CHRISTCHURCH INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1994, 15 July 1880, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

OPENING PAY. The exhibition in connection with the Nalive Industries Association was formally opened to-day, remarkably fine weather signalising the occasion. The exhibition was in the Drill Shed, the approaches to which had been previously re-formed and generally improved, and articles of bunting marked the route to the busy scene, whilst torch sticks for use at i night lined the road from the bridge to the 1 shed. Owing to the indefatigable exertions of the committee the whole of the arrangements were completed by noon, that being the hour decided upon for ad--1 mitting the public, and thus all went smoothly and well. The Drill Shed was handsomely decorated, and the exhibits most artistically arranged, so that the visitor on entering was at once struck with a feeling of surprise as well as pleasure—surprise because the exhibition is really of dimensions highly creditable to a town like this—would, in fact, , do honor to an older and more populous city ; , and pleasure because there is so much in the surroundings to please the eye and gratify the patriotism or local pride which all feel more or less. The exhibits were, so far as could be ascertained, all, or nearly all, of local manufacture, and it was surprising to note the evidences of numerous industries, as to the ’presence of which in our midst, perhaps, the oldest inhabitants had no knowledge of. There were exhibits of machinery in motion, of pottery, some of which attracted a large amount of attention, of various manufactures, representing articles in almost every department of domestic economy ; specimens of cabinet making and turnery, that of Mr P. Jenkins being a very conspicuous feature, and every kind of work known to trade, including “pill” boxes. One of the most striking exhibits was the drawing suite of Mr White, which attracted a large share of attention. It is obvious, however, that in the limited space at our disposal, nothing like justice could bo done in the way of describing the Exhibition, it being impossible to enter into detail on account of the number of the exhibits. But before concluding we should not omit to mention the fact • that Dr. Lemon’s system of duplex telegraphy was exhibited, the respective tables being connected by a wire extending along the roof of the building. A capital band was present, and were accommodated on a raised staging above the President’s platform. At noon precisely the Mayor, accompanied by the President and the City Councillors, ascended the platform; the Mayoress and a number of ladies being present to witness the formal opening. The president, Mr Allan, said—Mr Mayor, Ladies and Gentleman: Before the exhibition is formally opened, I have been requested by the committee, of which I have the honor to be chairman, to deliver a few remarks as to the origin and objects of this exhibition. It is now about eight years ago since an Exhibition was held in this same building, prior to the dispatch of the exhibits for Vienna. No doubt many of you remember that occasion. It was opened by his Excellency the Governor, at that time Sir George Bowen, and was an undoubted success, and great hopes were entertained that the industries of New Zealand were about to occupy a more prominent position than in the past. The population of the colony was then 259,000; to-day it is nearly 500,000, and during the eight years that have elapsed the debt of the colony ha been increased from ten to twenty-eight millions. It might naturally be supposed that with this large increase of population and the immense sums of borrowed money our industries would have received a gretl impulse, and that the hopes that had been entertained would have had a fair chance of being realised ; but I regret to say that such is not the case, for there is no disguising the fact that our industries and the development of our natural resources have not made that progress that we had a right to expect. Agriculture has made rapid strides, but notwithstanding this fact, and all the borrowed money, we do not find the colony in that prosperous state that we could wish. Why is this ? lam firmly of opinion that one great reason is to be found in the fact that we have neglected our industries. Eor eight years wo have lived in too great a hurry. Wo have not had time to use our own materials. It has appeared to be so much easier to import. Wo have been trying to make money too easily as a nation cf importers and land‘jobbers. We hare imported often inferior timber for our railways and rolling stock, while we have been burning our own; and this same principle has been carried on in other ways, and in a sense wo have grasped at the shadow and last the substance. The peculiar position of New Zealand renders it most important that we should in the future do more of our own work, and utilise more of our natural resources. For some years past, apart from the importations for Government purposes, our imports have largely exceeded our exports; and seeing that we have a large sum annually to pay for interest, it is a most serious position for a young country that has not the stored wealth of an older country to draw upon Jto cover this defliency, but the depression of the past two years has not by any means been an unmixed evil—it boa directed public attention to the necessity of looking more to those matters that we had neglected, and this brings me to the origin of this Exhibition. About a year ago an association was formed here called the Association for the Fostering and Encouragement of Native Industries and Productions. Similar associations were formed inDunedin, Wellington, and Auckland, and consisted of many who were directly interested in manufacturies and many who had no direct interest. Wo frankly confess, although it is a “ red rag ” to some people ,'h tjpart of their duty was to obtain such a revision of the Customs tariff aa would be more favorable to local industry.

They sought to have the duties removed from raw materials required by manufacturers, and not produced within the colony, and also the imposition of increased duties on articles that the colony can reasonably manufacture. Ido not intend to weary you with any questions of freetrade and protection, and will merely state that the present tariff is in many respects now favorable to manufacturing, and I have no doubt will tend to give a substantial impulse to manufacturing in the next few years, to the profit of the whole colony. But the duties of the association did not by any means end in the tariff question. They have been useful in collecting and disseminating information on various subjects, and in many other ways, and one of the ways in which they thought they could prove of service was in the inauguration of an Industrial Exhibition. They called to their aid the services of two or three well known gentlemen who are always ready at a momenta notice to give a helping hand in any useful work, and hence the cause of the display to day. And in this matter we think we can fairly claim the sympathies of all classes, and the objects to be obtained are manifest. In the first place, it creates a wholesome rivalry between exhibitors, and thus tends to improvement; and on another occasion (and I hope there will be other occasions) this rivalry can be increased by giving awards, a matter that we had not time to take up this year. In the second place, it may suggest to the capitalist or the artizan some new openings. It also serves as a means of education, and lastly, and by no means the least, it is a capital advertisement for manufacturers, and brings the public at large into direct contact with onr productions, and thus tends to remove prejudices, for there is such a thing as prejudic e even in the matter of local industries. It is not so long ago that it was considered quite impracticable to use native coal on onr railways, but that prejudice has now been overcome, and with the result of saving many thousands a-year to the colony, and with a good profit to the railways. It is to be hoped that this removal of prejudice will extend to other industries. I stated just now that our industries had not made that progress that we had a right to expect, but it must not be supposed that they have made no progress, for the very contrary is the case, and I alluded more to the volume of business that they had had the opportunity of accomplishing than to their ability to turn out really first class articles, and in support of this wo refer you to the many beautiful articles of furniture, cabinet work, and wood ware of various kinds represented here to-day, and venture to hope that we shall use more of our timber for these purposes, and import less of the rubbishy furniture that has been poured into this market during the past few years. And wbi'a on the matter of timber, I may mention that I have noticed recently in two of the leading American journals articles drawing attention to the beautiful character of the New Zealand woods. We refer you to the splendid samples of woollen goods, clothing, &o, from the Kaiapoi Mills, also from the Mosgiel. We draw your attention to the splendid samples of pottery, Native coal, metal goods, carriage work and many other lines, all a credit to the colony. Eight years ago, great hopes were centred In flax, and 1 am sorry to say that those hopes cost some people large sums of money. To-day, wo have it here represented only by rope and twine, but I yet think there is a future for flax, and within the past few months two mills have been started in buildings in the vicinity of Christchurch got * the conversion of flax into pulp for paper-mating, an article, I believe, there is an almost unlimited demand for in Europe and Australia. And we have an article represented hero to-day that I think has never before figured at an exbibihition in New Zealand—viz., petroleum from Gisborne. The people at Gisborne sent a delegate with samples to the Sydney Exhibition, and it has led to the formation of a company for working the oil mills, and I hope they will prove successful. Tears ago the term “ colonial ” applied to an article meant something rough and ready, bat it is not so now, and this we think you will ascertain to-day; and as a matter of fact it really means something good, for it is generally in competition with imported shoddy that a colonial manufacturer fails, and if the public will only recognise this fact there is a bad time in store for shoddy ; but if not, and they will have shoddy, then I suppose our manufacturers will have to go on improving till they even reach that undesirable point. The prosperity of this country depends on its people, for it teems with natural wealth and advantages, and its brightest future can be summed up in two words—economy and industry ; and if we can to-day move it but one step in that direction we shall feel that our labours have not been in vain. On behalf of the committee, Mr Mayor, I have much pleasure in asking you to formally open this Exhibition,

His Worship the Mayor then came forward and said ;—Mr President, Ladies, and Gentlemen, —When the committee did me the honor to ask me to take part in this opening ceremony I consented to do so with much pleasure, as it is the duty of anyone holding an official position to give whatever countenance and support may attach to such position to gentlemen who have had such an arduous undertaking in hand. lam quite sure you will agree with me that the best thanks of the community at large are due to the President and members of committee, who have displayed such energy and ability in getting together so large a quantity of exhibits in such a comparatively short space of time. It must be gratifying to all present to see the really splendid collection of goods around us this day, and the pleasure is to my mind greatly enhanced by the knowledge we possess that every exhibit here this day, except some machinery, is of local manufacture, and any one who was present at the former Exhibition, seven years ago, cannot fail to be struck with the progress that has been made in this direction. It is to my mind, ladies and gentlemen, a pleasing evidence that our producers and manufacturers are fully alive to this, that they must keep pace with the times, and that they are prepared to produce as good an article of commerce here as can be procured elsewhere. And when we take into consideration the great resource# we possess in the natural products of this country, whether it he in the superior quality of our wools, our cereals, our coal and limestone, our marble and building materials, our beautiful woods for cabinet ware and other natural products, there can be no reason why, with the application of the skill we evidently possess in our midst, that there should be occasion to go outside of our own borders to obtain almost every article necessary for man’s use, even in a high state of civilization. That such Exhibitions as have been held here will do good, I am fully assured, as they will end to bring about a better knowledge_of our resources, to stimulate a healthy spirit of competition, and induce greater reliance in ourselves. If this Exhibition shall be the means, even in a small degree, of opening up new fields of industry, and thereby finding employment for our surplus labor, and of encouraging more frequent patronage of our local manufactures, it will have served the object of its promoters, and will not have been held in vain. Ladies and gentlemen, I have now the pleasure to declare this Exhibition open. The band then played the National Anthem. The President called for cheers, which were heartily given, and the gathering then dispersed in various directions. A large attendance is expected this evening.