THE PARIS EXHIBITION. VICTORIAN AND NEW ZEALAND COURTS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 379, 22 June 1889, Page 4

THE PARIS EXHIBITION. VICTORIAN AND NEW ZEALAND COURTS.

The Paris correspondent of the u Sydney Morning Herald " writes : "From the interest already shown by the general public in the "Victorian Court, it can Bafely be predicted that the Australian exhibits will enjoy a full share of the attention of millions of visitors. 'Admirably arranged from an artistic point of view, and unique in quality, the goods shown distinguish the Victorian Court from those around the Victorian and New Zealand Courts,' which practically only form a single court and are' enclosed on one side. On the right hand, as one enters them from the l J alace of Fino Arts, there are show cases filled with stufled animals, kangaroos, opossums, and other Australian fauna. Those on the right, which are separated from the othors by the ontrance, are filled with raw wool. The showcases on the extremeright and up altng the right boundary at the othor end of the court are not yet rilled. Along the base of the wall, which is the boundary on the left, is a long showcase filled with furs, of which some are manufactured, and others merely prepared for industrial treatment. At the end of this showcase the glazed drawingroom stands out from the wall. On the wall above the far showcase at the base of tho drawing-room is an immense canvas painted to represent Australia, geographically as well as allegbrically. At ono end <i redshirted settler is felling a gigantic tree. Then there is a map of Australia and then a pictme of Australia as she may have been in an ancient day. Then comes a map of Now Zealand and more allegory, j What will, perhaps, attract most attention from the crowd among«t the exhibits in various cases disposed about the court are fac-similes of nuggets and bars of gold. Thoy represent the Alma, the Eldorado, and the Platypus nuggets, and have already made many envious. It can safely be predicted that the specimens of" natural history, painted eggs, and, above all, the wonderful photographs of Australian town and country scenery, which are placed in great abundance on convenient stands in various parts ot the court, will all be fully appreciated. In the New Zealand end there is not very much to see at present beyond mineral specimens ; the court is a wilderness of packing cases. In the Victorian section are two handsome kiosks which attract attention. One belongs to Chaffey Bros., the other to the Woodstock Fruit Company. On the opposite side along the wall many mineral specimens are set out in cases hung with red cloth : manganofe ore, kaolin, and some beautiful specimens of Mansfield marble. Standing by is a model of a gold mine, exhibited by the Sydenham Quartz Gold-mining Company. At the far end is what promises to be a great attraction, viz., a fernery of Australian ferns, amongst which native figures will bo placed. The Tasmanian Commissioners have secured a gmall space in the centre of the Victorian Court. This space will be occupied by a trophy of a small exhibition of mineral specimens. " The third site occupied by "Victoria is in the Trocadero Gardens, and covers an area of 3,000 ft. This is what will be known as the Australian wine kiosk, and the elegant building is now in process of erection. The kiosk will contain a bar for the sale of Australian wines, and a large room or drawingroom for the commissioners. It is in this drawing-room that the opportunity of tasting Australian -nines will be afforded to those interested. It is also proposed to sell Australian fruit in the kiosk. Altogether it can be stated that Victoria is admirably represented at the great Universal Exhibition. It may be added in conclusion that Victoria and New Zealand are the only two colonies which aro represented in at all a creditable manner. Tasmania's effort has been described. The efforts of Canada, the Cape, India and the Indies could be disposed of almost as briefly as possible."