THE SYDNEY EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5565, 29 January 1879, Page 2

THE SYDNEY EXHIBITION.

A meeting of the Sydney Exhibition Commissioners was held at the City Council Chamber j esterday, Dr. Hector in the chair. The Chairman stated that recognising the importance of at once setting things in motion, ©n account of the comparatively short time there was in which to do the necessary work, he had taken certain steps. First in regard to wool, the season for which was pretty far advanced, he had communicated with the persons in each district most likely to be able to collect the best samples, and from one and all he had received eery hearty promises of support. The following telegram from Mr. P. A. Jennings, hon. secretary to the executive committee in Sydney, to Dr. Hector was read as follows ; —“ Government have taken over entire management and control of International Exhibition. The new programme, almost ready, will be issued without delay. One thousand copies of Sydney illustrated papers will be sent you on Thursday by mail, for distribution in New Zealand. There will be a large amount of main floor space, also basement floor space, and some gallery floor and wall space. We would like to reserve as much as we fairly can. Would four thousand square feet be enough on main floor, though heavy exhibits will go on basement floor! Full particulars by mail to your Government from Government here.”—The Commissioners, however, think this amount of space is too small, if their efforts are properly supported, aud it was resolved to communicate with the Sydney authorities, stating that 4000 ft. would be insufficient, and requesting them to make as large a reserve as possible in favor of New Zealand, aud adding that further information would be sent when the Commission received copies of the scheme put forth by the New South Wales Government. It was resolved to advertise for a secretary, the Commissioners feeling that it was necessary some good active man should be secured to carry out executive work. The Commissioners then adjourned. We would remind the public that now is the time to be up aud doing, if the New Zealand Court is to be a success. In the Wellington Provincial District an appeal must especially be made. That good samples of wool can be produced here is proved by the fact that at the Sydney Exhibition, preliminary to the Paris Exhibition, a sample sent by Mr. Braithwaite, Of the Hutt, took the highest prize, and doubtless would have come out well at Paris, had it not, unfortunately, been left behind. For grain, the Southern districts of the colony ought to be the principal sources of supply. There is a feeling abroad in Australia that although the average grain yield in New Zealand much exceeds that of Australia the quality is much inferior. This certainly is not the case, and great good would arise were our grain well represented at Sydney. In consequence of the early date at which the exhibition is to be held, in August next, it cannot reasonably be expected that any colony or country will appear at its best, but the exhibition will at least be a kind of preliminary canter to the great event to take place in Melbourne in the following year, and the marshalling of our resources for the first exhibition must enable us to put in a more respectable appearance at the second than would be otherwise possible.