THE GLOBE. TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 1881. EXHIBITION AWARDS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2223, 12 April 1881, Page 2

THE GLOBE. TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 1881. EXHIBITION AWARDS.

It is difficult to understand the principle on which tho awards at the Melbourne Exhibition have been made. It is now some little lime since the official distribution was made, and yet the cry is “ Still they come.” Last Wednesday, for instance, tho interesting intelligence was forwarded by cable that Messrs Gregg and Co., of Dunedin; David Strang, of Invercargill; and Trent Bros., of Christchurch, bad received further awards of tho first order of merit for white popper ; that tho same exhibitors bad taken second orders of merit for other exhibits in the same class, and that Trent Bros, bad taken an additional third order of merit. Of course no one can grudge these firms the awards meted out to them ; their popper and other similar articles i wore no doubt well flavored, strong, and all that could bo desired. But has not the lavish distribution of awards by the Commissioners entirely defeated the object for which the awards wore primarily given ? P revious to this supplementary list, by which the firms mentioned above profit, there had boon a grand total given of 6772 awards, divided as follows :—First, 2444 ; second, 1933 ; third, 1290; fourth, 668; fifth, 234; hon. mention, 113. What tho total number will bo when tho Commissioners

have really concluded their labors in this I line, can only be guessed at. We pte- I sume they would not “hesitate for an instant to throw in an odd thousand or two. Now what, in the name of common sense, can possibly be the value of awards distributed with such a lavish hftndp Awards, like school prizes, are generally considered to be given for comparative excellence. A certain number of articles of a certain class are sent up, and the most successful exhibitors are presumably distinguished from those whose articles are not so good. For, after aU, excellence is comparative. Take an instance. The spinet and virginal of old days were fair instruments in their way, but they have succumbed to the pianoforte of to-day, as this latter must in its turn succumb to a more advanced instrument. Manufacturers of pianos are always struggling after an ideal, and those who have attained the highest standard must absolutely be discouraged if they find that there is little or no distinction drawn between themselves and those who have not succeeded so well in their efforts. And the action of the Commissioners is all the more unaccountable because such a profuse distribution was never for an instant asked or expected. There are schools whore the object is not so much to encourage industry and talent as to please the parents. In these establishments it is a recognised principle that all boys to whom a prize can be decently given should receive one. The proud recipients return home; their relations are delighted with the apparent progress they have made, as instanced by the gorgeously bound books in their possession ; and so all runs smoothly. The Commissioners appear to have acted in much the same way with regard to their distribution of prizes. As many of the exhibitors as possible must be made happy, and the Exhibition year must be looked back to for ©vor and a day as a year when universal joy was thrown broadcast among manufacturers and growers. Now Zealand is yet a very young country, and even looking at the state of her progress in the most sanguine spirit, it could not bo reasonably expected by anybody that she should shine to any Tory great extent in the most advanced arts and manufactures. And yet no fewer than 251 awards have been distributed in this country, not counting the interesting awards for pepper alluded to above, and others possibly to follow. And all this in the face of the fact that the collection of articles for the Exhibition was conducted in rather a perfunctory manner by those entrusted with the duty. Looking at Christchurch, the documents notifying awards are thrown pell mell over the town. The number of shop windows adorned by the well-known certificate of merit is astonishing, and the passer-by has taken to exhibiting not the least surprise or interest when he sees one. In point of fact the Commissioners have thoroughly overshot the mark, and their awards may almost be said to mean next to nothing. And not only shopkeepers and manufacturers have been decorated, but private individuals sending collections of ferns, water-colour sketches, j and heaven only knows what, have been distinguished. We firmly believe that if a photograph of the objectors to the opening of the Public Library on Sundays had been forwarded, it would have bcon duly recognised by a document as being intensely interesting, and as being altogether a magnificent specimen of a delineation of the higher types of the Caucasian race. However, we hope that wo have heard the last of these 1 awards, and that the pepper award was an expiring effort. It is possible to have too much of a good thing. Pate-de-foio-gras is pleasant food for a change, but to live permanently on it would be most palling. The New Zealand public are tired of the sweets forced down its throat by the Commissioners.