NEW ZEALAND AT THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2355, 4 October 1880, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND AT THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION

The special correspondent of the “ Otago Daily Times” sends some interesting information concerning the New Zealand court at the exhibition, from which we extract the following : The New Zealand court is situated between the South Australian and Queensland courts. it consists ol: a long narrow strip, having a frontage to the main avenue ol: .‘3d feet, and a length of 2of) feet. It is enclosed at the sides by dividing walls 20 feet in height. These partitions arc papered and tinted a light cream color, relieved by a handsome moulding’ running along the top, picked out with brighter hues. Half way up the court, and again neai the fai end, the partitions arc pierced by arched openings 10 and / feet wide, allowing free ingress or egress by common passages of that width running through the neighborhood. The court is well lighted by a continuous series ol windows above the level of the partitions spoken of, and meeting the roof, which is of naked iron, a fact which disagreeably mi ites attention, whether the day be hot or Conspicuous among the cxibits of furniture from Guthrie and Larnach s woodware factory is a grand-looking console table with marble top and massive mirror ; but the best exhibit of this Company is a beautiful cabinet, perhaps the finest of the kind in the whole Exhibition. It is formed of 8508 pieces of

choice New Zealand woods namely riinu figtree, peppertree, plain totara and totara knot, manuka, mikimlki, mottled kauri, goai, broadleaf burr, silver pine, pukaka, and riwariwa, beautifully blended together. The cabinet, which is of largo size, is in excellent taste, and is really a. marvel of good workmanship. A very interesting exhibit is scut by the Auckland Harbour Hoard — namely, two large pieces, one of jarrah and one of toiara—to show Ihe comparative value of these two woods in their capability to resist the ravages of tlie teredo navalis. The superiority of the totara for pile purposes is manifest. Experience lias shown there is no Australian timber capable of resisting the action of this worm longer than a few years, being usually destroyed in from five to 10 years, while totara piles have boon found perfectly sound after 11 years service.

While on the subject of flax, mention may bo made of (wo exhibits of what is technically called half-stuff, and goods manufactured (herefrom. Roth exhibits are from Christchurch—One of these being from All* J. R. Stansell. The half-stuff is made chiefly from (lax waste. Ry reducing the flax wns‘e to a pulpy condition, and then snhjeciing a layer of it to powerful hydraulic pressure, a course kind of millboard is produced, useful for many purposes. The papier-machic exhibited by Mr Stansell is prepared in another way, the pulp, after somewhat different treatment, being mixed with glue and resin, and pressed into moulds of any desired form, when it becomes extremely hard, and is capable of receiving a high finish.

lii this part of the court are placed the pottery exhibits. 13y all accounts this industry promises to become a very important one in the colony, and the samples sent to this Kxhihifion will certainly bear favorable comparison with others of the same class in other courts. Hoth Canterbury and Otago are well represented in this class. Austin, Kirk, and Co., of Christchurch, have a grand display, consisting of ordinary potterywarc of all kinds, sanitary appliances in the shape of drain pipes, stench traps, Jilters, Ac., and ornamental specimens of tire clay goods, such as floral groups, and a ease of brooches, pendants, rings, and photo frames. These ornamental specimens are beautiful!}' executed, and are quite works of art. Some very good samples of terracotta work are shown by W. Condliffe, of the Malvern Hills ; and Kurd and Ogden of the same locality exhibit glazed stoneware pipes, and some varieties of ornamental and other bricks. The Canterbury Marble Company have some particularly line, exhibits of marble, rough and polished, obtained from the quarry belonging to the Company and Or Von Haast shows a good collection of various building stones procurable in the Canterbury distrit. Messrs W. Lane and Co. of Tiinaru and Dunedin, (exhibit a large and varied assortment of cordials and liqueurs. Cereals are well displayed in capacious cases with sloping glass fronts fitted on each side of the court, and show-cases on stands in the centre space. The display of the various descriptions of grain and seeds is very good, and forms a capital illustration of the rapidlyinereasing agricultural wealth of Xew Zealand. In lids group the exhibits are childly from the Middle Island, Canterbury, of course, being in the front rank, headed by Peter Cunningham, K. JI. Banks, (.100. King and Co,, Jloyse, Stead and Co., Duncan and Son, and other well-know exhibitors. The Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association have an exhibit of dressed fibre from Knropean Max grown in Canterbury, and plough lines manufactured from the same description of Max. This exhibit is valuable as illustrating the suitability of the soil and climate of Xew Zealand for the growth of Knropean flux, with the view to the opening up of new industries, such as the manufacture of fibre, and also linseed oil-cuke. Amongst the miscellaneous exhibits there is an apparatus of an entirely novel character, which is likely to attract a good deal of notice. It. is an invention of Mr J. K. Hayes, of Wellington, and is called an electric office indicator. Ail that is required is for the banker, merchant, or other occupant of a room to press a small plate affixed lo bis table, and the word -i engaged’’ instantly appears in a. frame attached to the other side of the door. When disengaged the plate is pressed the other way, and the blank space now presented indicates that any visitor who may chance to be awaiting an interview is at liberty to enter the office. There is a large model of the apparatus exhibited, and one of the “ indicators” is litted to the door of the Kxecutivc Commissioners’ ollicc.