NOTES ON THE EXHIBITION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2581, 15 July 1882, Page 3

NOTES ON THE EXHIBITION.

BY A LADY. ■a [Written specially for the Qlobb.J Glass, which adds so greatly to onr comfort and luxary, was believed by the ancients to have besn the result of accident However this may bo, it is certain tbit the Phoenicians were ac juainted with the secret of glass making, in exceedingly distant times, and that they brought the manufacture to a considerable degree of perfection. It wea also known in Egypt in the earliest ages, for glass blowers are represented upon the Egyptian monuments of a period contemporary with the exodus, or £SOO years ag;o. . Glass vessels and even window glass were produced by blowing till the year 1683, when I'hevart discovered the method of casting, and applied it to the making of plate glass. So onr friend Mr Wqodrcffa’a art is of vary ancient date, and it is of a visit paid to him I am about to speak, Mr Woodroffa was here some fourteen years ago. Since then he has, I believe, been all over the world. He is a p’easaut looking man, with a quiet geuial manner, and is always anxious to give any information you may require. At the end of the room there are to be satn some very beantilul exhibits of glass manufacture, in the shape of engines, &c. ■j ho largest engine must be 2ft. high, entirely made of colored glas?, in perfect working order. ’i here ia also a model of a quartz-oruahlng machine, working away merrily, the tiay glass hammers coming down oa the marble with a musical rythm—■_ * Keeping time, time, time. With a silvery ringing chime.’

There is also a glass balloon In a bottle, that asemds and desaenda, as place your hand on the top. Oa the table are a number of glass srtic'es for sale. The demand for them is so great, that Mr Woodroffe is kept busy. There are dear little babies in glass bottles. Like Georgo the tfonrth and tha dumplings, one is tempted to ask how on earth thoy got in. The delusive wine glasses, like the cup of Tantslns, ara very good and some exquisitely made bottles of pretty shapes, with baskets of flowers hanging in them. Long glass pipes of curious, fantastic shapes, seam a, specialty, and there are many other interesting exhibits. It is very interesting to watch Mr Wood reffe a 3 he sits there manuf actnring the glass, a.ad by the aid cf powerful gas jots, with def*; lingers, making all tha different ttrtloles. I regret I did no v - see him spinning gla>a, ss tha machine was brokea. I have now raid enough to show whit an Interesting r.rt is glass blowing. In the s*mo room, exhibited by Mr Woodroffe, Is a really beautiful group of wax figures of' " Mos«s Striking the Rock," with the Israelites round him. The dress of the paople is eastern, and the expression on the different f:.ces is Tery good. There is an eager look, as if thoy were longing for the welcomo sparkling atream that come 3 pourllng from the Mose3 ia a very fine figure, antl he h*s a high caiteface, wieh hi* fine noio, keen eyes, and long flowing whita Leard. I noticed the hands are so w. 11 mcu'.dnd thty look quite natural. Near this is a figure of J?, ivinolean, tho attempted assassinator of the Queen. -He is a goodlooking man, with sharp wall cut features, keen grey eyes, Mrs Popklns just then came in, and catching sight of Maclean, she grew excited, and shaking the umbrella at him, cal'ed out — ' You nasty murdering wretch, you, I'd like to deal with you ; I'd have you hung in double quick time. Ab, yon brute I a trying to'klll our noblo Queen, what's done such a lot of good, end is an example to us of a real good womss, God bless her, I lovo.i the very ground she walks on. It's no uao your a shaking your old head, Pipkin's ; I aiu't a to stop ; I'm loyal from the top of my nead to the heels of my boots, I am.' Everyone in the room admired tho old

lady's enthusiasm. *-he was also much takeu with the group, whtoh she asid was real nice. Slethen proposed to walk round withtne, but I s>.id I would do so with p'easure another day, but thVJ I had eoina work to do. Her answer was—- ' ;.!es3 my heart! My rea - , whxfc work-?' 4 1 am taking notes for an article in ono of the paper.-,' was my ro.ily. 'Well, you does surprise mo,'said Bhe ; ' and so J ou writes for a paper! Wflll, well, well; what will come next? Fanoy a woman a writing for a paper ! Put, mind you, my dear, I don't hold with them i.se«s i about woman a.trjing to do men's work ; they cau'S do it, and wota's more, they never will, let them s'iok to tLeir , homes, and look after t.beir babbies.' 'Bnii when I haven't got any babbies, don't yon think I might etn:,loy my time this way ?' was my answer. J • My dear, you take my word for it, women are best at home alookiug a f ter the'ir husband's dicn:-r snd aiioing a bit of needlework, n t a gaddin' about. But I'd like fine to srr. what yor. siya,' said Mrs Popkins*. 'l'll Bond you a paper, then. Goodbyofor the present,' 1 aaid, ;is I was anxious to go on with my note 3. A full doscriution of the flew Zealand

f Courts fa not required, eo I will just mea | tion some of the principal ones. On passing down from the French Ccnrt towards the southern octagon, there are _to be seen on both sides signs of the prosperity and progress of this our adopted land, in the shape of wool of all kinds, oorn, beer, iron work, marble, preserved meats, jams, wines, tin ware, bacon, hams, cheese, soap, &c. On reaching tha Southern octagon Messrs MoLeod's candle trophy catches your eye», which is a grand exhibit. There are candles of all sorts, sizes, and colours, and some, artistio wax statuary, f*ear this is the flax trophy, showing the. different steps of manufacture, from t'ao green plant to the ropa, and some of the pulp which can be utilised for paper miking, it ,

: is »n Interesting exhibit. Passing along the avenue, I came across a rrcnt exhibit of some magnificent slabs of Native wood from the Beefton raDges —, blaok pine, white pine, and . totir*, fully ftur feet across ; whea one realises the size of the trees from which these slabs are taker, we have 83me idea of the value of our resources. • There U a'si fine coal from Grsymouth—one large block weighing fully three tons, taken from a cam sixteen fe&t ttiik.

Ia these huge masses of wood and coal there is the strongest argument in favor of the West Coast Bailway, opening as it will such vast internal resources. There are a number of most interesting exhibits, but I cannot mention many There Is stone of various brands, marb'e, engraved glass, and wood work of different sorts. Then comes tha la3iss* and Juvenile Courts : they are both a feature in the Ex hlbition, but -want about a column to themselves. Then Messrs Austin and Kirk's Pottery Court dese-ves a few words, every variety of pottery ware being found there, from the smallest jam pot to the huge breul pan». Some very enticing teapots, butter coolers, flower pots, drain pipes, &c , and a variety cf other useful articles, and interesting exhibits of the different olayß now used in their manufactures. Kow we have reachel the New Zealand Octagon, where our old f.iend, Mr Graham, of Lyttelton, is busy with his turning lathe, wor'.;inj on bone and wood, making rmny pretty and useful articles This octagon is full of interesting things, but I must hurry on. Mr JtweVs exhibit of New Z aland woods ia well woHh looking at. I hoar they are much appreciated in .England, and Mr Jewel sends large orders Home. The show of photographs is extr.mely good. In this avenue Cauterbary sh'nee, as here ?'2r A. J. White shows a magnificent lot of furniture, drawing room, dining room, and bedroom, Our tweeds, clothing and blankets, from the Kal»poi Clothing Factory, need no notice —they speak for themselves, and these exhibit would <3o credit to any country. Then there are cases of charming costumes, millinery &c, from our drapers; boots, shoes, &0., from our chief factories • jewellery, models of steamers, patent blinds, hats and oaps from our best hatter, wool mats, and many other articles both useful and ornamental.

There are wonderful specimens of pan and ink drawings. One showing the " Past and Present of Canterbury," a perfect work of art. and another Bbowlng (I presume) an Editor's table, with papers, playbills. cheques, music, letters in different handwriting, playing ca'da, books, pens, ink, ruler, sc!s:ors, &o Shis is a marvellous piece of work. And now I have reached the point where I started from—the entranoa. Not one half of the exhibits are named in this brief sketch, bat enough as it were to give a bird's view of the whole. Just a few words on the annexes. In the one to the right as you go in, the first thing that meets your eyss is a bar, which might be dispansed with, aa there are two" other ones in the building. Next that is a stall that is constantly patronised, by young and old, fignor Lezzia, the Italian end Frecca oonfeotioner, and very good his sweetmeats are, coocaaut especially. Then thero are some American stalls, with the inevitable combination tool, the stamp for marking your linen, &o. And, further up, a small shooting gallery, kept by Mr Pooock. The guns he imports from America; they are nickel silver, and you either shoot with a dart or a bullet ; of oourse the dart is mod there. He also shows a variety of fanoy goods, and some gontlemen's celluloid collars—oapital things for travelling, as you oan be your own washerwoman, and i.eed only carry one collar. In the other annexe there is a show of good carriages ; also an amusing American who has various commodities for sale —puzzVs csmbination tools, surprise packets, &3. —who talks nineteen to the dozen, and who deserves to sell for tho pains he takes to prove to people that they really require something on his stall. And now this ends my notes on the BxhibiiioH, which will soon be a thing of the psst. There is little doubt that it has done the oountry good, and it has oertainly proved a source of pleasure to many.