Opening of the Exhibition.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 55, 3 August 1885, Page 2

Opening of th e Exhibition.

; (UNIfKD^ PRESS ASISOCtATIOJT.) ' : Wellington, Satnrday. The New Zealand Industrial Exhibit tioh wfts op^qed ' at 2.30 this- afternoon by His E^ijeiiency the Governor, the building being crowded. After. a few introductory remarks by Sir Julius Yogel, His Excellency said the duty devolved on him of formally declaring the ludnstrial Exhibition open, and he did so with greatpleasure, for he realised the undertaking which they were ' here jtoinauganr- • ate, and, 'he trusted, it would be the first of many gatherings. He had, he said, watched the progress of the Exhibition, and.^ .felt, certain many visitors would learn with surprise and almost astoni huient how much energy and skill are displayed by the various cities and district! of the colony. The labours of ;those engaged m the preparations -will pot be tlft^vira' away if one result is the" promo-tion-of xsordial co-operation and friendly unamrmty . between all who can look with^ prided, on what the country has achieved. .v&must strike anyone who examines the produbtffarotmd^that we are rapidly coming : to {the time when the colony will be so ; 3eyeloped as to afiord a field for rising. Ih';7 whatever direction, Whether scientifically, mechanically, or artistically,, it may develope itself. The Exhibition, no doubt, .was ,-small, compared with the magnificent which have; been displayed elsewhere, but it ought' -not^O be compared witli "those vast. "'world's fairs," which have been celebrated from. time to time since the . idea was first, originated m 1850 by the 1 " late Prince Consort, tint. to the National Exhibitions held m various capitals of Europe at'irregulart}nte.rvals throughout the present century r Whilst whether we consider the value^f articles shown then, the uumber of exhibits {oAthe^proportion of the populaiion- o^the^oi^ny,. is larger than at the ?ilE^hibitibn'i6f^B§J, was to the popula,tioh 6f;tlie;tJni|^pKingdom at • that date.j. Is^.was.importan^hat dealers m all parts bfp the colony /should realise the progress^that the^^K6le. is making, but it is e'saetttial to .the development of New Zealaftd^as arproducing country and seeks in incr^od>pp pu i a ti on t^ at the outside world shbuld-'/haTC a correct idea of, the i. history^ scenery, .fertility and general cap|bilitiesv ;V^o|early as 1851, when EngUshj)opulati6nof.New Zealand did not amount to; more than 2,500 souls, and colonial revenue ; ; w^s not £50,000, hft found that no less vithan its exhibitors connected with NewrfZeaiaiidHook partin the liondon Int'erhationißd Exhibition?, cannot be done with a population of half a million and industries developed as we see them to-day? "When lecturing, a year : ago .he spoke <& the alartniqg^ increase -m rthft? destoufctfve Ipow-er " of; '"' modem instruments of war. " It was' a : subject of, great interest, thotfgh lamentable to. soldier no less than to civilian, when we consider how much good. might' have^been done if only the labor and in>: genuiiy which has been used. in devising' tmplemeiit of destruction jhadO been directed into peaceful channels^ But it wasamatter of congratulation that, m ' New Zealand at least, allknown weapons of war were, only used as a meahaofiri-.. suring peace. He was happy to think that during the. last few months he had been able to turn his professional knowledge to account by, iissisting to shield this countfy,*its peoplei and its commerce against .the great evil that might -result from attacks by a hostile power. But it was a greater pleasure for him to be'here to-day, to take his place as Her Majesty's .representative, -m the formal inauguration of the first Newr Zealand Industrial Exhibition. We cftnhptj:it^ is true, un- " lock the treasures of a bygone age. The collections^whjbtj have been ; found so interestiri^a part^f ithe exhibitions of Europe ' might r be found among the community ; .;.but we can see around us trophies ot a ha,ppy and use. . products of afree.^afad iridhsitrious nationr-^* harvest tools , .and ■ husbandry,", loomi and -wheel, -and en*.: gineeringf H secrets' *>f the:; sullen mine, steel, and' "gold, and coin, arid "wine. v . And mayv we not, despite greit armief -whifeh had been the civilised nations :of the wprldj and despite; war plotids which , have, scarcely- -yet passed away, see also some reason to hope that the aims and • aspirations which promoted the T i late Prince Consort and those who with him . plajnted to%reat Exhibition of 1854,- .are to some extent being fulfilled-— that narrow barriieir which divided nations and communities m fprnier, times being islowly'broken down by religious education and^nlighteiment > and that we are gradually moving 'obward to the time ?rhen : , "each man shall find his own Tin •all men's good, and all men working m one noble brotherhood." ;