OTAGO.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 659, 25 February 1869, Page 3

OTAGO.

The first exhibition of Fine Arts in Otagowas opened on the afternoon of the 12th, by his Honor the Superintendent, in tha ;new post office building. As it now stands it comprises about 1400 works —oil and water color paintings, engravings, etchings, photographs, chromolithographs, bronzes, &o. The oil paintingsare in the central hall and the adjoining arcade; and five rooms are occupied by the other exhibits, all those rooms communicating directly with the hall. For the opening ceremony it was neces* sary to keep the central hall floor clear for the placing of seats. Consequently, the gold and silver plate sent by Mr Justice Ward; a number of bronzes and statuettes ; and the carvings by Mr J. L. G-odfrey, were not in what are to be their places, and they were but little seen. There was a good doal of seat room pro* vided, but it proved to be not nearly sufficient even for the ladies, of whom, wa should think, there were nearly 200 present. In all there must have been about 400 or 450 visitors yesterday. A small platform was erected for the band and orchestra—mainly within the line of thearcade. Mr Gt. R. West led the band, and Mr Towsey conducted. The chorus was a small one of amateurs. Madame Bishop, who volunteered her services, was warmly applauded. Shortly after half-past two o'clock, his Honor the Superintendent, with about a score of other members of the General Committee took up a position beside the platform ; and the National Anthem was then sung. Madame Bishop took the solo in the first and the third verses, and she sang magnificently. An address to the Superintendent on theoccasion was then read bv the hon. secretary to the Committee, and his honor made* a suitable reply, and formally opened theexhibition; after which the ehoir sang theHallelujah chorus.