THE EXHIBITION BUILDING.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2894, 5 July 1882, Page 3

THE EXHIBITION BUILDING.

(Christchurch Evening “ Star.”) An extraordinary remark,was made by His Worship the Mayor o£ Christ-

church at the Exhibition banquet. His Worship said—“l am sure it is the wish of the public that arrangements’may be brought about between the Government and the Domain Board to grant concessions to any enterprising person, and as an inducement to purchase at least the central portion of the building, to be appropriated as a place of recreation and resort for our community.” Our first impression was that this utterance must be classed with those of which Mr Joubert spoke later on, as i due to “ the double of lobster salad, and questionable wines ;” and had this impression been permitted to hold good, the Mayor’s conviction'as to the wish of - the public might pasa unchallenged. But that “ bashfulj and retiring individual,” as Mr Joubert has thought fit to term himself, demonstrated that the bag had been opened with a vengeance, and that the animal which had been let out was not the proverbial cat. but a colonial Jumbo- Mr Joubert said—“ The cost of this building has exceeded my calculations, and now that the Exhibition is drawing to a close, we find that wo have a splendid, costly white elephant in our possession; but will the Government or the Domain Board allow it to graze on this park, or must wo remove it to the banks of the Hooghley, where, I am told, elephants of all color thrive well? That’s the question.” Just, so, and the question is a mighty pretty specimen of cool impudence. Messrs Joubert and Twopeny must be blessed with peculiarly ; conrenient memories, for they seem to have lost all recollection of the “ Battle of Sites,” and to have become utterly oblivious of the fact that their admission to the People’s Park was a special act of grace and favor. Anything more monstrous than the proposal that the Exhibition building should be allowed to permanently occupy a portion, of Hagley Park, wo never heard of; and that the Mayor of Christchurch should have permitted himself to be cajoled into lending himself to suph a scheme, passes comprehension. And such a building 1 Tne Mayor—the post-prandial Mayor, that is—spoke of these “ large and handsome buildings.” The “bashful and retiring” showman, not to be outdone in the exercise of his peculiar gift, described the structure as •* splendid and costly.” Cool-headed people regard the building as a “shedifice ” which has served a temporary purpose very well, but which, when desorted by its present “ tenants by courtesy,” will stand confessed in all its crazy and irredeemable ugliness. Wo hope that the Mayor, removed from the seductive influence of the Exhibition promoters’ “ blarney,” will regain possession of his pommon sense, and will take the earliest opportunity of relieving the apprehensions of a commiserating public. We may be permitted to suggest that if the building is not removed to India, the eternal fitness of things, will be sacrificed. There is a sweet affinity between the external appearance of the structure, and the name of the Indian site selected for Messrs Joubert and Twopenny’s next speculation, f