THE NEW ZEALAND COURT OF THE EXHIBITION, 1862.

New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1718, 27 August 1862, Page 3

THE NEW ZEALAND COURT OF THE EXHIBITION, 1862.

[FROM OUR LONDON CO-RESPONDENT.] London, Jane 24th. Internationally we do not shine. The shortcomings of the New Zealand court might have been avoided in a great measure. As a stand, nothing could have been better than that of our colony. As you enter at the principal doorway, under the central dome and pass down the nave, third on the right hand, you see now New Zealand as an ante-court to that of Western Australia, being grouped with New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, &c.; but the space allotted is very small, not half so much as is given to a secondary department of Rome or Italy for little specimens of tesselated articles, marbles, &c. Persons entering the Queensland department from the New Zealand court supposed yesterday that they were still in New Zealand till some one or other showed them that they were out in their geography; they had passed through New Zealand and had scarcely known it, so little has New Zealand shown as compared with other places not heard of in the Exhibition of 1851. Nor has the best been made of the materials or space; this is attributable perhaps to the indifference to public interests of men in the colony who should have been prominent with substantial assistance to have introduced New Zealand internationally as she can afford, and taken a lead and managed so that the colony was better represented in England. Mr. Morrison acts as Commissioner-General for New Zealand, being the Stafford-appointed agent of the General Government. Auckland exhibits most, Nelson stands next, while Wellington numbers in the official catalogue only 14 items. The " Empire City," amongst its 14 " atoms," however, does show a work of possibility in the shape of a wharf carried out upon paper, apparently to some extent. Auckland, considering her ways, set the example early of making all available shipping facilities. Without such works, of what use are interior roads? Ships will not scruple to find their way to a spot where they may readily discharge cargo and passengers. Nelson exhibits a very good table of colonial manufacture, and intended as it was, doubtless, by the manufacturer to show his handywork in inlaid woods, he would not have thanked Mr. Morrison to have used it as a stand for two large cases of birds from Auckland—as it was till lately. New Zealand apparently was not of much consequence;— there were different ways of exhibiting both birds and this Nelson table even in the limited space assigned to the;jcolony, without compromise to either. Several New Zealand colonists mentioned this matter yesterday, though the bird casei are still upon the table, they are found to be, not on its centre, as before, but put back and raised upon some small blocks, and this shows the beauty of the workmanship and materials. Thanks to Mr. Morrison, the woods from the Auckland Museum were for a long time piled up indiscriminately one upon the other, as you may see incipient gun stocks; and now, though there has been an attempt at better display, they appear to have been sent without names. Mr. Morrison, of all things, perhaps, is entitled to praise for the placing or displacement of the specimens of photography, illustrating to the world besides New Zealand, a panoramic view of Auckland by Mr. Crombie, and sundry buildings of Wellington, the. Provincial Government House, Mechanics' Institute, and the like. These latter are well grouped together under excellent position to strike the eye, and with the benefit of plenty of light, while the far more deserving work of the " capital," comprising a very extensive view of town and far suburbs, is placed so that the lighs ■ eannot fall well upon it, and but for the indications of tt'fi differed parti ty the artist i* wopld be very djs.

«olt to distinguish them; as a photograph, it; isMr. Crombie’s very beat, and does him infinite credit. Our woods make a very good figure, and people in the court express their surprise that tfeey never knew of their great beauty before, and, seeing them in manufactured articles, cannot find language to express sufficient admiration. Once or twice, too, observation was made, that they thought least of all to see specimens of the bush in which the fighting was carried on, and pity was expressed that natives and trees could not both be preserved. The specimens of wood from Auckland which appeared to attract most attention were those of Ring (Matai), Cadmau (mottled kauri), Messrs. Gibbon (mangiao, hinau, and kahikatea) and another very beautiful piece of Ring’s, a slab of spotted kauri. In the manufactured articles, Mason’s fine inlaid table at present, has the repute, deservedly, of being the handsomest. Seufert’s cabinet has not come; it is to be hoped that it will bo in its places before the prizes arc awarded next month. Nelson has a fine teapoy, the top being of fine pohutakawa. The frames of Mr. Heaphy’s pictures of rowarewa, do not show to advantage, not being well polished. Of the pictures themselves too much praise cannot be spoken. Indeed, from travellers and all who appear to understand them, they attract extraordinary attention. Dr. Campbell exhibits a very beautiful specimen of inlaid manufacture in the shape of a lady’s glove box. There are two table tops besides, of exquisite beauty. The other specimens of woods in slabs and blocks, arc, many of them, so placed that they cannot bo seen; others, too, of polished pohutakawa, by Mason and by Ninnis, are edgeways on the ground, placed against the unwrought ends of specimens of wood, and are as blocks of stone serving people to kick unconsciously, though fine specimens of polished pohutakawa. The old man who has charge of the New Zealand court said that about once a week the acting commissioner is there. Taranaki steel sand is in a corner in front of the court, and there is a case of implements of the manufactured sand, knives, &c., by Messrs. Moseley, 17 and 18 Kingstreet, Covcnt Garden, of very fine steel. It is a pity that Auckland makes so small pretence to auriferous wealth. There is, though, a nice case of New Zealand gold well placed at the entrance to our court, sufficient to show that surely, though perhaps not in Victorian quantities, New Zealand is at work in gold production. Upon all occasions of a visit to the New Zealand court may be seen eager gazers at the pictures of the different members of the House of Representatives; people on one side of the globe,, seeing possibly, there pictured, as he is, a member of the house and acquaintance; the accompanying key to the picture is always in hand. Several members were yesterday recognised, as altered by time. One party of some five persons were quizzing, in no veiy complimentary language, the member who used to announce himself a “ gentleman,” born and bred, and to whom a Wellington pen assigned “ a Californian cutbeard.” The party who recognized the silly member appeared struck to find him alive; they had consigned him, ages gone, to the bottom of the sea at Pitcairn —though seeing his reflex veritably before them once more. It was a pity they had not a better word for him —poor gentleman! The “ Mr. Speaker,” Sir C. Clifford, too, one day, was very plainly and pleasurably recognized; at another time Mr. Richmond, to whom was assigned by a friend the office of Judge; Mr. “ Sergeant-at-Amis,” Mr. Curtis, Mr. Wood, Mr. Monroe. The past and present House—are both placed together, and form the chief impediment iu the New Zealand court. The mode of exhibition of woods by Spain is worthy of New Zealand’s attention, with her distance. Spain exhibits an immense variety, but not as wo do. They send a piece of, say about a foot long, and just cut out a piece from one end downwards, and then polish. It enables a very large variety of exhibition, and is capable of easy packing with care. Some places send a round slab of no great thickness, polished on one side, plain on the other, the bark being loft. Great attention is paid to the New Zealand and other colonial wools. Prom observation and enquiry those of J. West (longwool Leicester), Runciman, and Shepherd appear to attract most attention. Nelson’s mineral productions are objects of curiosity; English shareholders in the Dun Mountain Company possibly are enquiring for results of the scheme; the specimens ore well placed. To hear the different remarks on Now Zealand in its court would lead to a supposition, firstly and most decidedly, that the Natives are still cannibals, that we, at Auckland, are in a state of fern and without streets or regular houses, speak a foreign tongue, and are but Maori once removed. One enquiry was if the Natives were ever seen, and then why were they allowed to come to town; yet another, if they were not very beautiful people, always at our houses, and continually marrying English ladies—expressions of opinion upon the war and the foolish “ biblc and bayonet” system from home. Lamentable ignorance prevails as to New Zealand; the flags of the different Provinces in the court show how little the colony, that consists of so many places, has done in the way of exhibition international. Auckland and Wellington ought alone to have filled the present court.