind the highest point of the range, are situated the Ivonatu stone quarries, from which are now being excavated blue metal of high grade quality. The property extends over 58 acres, and is reached through Northlands, via the Orangi Road, till it reaches the junction with the Orangihaupapa, thence via the Orangi Kaupapa Road to its termination at the quarry. Before being taken over- by the present proprietors, it was known" as Thomas's quarry. During the last throe vears, however, under the management of the ■Kohatu Company, tho quarry has been developed systematically, and now, after three years' working, its valuable resources are strongly in evidence. So.far as they have gone the average quality of the stone is equal to the best that has been obtained from any quarry in Wellington, and in two or three particular "heads" of metal the product has been pronounced by expert opinion to be unsurpassed in the province. An excellent idea of the resources of the quarry may bo obtained by an inspection of the company's display at the Coronation Exhibition, where the stone is shown to excellent ndvantage. The base of the big diamond shown in tho stall, and all in front, is of the best quality, the cap of the diamond was simply drawn from the hopper for the purpose. In the two show-cases there is shown a' full range of stuff from the 2}-inch road metal down to the actual "meal"—the powdered stone. This powdered stone has hitherto been regarded more or less as "dirt," but its real utility is now beginning to be appreciated, and the company is at present having prepared a solid block in which the combination of cement and powdered stone discloses a material of great strength. This block, when dried, will be placed with tho other exhibits. i WELLINGTON WOOLLEN COMPANY. "By his clothes ye shall know him," is a saying which, it is suggested, might bo accepted as a principle of personal appraisement. By the tamo token, the reputation of a maker of clothes must bo held to stand or fall by the products of his industry. From this point of view the "Petone" exhibit of tho Wellington Woollen Company in the Coronation Exhibition dees the company infinite credit. The man in the street has an idea that the Wellington Woollen Company's energies are directed principally to tho transforming of raw wool to fabrics of various kinds, to shawls, blankets, rolls of cloth, and so on, leaving to the tailor or dressmaker tho industry of fashioning the cloth to suit the style of the period and the whim of the customer. That may have been so in tho early days of the company's enterprises. But the march of years, and the extraordinary development and extension of its efforts have kd to various side industries, each of which has been successfully exploited. This is strikingly evidenced in the clothing exhibits which form a prominent feature of tho company's display. Fashionable costumes for the gentler sex, stylish suits for men and boys, various choice lines in underwear, are artistically displayed to view, a Jelling expression of the resources of the company's tailoring staff, and its industrial ideals. THE "PLAYER" PIANO. In one of the small bays near the centre of the Exhibition Buildings, stands a small Rosewood piano, of chaste design, and in general appearance free from ostentation. To all outward appearance it is just an ordinary piano, and even when the keyboard is uncovered a casual glance reveals nothing nbnormal about the construction of the instrument. This is the "Player" piano, an instrument designed to afford the man of average means the luxury of two pianofortes—an ordinary instrument and an automatic player. Tho "Ideal Player" piano is, in effect, n compromise between the somewhat expensive pianola and the ordinary piano, and with such an instrument in the home the musical education of individual aspirants can bo properly fostered, while tft tho same time the best music—music far beyond the capacity of the average player—may bo heard from the instrument by the simple process of putting the paper rolls in position, and starting the motor. This two-fold advantage in an instrument which is marked up at .£75, must make a strong' appeal not only to the family man, but to many others besides. A "STRIKING" OBJECTION. "Strike out the top line" is the admonition which has stared everyone in the face on the Stadium stairway landing since the Exhibition opened. Objection has been taken to this contentious advico being embodied in an exhibit in a fair in which so many interests are involved. It has been claimed that it raises an issue which has a strong savour of politics, and that should not be allowed to exist in the Exhibition. The Commissioners have decided that the lino is open to objection, and have had it ; tAmavwl. Sxam the "No-License" exhibit.