DUNEDIN INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

Dunstan Times, Issue 964, 8 October 1880, Page 3

DUNEDIN INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

We have been requested to publish the following letter, which has been forwarded to the Hon. the Colonial Secte ary :

“7, Union Chambers, Dunedin, “ October 2nd, ISSO. “Sir—l have ihc honour, by desire of the Commit tee of Management of the Industrial Exhibition, to he held in June, ISSI, very respectfully to submit to yon, and through you to ihe other members of. the Government, Unit at a recent meeting the propriety of extending its basis and admitting exhibits from other colonies an I elsewhere was fully considered an i discussed wdien it was unanimously resolved to adhere to the intention first announced, namely, to restrict it to New Z ta'aud products and manufactures. It was considered premature, so soon after the Exhibitions m Sydney and Melbourne, to make any eff wt to give it a more extended character, nr to submit any proposition with t hat object to the iJovernmont. “ By this morning’s papers, however, we observe that the Industrial Association of C!uis f chnrch have waited upon the Fie mi r with a view to enlist his sympathy and co operation in favour of an Rxhioition there of a more general character, an 1 w 1 venture to express the hope that when such a matter comes before the Government they will, in the meantime, altogether discourage the ilea. It was thought here that 1882 will be qul'o soon enough to take into consideration such an important matter ; an I, should it eventually bo t;ik,n up, the Com mi'too here have no doubt tlwy will be aide to show to the si'isf.iction of the Government that Dunedin has at least an equal c'aim to such a general or In er colonial Exhibition Iving held li re. You are, I presume, aware tint the contributions to Sydney and Melbourne Exhibitions from Otago gem-rally, and especially from Dunedin, greatly exceed in number, value, and general interest those from any other part of New Z-aa'and, and th-y refer with much satisfaction to the awards of the Sydney judges, which prove this most conclusively. “ Upon these grounds therefore I am desired most respectfully to .submit (1) that it is premature to consider the question of a general Exhibition fir New Zaalaii I ; (2) that when c 11-ideration of it is decided upun, the claims of Dunedin he fairly represented and weighed ; and (3) that in ihe inein imo the Industrial Exhibition to ho I held there in June of m-xt year, immodiaj telv after the close of tho Meiho ling F.xbiI Id ion. is deserving of any encouragement or assistance which it may be in the power of the Government to afford it. “ No application for pecunia-y assistance is intended, but 1 have, in another letter of that date, taken the liberty to point out one nr two ways in which the Government can greatly assist and encourage ns in our dibits to mike our local Exhibition worthy of Otago, and calculated materially to hj dp forward the work in which wa are engaged—the development of Native industry. . . “ Tho Committee trust that the suggestions I have with that object taken the liberty to submit will receive tin early and f ivoralihi consideration of the Government. 1 am, Are . “ ''■ Ko Grant. Sccy. to Committee, “ Hon. I hj on-os Dick. W.-Fiegtou,”