INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2498, 10 April 1882, Page 3

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

OPENING CBKEMONY. When the later history of Canterbury—that is, after what may be called the Pilgrim era—comes to be written, special interest will attach to the ceremony of to-day. On this occasion tbe representative of her Majesty has formally opened in our midst a gathering of the products of the industry, not alone of the colonists, bub of all nations, from the grand old mother England to the, till recently, unknown Japan. We, here, have been accustomed, in exhibitions of the kind to-day opened, to meet merely our own people or those of the adjoining provinces in competition, and there are people, we are sorry to say, whoso ideas are so narrow, so cribbed, cabined, and confined, as to wish us to shut ourselves up and refuse to meet and welcome the various nations who desire on this ocoa. sion to meet us in friendly rivalry. Fortunately for the colony as a whole, and this city in particular, wiser counsels have prevailed, and the event of to-day—an event which will be cs a white stone in the calendar of tbe history of Canterbury—is the outcome. Not alone is the opening of the Exhibition from the point of view we hove described —viz., the gathering together of products from all parts of the world—to be regarded as a memorable matter. The display in our streets of the largo numbers who, providently looking ahead, have joined one or other of the friendly societies, augurs well for the future prosperity of the community. This is the embodiment of self-help, the making provision in case of sickness or calamity, so that those dependent on the bread winner may not become a burden on the public. Then there was also the display of the trades, the number of which and the excellence of the display made of their work shows that we are steadily but surely advancing in the matter of local industries. These two points must have impressed the visitors who crowd our city with the feeling that they are in the midst not only of a prosperous but a careful and provident community, and seeing this they will not wonder how it is that in thirty-two years—barely half the span of a man’s life, without any adventitious aid of gold discoveries—such progress has been made here. These are some of the most prominent advantages which accrue to us by the holding in our midst of such an Exhibition as that opened to-day. There are others, conspicuous amongst which are the lessons to be learnt by our artisans from a contemplation of the work turned out in the older countries. Here are lessons which may bo learnt, and they are fraught with good results, not only to the individual but also to the community at large. Having thus briefly referred to the effects of the Exhibition, we will now pass on to the building itself. A history of the Exhibition and a description of it has already been given, and, as it would be utterly impossible, with the space at our command, even to give a glance at the various exhibits, reference to them will necessarily be brief. The northwestern half of the building is devoted to what may be called foreign exhibits, viz,, British, French, American, Swiss Austrian, Australian, Sco , whilst the the north-western half is allotted to New Zealand. The display in the foreign courts is exceedingly good, particularly the British, where specimens of all the leading industries are to bo found very prettily arranged. The French Court is also exceedindly pretty, the many tasteful articles therein being arranged with much artistic taste. In the principal transept is the Art Gallery, where a large number of choice pictures are displayed. The two special points of interest in the New Zealand portion of the Exhibition are the bays ooupied by the ladies’s court, those allotted to the school children, and the Maori exhibits. In addition to this there is a fairly good representative show of New Zealand products and industries 5 though not so large as one would have expected to see on an occasion like the present. As from time to time we purpose devoting space to special detailed notices of the articles exhibited, further reference is unnecessary.

The weather late on Sunday night was anything but promising, nor did the morning of to-day look much better. However, towards the hour fixed for the proceedings to commence the rain cessed, and there were even some indications of sunshine. The first item in the day’s proceedings was THE PROCESSION. The morning opened with a drizzling rain, which as the time drew near for the various trades and orders taking part in the procession to assemble at their respective rendezvous seemed to preclude all hopes of anything like “ Queen’s weather,” but shortly after tea o’clock the clouds parted, and the rest of the day was fine for the opening ceremony of tho truly great carnival, which, thanks to the private enterprize of Messrs. Joubert and Twopeny, is this day an acqomplished fact. Shortly before nine o’clock the plasterers, first balloted in tho trades’ procession, were to be seen entering Oranmer square from the south, and posing along its eastern side took up their positions at the junction of Victoria and Kilmora streets, facing to tho east, and company by company, each trade or society, fell into its allotted place, and the procession was formed. At the Exhibition building Mr Joubert stood at its main entrance in waiting to receive his guests, tho first distinguished visitor to arrive being the Primate. The different companies of volunteers, each headed by its band, and also the Naval Brigade, headed by tho City Guard’s band, were the first to take up (heir positions. The blue jackets formed a guard of honor in the vestibule to the door of the Art Gallery, and the O, E, and I batterys of Artillery, and tho Ashburton and Temuka Biflss continued the double file to the dais, around which the Christchurch College Cadets, under Captain Eiohards, formed a body guard to His Excellency. The procession arrived at. the Exhibition Building in the following order : Austrian Band

Plasterers 60 Bricklayers ... 70 Hibernian Band Hibernians 200 Butchers 50 Carpenters .. ... ICO Ashburton Band Druids 400 Tailors ICO Sons of Temperance ... ... 40 Lyttelton Band Oddfellows (M.C.) 700 Oddfellows (A.C.) 5j Burnham Band Orangemen ... s*o Protestant Alliance... ... ••• 70 Labourers’ Union 40 Stonemasons 60 Carriers -0 Saddlers ••• ••• 75 St. Andrew’s Band Ironworkers ... 300 Good Templars, E.C 1:0 Maoris ... ••• Foresters Band Foresters ... 500 Good Templars, A.C. ... ... 300 Fire Brigades 80 Brickmakers... ••• 75 Timaru Baud Ballast Men (Timaru) 50 Leather Workers ... ••• 200 Navvies ... Milkmen . ••• |0 The procession having passed in, the Mayor and Oily Councillors, officers of H.M.B. Miranda, Mr L. Harper, Chairman of the Domain Board, Mr J. P. Jameson, President of the Industrial Association, and the Promoters, also several loading members of the Chamber of Commerce, assembled at the entrance to await the arrival of His Excellency, the Governor. . At a few minutes past eleven the strains of the National Anthem told that the Governor was approaching, and amidst the cheers of the vast multitude the carriage containing His Excellency, Lady Gordon and suite,

drove up to the chief entrance, escorted by the 0.10., under the command of Oaptam Slater, by whom a hearty reception was accorded to the representative of Her Majesty, the whole of the vast course cheering most enthusiastically, mingled with which- were the strains of the National 1 Anthem from the band of the Oity Guards, which was answered in perfect accord by the Artillery band near the dais. The procession having entered the building, marched between the two lines of Volunteers, extending from the entrance hall through the Art Gallery to the dais, and then the members distributed themselves along the different avenues, the office bearers of each society taking their places on seats reserved for their accommodation in rear of the dais, and the different banners being displayed in conspicuous positions. Every seat in the hall was by this time occupied, and standing room could scarcely be found in the vicinity of the dais.

His Excellency the Governor entered the building at about ten minutes past eleven o’clock. Ho was accompanied by Lady Gordon, the Misses Gordon, and Master Gordon, and was attended by Msjor Knollys, A D. 0., and Captain Murray, Private Secretary. His Excellency was received by Messrs Joubert and Twopeny, and escorted to the dais, the Volunteers presenting arms, and the band playing 11 The National Anthem” as the party proceeded along the ranks. As the party approached the dais, a little girl, the daughter of Mr Duncan, whose taste and skill have been displayed in the construction of the fernery, was led forward by Mr Joubert, and presented his Excellency with a very pretty bouquet of flowers. A salute was fired by the Artilley, and three cheers were called for and heartily given as his Excellency ascended the platform. In addition to the members of the vice regal party, the following gentlemen had seats on the dais : Commander Watson and officers of H.M.B. Miranda ; the Hon. T. Dick, Colonial Secretary ; the Hon. Walter Johnston, Postmaster-General ; Colonel Packe and his Lordship the Primate. His Excellency having taken his seat, the promoters, represented by M. Joubert, proceeded to present

THE OPENING ADDBEB3. M. Joubert said : May it px,babe tone Excellency,— Tho master-idea of that illustrious Prince, whooo every thought was for the higher education and advancement of bis adopted country, has borne such abundant fruit amongst all the moat civilized nations, and especially in Great Britain itself, that it is now almost unnecessary to defend the principles of an International Exhibition, or to point ont the manifold advantages which such an undertaking oilers, both to tho exhibitors who take part in it and to the country in which it is held. In these industrial congresses each country and each manufacturer learn to gauge their achievements and capacities, and obtain a criterion of the merits of their productions. New channels of industry and commerce are opened up, and those already existing are widened and deepened. To a young settlement there are special advantages in the bringing of its traders into more direct communication with the producers of other countries j the calling of the attention of foreign capitalists, traders and working men to its products, resources and capabilities ; and the opportunity afforded to the colonists in general, and more particularly to the manufacturing and artizan classes of observing the progress of civilization, as shown in improved manufactures and new inventions. Although this Exhibition should be an aid to the revenue by causing additional railway traffic and an increased consumption of dutiable goods, we venture to claim that its ultimate advantages to the colony and people of Now Zealand will boar comparison with those which Victoria and New South Wales have purchased at a cost of over a quarter of a million a piece, and that independent of the temporary stimulus which the presence of so many visitors must give to tho trade of Christchurch, this Exhibition will be followed by an era of prosperity similar to that which is now so conspicuous, not only at Sydney and Melbourne, where the Exhibitions wore carried out by tho Government, but more particularly in Adelaide and Western Australia, where we initiated Exhibitions on tho co-operative system. The buildings in which you now stand cover an area of four and a-half acres, the main structure being 678 ft long by 282 ft broad, and we would call your Excellency’s attention to the fact that, proportionately to tho population of the city in which it is held, this Exhibition is by far the largest on record. In spite of the short time allowed for preparations, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, America, China, Japan, India, and tho Australian Colonies have all contributed representative specimens of such products as they are able to exchange with those of New Zealand, while tho representation of Great Britain (occupying more than one-third of the main building, and threefourths of the machinery annexes) must be gratifying to every colonist as a proof of the estimation in which New Zealand is held in tho Mother Country, Nor will the least interesting portion of this world-display be tho New Zealand Court, occupying nearly onehalf of the main building, and exceeding in every respect any collection of the industries of a British colony that have ever been gathered together. The art and machinery departments of the Exhibition will, we trust, prove of special value. To your Excellency and the Government our thanks are due for much kindly assistance, and together with the Domain Board for the loan of this beautiful site, onr appreciation of which we have striven to show by erecting buildings more substantial and ornamental than were strictly necessary to our purpose. To tho exhibition committee is largely owing the splendid representation of New Zealand industries, and we are glad to have this opportunity of expressing our gratitude for tho cordial support we have received from the Mayor and City Council of Christchurch, and the ready aid that has been afforded us by all the colonists with whom wo have come in contact, and more especially by the Press end tho people of Canterbury. We would also beg your Excellency to convey to Commodore Erskine our thanks for the presence of the captain and officers and crew of H.M.S. Miranda on this occasion, and hopes that he will bo able to carry out his kindly expressed wish to be present in Lyttelton waters before the close of the Exhibition.

The deep interest which tho Queen has always taken in similar undertakings elsewhere has induced us to follow the custom at all previous Exhibitions held in her dominions, and to ask you to bo so kind as to forward to Her Majesty this gold medal struck to-day within this building, as a token of the heartfelt loyalty of New Zealand, and of the love which wo all bear to our Most Gracious Sovereign.

His Excellency replied as follows

G JtSTLBMEN, — The benefits, both material and educational, conferred by Exhibitions of such a character as this which you have organised, have been long and very generally recognised—far too generally for it to be necessary that I should now dwell on them. I know no reason why the Exhibition held here should prove less useful than those which have preceded it in other colonies ; and I confidently anticipate that advantage will be derived from it, riot only by those more immediately concerned in the undertaking, but by the colony at large. New Zealand, it is true, require* no adventitious aid to secure attention from without. The attractions of her climate, the fertility of her soil, her mineral wealth, the vast field she offers to agricultural 'and pastoral enterprise, are all well known. Nevertheless, I have no doubt that many of the strangers who may repair bore to visit the Exhibition will be unprepared to find Now Zealand what she is, and will see, with surprise, the display in this building of her productions, which, you have just told us, “ exceed in every respect any collection of the industries of a British colony that has over been gathered together.” On the other hand, many a man who has passed his whole life in New Zealand will be gratified and instructed by the sight of objects from distant lands, whether natural products or articles of manufacture, on which his eyes might otherwise have never rested, and may learn from what ho sees here to appreciate more justly other countries and races, and to take a broader view of life, industry, and progress, under other- conditions than those with which he is himself familiar. When the first International Eihibition was opened in 1851, the founders of the Province of Canterbury had just arrived in their new home. Had they been told that thirty years afterwards an exhibition, similar to that which drew crowds from all parts of the world would be held on these then bare and

desolate plains, and that space for their wares would bo eagerly demanded in it by exhibitors i from all parts of Europe, from the United States, from India, and Japan (an empire at that time jealously sealed against the intrusion of a-single foreigner, or the egress of any of its own people), they would 1 have laughed to scorn what would have esemed to them but an enthusiastic vision. Vet ; this has come to pass ; and that it has come to pass, and that this place should have teen selected by you as that most suitable in which to hold the first International Exhibition which has’ taken place in New Zealand, is a proof of the wise forethought of those who planned and founded this fair city, and of the energy and sagacity of those who have succeeded them in the administration of its affairs ; while it also testifies to the rapid development of the resources of the adjacent country, and the enterprise of those who have covered it with crops of grain, and made it the home of a large and industrious population. On behalf of the colony, I bid the foreign exhibitors and all visitors to the Exhibition a hearty welcome. That they will be cordially received here by the Mayor, corporation and citizens of Christchurch, I know ; and that to whatever part of the colony they repair they will have no cause to complain of the hospitality of New Zealand, I am very confident. I do not doubt but that they will be well pleased by what they oeo here, and when they return homo it will, I believe, be with an increased sense of the resources and the attractions of New Zealand, The energy displayed by you as the promoters of this enterprise has been such as to exclude even the thought of failure. I sincerely trust that the bold experiment you have undertaken may be rewarded by, in every respect, as full a measure of success as you could yourselves possibly desire. As sincerely do I hope that the exhibitors may find that the trouble they have taken and risk they have incurred in bringing valuable and fragile goods herefrom great distances may not have been bestowed or encountered in vain. It will afford me much pleasure to forward to the Queen the modal just placed in my hands. I know that Her Majesty takes the deepest interest in such enterprises as this, inseparably associated as they ever must bo with the name of the late Prince Consort, nor will it be the less welcome to her, as coming from a colony, the loyal congratulations of whose people on her recent escape from danger she has warmly acknowledged, and will not hastily forget. I now formally declare the Exhibition open. At the conolution of the speech, M. Joubcrt called for three cheers for His Excellency, which were heartily given, after which the Christchurch Artillery band played the Exhibition March, specially composed by Bandmaster Hamilton, who, after the performance of the piece, was introduced to His Excellency. Mr W. B. Mitchell (New Zealand agent), Mr T. 3. Lambert (architect), and Messrs Carmichael and Son and 3. P. Andrews (contractors) were also introduced to the Governor. Mendelssohn’s “ Hymn of Praise ” was then performed by the Christchurch Musical Society, under the direction of Mr Wells. The soprano solos were taken by Miss Fairhurst and Master A. 3. Appleby, and the tenor solos by Mr A. Appleby. The choruses were rendered by the members of the Musical Society, strengthened by other assistants.