New Zealand Court.

Patea Mail, 12 October 1880, Page 3

New Zealand Court.

MELBO UHNE EXHIBITION. After wandering through acres of showcases anil cultured products of innumerable factories and workshops, the eye rests with pleasure on the tall .palms which characteristically mark the entrance to the New Zealand Court. Entering through these, immediately on the right and loft are seen the beautiful full model of the Union S.S. Company’s steamers Wakatipu and Rotomahana, a rather approprite position, seeing that to reach New Zealand one has to patronise one or other of the boats belonging to this enterprising company. Facing the entrance is a good-sized case containing the valuable collection of specimens of reef and alluvial gold exhibited by the Colonial Museum at Wellington, and by the Bank of New Zealand ; and, further on to the right are certain choice exhibits of the Guthrie and Laruach Woodemvarc Factories Company, Dunedin.

One of these is a magnificent specimen of good joinery in the shape of a hail door and framework, made of several kinds of New Zealand woods, cleverly put together, so that one is at a loss which to admire most, the skilfulness of the workmanship or the tastefulness of the design. Another of the company’s exhibits is a grand looking console table, with marble top, and massive mirror, but the best exhibit of the company is a bcaliful cabinet, perhaps the finest thing of the kind in the whole Exhibition. It is formed of 8,598 pieces of choice New Zealand woods—namely, rimm ligtrec, pepper tree, plain totara, and totara knot, manuka, mic-a-mic, mottled' kauri, goai, broadlcaf, burr, silver pine, pocakh and rewarewa, beautifully blended together. The cabinet, which is of large size, is in excellent taste, ami is a marvel of good workmanship.

lu dose proximity to the last-named exhibits is a very handsome table oi peculiar construction, and exhibited by Mr J. Bernasconi, of Wellington. It is a wonderful piece of inlaid work, and for finish and workmanship could hardly bo excelled even in the old country. It is valued at £2OO. Near to this is another handsome piece of furniture—a largo sideboard of elaborate design, made by Mr Nidiolsoji, also of Wellington. There arc also several oilier exhibits of inlaid tables, and other fancy articles of furniture. Messrs A. and T. Burt, of Dunedin, adjoin Guthrie and Larnacb. They bold a large area of ground, which, however, is fully occupied bv their numerous exhibits, comprising an improved refrigerator and other utensils used by brewers, a variety of pumps, composition and lead piping, and similar gear, also an excellent assortment of chandeliers and brackets. They also exhibit, under the head of sanitary appliances, a very good form of cabinet washstands, double and single, fitted up all ready for laying in hot and cold supply and waste pipes.

On the left hand side after entering the Court, beyond the gold specimens, is a large show-case containing a great variety of beautiful mull’s, tippets, and other articles, prepared and exhibited by Mr W. ll.Liardet, of Wellington, which, as choice samples of the tarxcdcrmlst’s art and of an interesting novel industry, arc worthy of al praise. In the vicinity of this, near the wall is a long dais, a few inches higher than the main floor, and capeted, on which are displayed a few special object of furniture such as the grand side-board, made of New Zealand woods, by W. Nicholson, of Wellington, ; the mantcl-piecc shown by Messrs. Stewart and Co., of the same city ; door of red pine sent by Messrs. Halley and Ewing ; and the polished inside house doors, one of kauri and the other of pine, exhibited by Messrs Wadell, McLeod, and Weir, also of Wellington ; as well as some other exhibits of similar character. At the back of this arrangement attached to the wall, the Union Steamship Company exhibit a very handsome emblamatic shield,

specially prepared for this exhibition ; also a chart, showing the various routes embraced in the company’s operations, and a collection of perfectly finished half models of steamers, belonging to the coin pany, and others turned out from the yards of Messrs. Denny Bros., Glasgow. Further on, and opposite Messrs. Butt’s stand, the Mosgiel Woolen Factory make a brave show of tweeds, travelling rugs, blankets, &c.. the high character for excellence of material and workmanship which the Company has now obtained, being fully sustained by the quality of the goods included in the present exhibit. So far as the New Zealand Court is concerned, Mosgiel has no rival, there being no exhibit on this occasion from the Kaiapoi Manufacturing Company.

The position of the Court, so far briefly sketched, may, for the sake of distinction, be termed the first division, it being divided from the other portions by a passage connecting with the courts on cither side. Crossing this passage the .visitor has immediately in front of him the gold trophy, a large octahedron of (seemingly) solid gold, measuring 12ft along each angle and 18ft across, a small slice being taken off the lower point to allow of its resting on a massive stand (3-Ift high. The trophy—the

height of which,including stand, is 2Gft—represents the total quantit}' of the precious metal exported from New Zealand, namely —32o'tons. Originally, the local committees of Hokitika and Greymouth proposed to have each a trophy representing the gold exported from the respective districts ; but the New Zealand Commissioners decided to have one trophy instead for the whole colony. As it stands, the trophy is unique and effective, and a decided improvement upon the external pyramidical form which such trophies generally assume. — N.Z. Times. Other exhibits in this Court will be described in a future issue.