THE PARIS EXHIBITION (FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.) Paris, July 9, 1889.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 400, 7 September 1889, Page 4

THE PARIS EXHIBITION (FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.) Paris, July 9, 1889.

THE FRENCH COLONIAL COURTS. Casual visitors to the Exhibition not well up in political geogiaphy might reasonably conceive that France was as successful as without doubt she is ambitious in her colonial policy. The colonies aud the countries declared to be " protected " have been made si prominent feature of tho Exhibition with the evident purpose of impressing the French people and those of the Continental States with the greatness and importance of the dependencies of the Republic. The design, admirably conceived, has been carried out with consummate skill. The Administration of the Colonies took the matter in its own hands officially, and set itself to provide an interesting 1 , instructive, and at the same time attractive representation at once ot the industries, the manners, and the external aspect of each of the French possessions and protectorates in the different parts of the world. This has been effected in a most able mid exhaustive manner, so that the information available on every point seems absolutely complete, whilst the beautiful and curious in the pioducts of nature or indigenous art are conspicuously displayed under a system of arrangement which makes inspection a pleasure. ' There is a central palace or pavilion about ! 250 feet long, having three grand saloons on the ground floor, Avibh an elegantly-con-«tructed gallery all round, in which are united the State collections, the exhibits of the Public Works Department, irom tho penal establishments, and compiehensive maps, diagrams, plans, models in relief, etc., llllustrating geography and statistics. There are then a series of pavilions, which reproduce the most characteristic structures of the several countries, in which are grouped all that can tend to give a true and picturesque view of the daily life, social and business habits of the colonists and natives. To realise what the Colonial Exhibition is in its general aspect, we must conceive in the centre the palace of the colonies, with its towers, domes and dormers brilliant with gold and colour, the facade suggesting that the architect had sought to realise a fantastic dream ot combining the Oriental with the style of the Renaissance. It is certainly original, and thus perhaps distinctively suitable to its purposes ; the effect is decidedly good. Immediately on the right rises the pagoda of Angkor, an exact reproduction ot one of the editices of that remarkable city in Cambodge, whose architectural marvels rival, it is said, the chefs d'osuvres of Hindoo architecture. The Annamite Palace, on the left, which serves also for the exhibits from Cochin China, offers the contrast of an entirely difieient style. It dees not absolutely represent any existing building, but is rather a developed epitome of the most beautiful specimens of religious and domestic art in that little-known part of the wo: Id. Immediately contiguous are the pagoda of Chandernagor and that of Tonkin, both exceedingly quaint in design and colouring. All these buildings contain models of houses, vessels and boats, agricultural implements, arms, articles used in religious worship, painting, sculpture, and lacquer work, musical instruments, works of art of almost every description, completely illustrating, as I have said, the life of these interesting countries, which is further very vividl) represented by veritable natives from each, who are to be seen in their national costumes, pursuing theirordinary avocations with the most perfect sang froid, as if unconscious of the strange surroundings. In addition to the more important constructions noted, there are extensive series of indigenous habitations. The villages in Gabon, Congo, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Madagascar, etc., are exactly reproduced : in most instances with the inhabitants in residence, and constitute a very lively attraction to visitors. Although, compared with England, France as a colonial Power is nowhere, the Exhibition in a very practical manner shows that she has extensive and valuable possessions, of which she is not inclined to make little or spare labour and money in the development. At the head of the colonies proper stands of course Algeria, effectively represented by an extensive palace, mosque, bazaars, a complete street, reproduced I think from the city of Constantine, and any number of live Arab 3 of all ranks and conditions, from Sheiks to donkey-boys. Then in Africa, also, there are the colonies of Senegal, the Gabon, the Congo, on the coast the island of Diego-Suarez, and other dependencies in Aladagascar. In Asia there is Cochin China, rather a warm settlement from several points of view, and what is termed somewhat ambitiously " L'lnde Francaise " — the remnants of the old French dominions in India, including Pondicherry, Chandernagon, Alatre, Karikal, each of which has its separate exhibit. In Oceania the principal possessions are Kew Caledonia and Tahiti, both elaborately illustrated by products and indigenous inhabitants. In America, French Guiana, tbe Antilles, St. Pierre and Miguelon. The countties under the somewhat dangerous protectorate of France, and which are in lull evidence at the Exhibition, include Tunis, the Cambodge, Annam, Tonkin, and Madagascar. Tunis has u section to itself, covering a considerable area of ground, on which there is erected an extensive group of buildings, wherein and about which is exhibited Arab life in all its phases untouched by European civilisation, and consequently an instructive and interesting study as well as a continuous source of amusement. The bazaar, for instance, contains in its shops specimens of every kind of Tunisian industry. Embroiderers in gold and silver may be seen at work. There ia a jeweller, a perfumer, a barber, painters on pottery, damasceueis (makers of damask), carpenters, joiner^, turners, goldsmiths, scribes (letter writers and copiers), all working away and carrying on their respective businesses just as if in their native country.

ENGLAND'^ INDIFFERENCE TO HER COLONIES. The little that I have been able to say as to the position occupied by the colonies and dependencies of France in the Exhibition, and the patent facb that a very lar^e sum of money must have been expended in »ecurin<r so complete a reDresentation, sufficiently indicates that the Government! ol the Republic sets a very high value upon the territories beyond the seas, and is prepared to pursue an active colonising policy, n'rot in developing the i*esources of existing possessions, and next in extension of area and new acquirements. Whether success will ever attend the attempt to make the French people good colonidts, may be a moot question, but there is no doubt as to the drift of the colonial policy, which, inaugurated by Napoleon 111., has been pursued without material deviation by successive Administrations. One cannot avoid being struck with the contrast afforded by the supreme indifference, or worse, of Downing-sbreet, the carelessnesss and ignorance of our statesmen generally, as ♦•,0 the condition and interests of even the greatest English colonies. It will nob be the fault of the Government of France if any Frenchman tails to be well

informed aa to the character and resources of every French colony, and the prospects which offer themselves in each to the settler and capitalist. Visitors to the Exhibition can sco for themselves what life in all these countries really is ; ocular demonstration for such a purpose is far more satisfactoiy than any amount of information derived from statistics and description. The English Government ! might with distinct advantage to the people and the Empire take a lesson from what France has done. Would it not be well that there should be in or within easy distance from London a permanent exhibition of the colonies on the same plan as that of the Paris Exhibition ? This would do more for emigration of the ricrht sort than any other conceivable means to that desirable end. The cost to England would be but a bagatelle, compared with the advantages certain to ensue in relieving the congestion at Home and giving the colonies just what they urgently require— population. The colonial sections give an insight into several strange countries of which up to this time little or nothing has been known, bub thore are other sections of the Exhibition which even in a more marked manner illustrate the state and condition of what may be termed dark corners of the earth, which the light) of information, statistical and otherwise, has hardly illumined. The Republics of Central and South America, I think without exception, Java, the South African Republic, the little Republic of San Marino, which holds its independency in the very centre of Italy, all have special representation, whilst Servia make» a first public appearance in the galaxy of nations