NELSON EXHIBITION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 285, 27 November 1873, Page 2

NELSON EXHIBITION.

That the Exhibition would prove a groat success was nevgr doubted by any of the members of the Committee, bui none of them ever dared to hope lhat such an amount of public support would-be afforded to them aa that which they received yesterday. Notwithstanding the unfavorable state of the weather, there was a continuous stream of people in the direction of the Government Buildings, and it is estimated that not leas than 3000 persons attended during the day and Bj»bt. $|hortiy after lhe opening speech was delivered, it occurred *°*tO J some one present that the 20ib of November was tbe centenary of Captain Cook's second departure from New Zealand, and the sugsestion having been made to Judge Richmond tbat Each a coincidence should not be allowed to remain unnoticed, His Honor very kindly ascended the dais, and addressed the following interesting, and appropriate remarks to those present:— " I have been requested to mention a circumstance of some interest in connection' with the day of this opening;. There is no man to whom^ as colonists of New Zealand, we are under greater obligation than to the .great circumnavigator Captain James Cook, whose name has been associated with fhe magnificent mountain which I see on that wall, so impressively represented by Mr Gully's pencil. (Applause.) Now it so. happens lhat .on this very day, one hundred years ago, Cook took leave cf theee shores on his second .return voyage to Eurd{Je. r Our- active secretary (Mr Rout) has suggested that it would he interesting to yoi^to be reminded , of 'this fact. ' One" hundred years bring great changes. The mention of Cook puts me iu mind of another, great navigator, whose connection with this colony, and this particular province, curiously marks -th'e ohanges*'*which"tirae r 'briogs about. Tasmao, you are aware, was the discoverer of New Zealand. .His.. Gret laddfall was made on West* Coast' 1 of this province, very near the Buller. He waa in search. o-f .gold, like .all lhe navigators of his period. There' had been rumors of a large island in the Pacifio full of gold, and inhabited, by -Jews.- • Is "it" not strange to' think that Tasman and bis cre,w v absolutely hit upon, a payable diggings,* without finding it 'oui?* : But they had not learnt to look for gold as we do, with the tin dish, cradle, and longtorn. They expected to find it banging round the necks, aod from the ears of the natives. They were; right enough about the gold. As to the Jews, they bad not arrived. When the gold became an ascertained fact, we were not long without a good suf ply of those whom Sir Robert Peel used to call "gentlemen of the. fie- 1 brew persuasion. " They are never behind when gold is to be had; and they are quite - right too. Thhv.ihen, ladies and gentlemen is my apology for interrupting the band. It was thought that you would be| interested, by this reminiscence -,qf. ,our great benefactor, Capiaio Jame§ Cook. [Applause], During the day T $he .Artillery Banal played at intervals, and between seven and eight in the evening a number of glees wers e-jpg \ya few eeoUetcea under the leadership "of Jlr Walcot. Daring the whole evening the hall and annexes were crowded with sight^eers," and at nine o'clock, tbe hour appointed for closing, it was difficult to clear the rooms until a hint to go-to which Ne)spn people are not accustomed was resorted to, the gas being suddenly turned down. Considering that all present had come either to see or be Been, there was no further inducement for tbem to remain .after*- the Hall was reduced toa state of eemi-darknea?, and very unwillingly tho hundreds present had to turn outof the brilliantly lighted rooms into; the dark sloppy streets. This Day. The great attraction- of the day 19 the Horticultural Show*, where the exhibit that, ia the first to attract notice ia a magnificent display ,of cut rosea. Unfortfihately, the wind, dusf, and rain of yesterday have deprived them off some of their richness, but this queen of ft >wers in all its varieties, one exhibit consisting of 100 different kinds, has uot failed to excite the admiration of all who have been fortunate enough to see the spleudid show. Geraniums, Calceolarias, Rhododendrons and other beautiful flowers are shown iq great variety {fruits, especially strawberries and cherries pf th? finest quality are arrayed in teofpting. display; while vegetables tif/ all sorts, peas, potatoes, lettuces, cucumbers, carrots, rad dishes, and numerous other descriptions speak volumes in favor of _ our gardeners, both professional and amateur. Thia evening; there, wil I be an Art Uoion drawing for a very handsome] • ailyer-plated^^ftirj B ?^' -coffee * service ,pr/3**i sented" to* the ftxhib'it.oti (jotnmittee by !]_f esara Buxton and Co. To-morrow eveuiog tbe concert, to be preseat at which large numbers of our country j. friends are coming into town, will b^ '. giyen, and on ths following day the

\"-x --•• 7 •; :.- — r ? « *,-,; -:.-j .* y poultry F show will ibe Jield in, the Drill Sfadd| Wi find it jattefly impossible to . giy4^o.!h 4ay aa full a descFirJtiosiSa^, wo. could wish of the nameroas objects ?e*sihibited in the various departments, but at the close of the Exhibition wa purpose publishing a resume of the whole, and preferring in detail tcreuch of the articles as aVb most de^rving of ndtice. * With this apology for any shortcomings on our part .we; _wAIJL now pr.^eed to. give the prize lists so far 'a's they'" had been made public up to the time of our going to press :— * y # - i ■*■ ■"•-