SPORTING.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2440, 31 January 1882, Page 3

SPORTING.

WELLINGTON RACES. ITBr Telegraph.] WELLINGTON, January 30. The following weights were declared tonight : Hurdle Handicap— First Day—Agent, 12st; Clarence, list lolb ; General, 9at 21b ; Totara, 9st ; Scrutineer, 9st. Flying Stakes Handicap— Sir Modred, 9st 41b ; On Hit, Sat 101 b ; Sotanus, Bst 71b ; Grand Duchess, 9at ; Luna, 7at 121 b ; Hilda, 7st 81b ; Mischief, 7at 71b ; Fleur do Lys, 7st 71b ; Slander Filly, 7st 31b ; Mavis, 7st ; Hinenos, 7st ; Magnolia, 6st 121 b ; Speculation, 6st. GEKYMOUTH RACES. fßy Telegraph.] GBEYMOUTH, January 30. The weights for the Qreymouth Jockey Club Handicap ere : On Bit, 9st 121 b ; Talent, 9at Sib ; York, Oat 21b ; Field, Oat 21b ; Longlands, Bst 12!b ; Greyhound, B=t 121 b ; Wheel of Fortune, Bst 101 b ; Rawdon, Bst 91b ; Satellite, 7st 121 b ; Rose, 7et 121 b ; Elfin King, 6st 121 b ; Doncaster, 6at 81b ; Whalebone, b'.-t 81b. TARANAKI ANNIVERSARY RACES. [Br Telegraph.] NEW PLYMOUTH, January 31. Tho following nominations were received last evening : Taranaki Jockey Club Handicap— Randwick, Blue Gown, Volunteer, Pleur-do-Lya, Wilberforce, Grand Duchess, Piscatorious, Slander filly, Dan, Orphan, Aurora, Bon Jour, Larry, Scotch Mist, Artful Joe, Taipo, Normanby, Witiora, Adventure, Ely, Taxation. Autumn Handicap Randwick, Bine Gown, Volunteer, Fleur-daLys, Wilberforco, Grand Dnchess, Piscatorious, Slander filly, Dan, Orphan, Aurora, Bon Jonr, Larry, Scotch Mist, Isaac Walton, Artful Joe, Normanby, Witiora, Venture, Ely, Eecleston, Taxation. Steeplechase —Lady Grey, Monk, Satanella. Hard Times. Sun Bay, Tikorangj, Catch ’Em, Bullseye, Katipo, Totara, Czar, Grey Momus. Hurdle Race— Lady Grey, Monk, fun Ray, Catoh-Em, Katipo, Totara, Grey Morans County Handicap— Lady Grey, Bon Jour, Resolution, Larry, Scotch Mist, Isaac Walton, Normanby, Witiora, Taxation.

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION

The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the Exhibition building about to be erected ay Messrs Joubert and Twopeny for the purpose of an International Exhibition, to be opened on the 10th April next, took place yesterday afternoon in Hagley Park, the work being entrusted to his Worship the Mayor. There were about 150 persons present, including the members of the City Council and a number of prominent citizens. Shortly after four o’clock the stone, which was a piece of scoria shout 2£t square, bearing the inscription—“lnternational Exhibition, Christchurch, 1882”—was placed in position at the south-east corner of the site. Mr Lambert, the architect, placed within a receptacle out in the atone for the purpose a sealed jar containing copies of the “Canterbury Times,” “Weekly Press,” and “Canterbury Standard,” together with tho following inscription on parchment:—“New Zealand International Exhibition. Promoters —Jules Joubert, Eeq., Richard B. N. Twopeny, Esq. W. R. Mitchell, agent for New Zealand. This foundation etone was laid by J. Or. Ruddenklau, Esq , Mayor of tho Oily of Christchurch, on the 30th day of January, 1882. T. S. Lambert, Esq, architect. R. Carmichael and Son, contractors.” Mr Twopeny then handed His Worship the trowel and said : —Mr Mayor, iu the name of Mr Joubert and myself I have the honor to ask you to lay the foundation stone of this the first international exhibition, I believe, ever held in New Zealand. It may interest you to know that the total area of the building, the first stone of which you are now going to lay, amounts to 188,376 square feet—tho length being 668 feet aud tho breadth 282 feet. The total space under cover will amount to 114,200 square feet, of which 77,400 square feet will be devoted to manufactures, 27,200 feet to machines in motion, and 960 feat to art: An open space of 74,176 square feet will also be reserved for implements, I have given these figures to show you that the magnitude of tho Exhibition is likely to be such as to render it not altogether unworthy of the city and colony in which it is to be hold, although it is in one sense a private undertaking. His Worship tho Mayor, before laying tho stone, said :—Mr Twopeny and gentlemen,— I feel greatly honored in having accorded to me the privilege of laying the foundation stone of this our New Zealand National Exhibition building, which is to contain exhibits the produce of onr national industry side by aide with those of other nations. I am sure we shall thereby bo in a position to prove that New Zealand’s progress has been such as must draw forth both surprise and admiration from our foreign visitors, and convince them that our resources cannot he surpassed. [Cheers.] As an old settler, lamin a position to compare the state of this province twenty-five years ago with its condition now. I can well remember this spot and the largest part of Christchurch being in its wild state, covered with tussocks, having only tracks to guide our movements. Now wo find a thriving and well-regulated city, surrounded with two extensive boroughs and suburbs, dotted with comfortable villas, beautiful gardens, and plantations. Wo also possess wellestablished institutions, comparing in principle very favorably with similar ones iu our mother country, and tending to confer the same benefits. We also find the country provided with splendid roads, railways, &c.; and for hundreds of miles our lands are cut up into well-stocked end thriving farms. [Cheers.] Strangers, therefore, visiting our shores will not only be interested by what they see in the Exhibition, but will at tho same time be gratified by observing the development and capabilities of our soil which indicate our resources and the industry of our settlers, and must convince them that New Zealand is tho finest country for settlement under the sun. [Cheers.] I thick we must bo all gratified that through the exertion of the Domain Board and the liberality of tho Government, this fine spot has been granted to the promoters of this enterprise to render it additionally attractive to visitors. IJhope j the expectations of the spirited promoters will be realised. I am sure they have our best wishes for success. [Cheers.] His Worship then applied the trowel to the stone, which he declared to bo well and truly laid. Cheers were given far the Mayor, Messrs Joubert end Twopeny, tho Domain Board, and the Government.

Hie! Worship then said—l hare much pleasure in proposing—“Xhe healths of Messrs Joubert and Twopeny, the enterprising promoters of our first Now Zealand National Exhibition.” Mr Twopeny has only been a short timo amongst us, but those who have had the pleasure of his acquaintance can testify that he has already proved himself a genial gentleman, and a clover and smart business man, in every way fitted to manage such a largo undertaking. I sincerely hope the speculation will leave him and hia partner a handsome balance to their credit. [Hear, hear.J The toast was drunk with cheers.

Mr Twopeny, in returning thanks, said he felt that as this was so to speak their christening day, it was aa occasion ou which he might legitimately put forward what the objects of the Exhibition were. The foundation of their schema was that it was to the profit of manufacturers to exhibit at those Exhibitions, and therefore that it was possible to hold an Exhibition of considerable size on the basis of a private venture, supported by Government only so far as its aid and sanction were concerned, and without that pecuniary assistance which in Melbourne and Sydney bad proved so costly. Ho thought it would be obvious to everybody that it was decidedly of advantage to manufacturers to make their wares known in this part of the world. In a certain sense it might be said that an Exhibition was a big advertising medium, but whereas in ordinary advertising a manufacturer was able to say what ho liked about his goods, and to puff them, in the ease of an Exhibition everything was judged on its merits. Ho did not merely refer to the decisions of the jurors, but to that far greater test, the decision of the public, which was enabled to examine everything that was put before it. He thought there could be no doubt that if this Exhibition was of advantage to the foreign manufacturers in enabling them to discover new markets, and to increase those already existing that benefit would be equally felt by the colony of New Zealand, and the city of Christchurch, in so much as the increase in competition must lead to a reduction in the price to the consumers. The consumer got a better article and at a reduced price. Further more there was a direct benefit to the city of Christchurch from the large number cf visitors who would be attracted to it, and who, ha had no doubt, would spend many hundreds of thousands of pounds in the city during the timo the Exhibition was open. [Hear, hear and laughter.] Another advantage would be that the presence in Christchurch of so many representatives of foreign manufacturers would tend to confirm the city in its position as the commercial centre of New Zealand. That was the commercial aspect of the Exhibition, "With regard to the industrial aspect, he might say that such an opportunity ns this gave rise, as a rule, to greater confidence among local manufacturers than a local exhibition could do, and it also enabled manufacturers themselves, and more especially the artizans, to see the productions of other countries, and to compare them with their own. This, in a new country like Now Zealand, was one of the greatest advantages of an exhibition. It was an advantage not only to the manufacturing class, bnt to everybody. It wes impossible for any one to walk round an international exhibition without learning a good deal, and in a way which impressed the knowledge upon his mind more than was the case when the information was obtained from a book. Ho bed noticed himself that in Sydney and Melbourne there was a marked increase in the happiness of the people since the holding of the Exhibitions—that was to flay, there was to be observed in their homes a greater love for beautiful things, because they had been able to compare things that were ugly with things that were beautiful, and a greater love for useful things because they had been able to compare useful things and find which were most useful. The man who had acquired an appreciation of what was beautiful and what was useful bad a better ebsneo of leading a happy life than the man who was not so educated. He begged to thank them very much for the kind way in which they had responded to the toast. Several other toasts wore given, including “ The Domain Board,” “ The Industrial Association and Citizens’ Committee,” “ The Chamber of Commerce,” and “ The Architect and Contractor.”

Tae toast of “ The Press,” proposed by Mr Twopeuy, and responded to by Mr Poughnan sr.d Mr Guthrie, oonolnded the list, and tho proceedings terminated.