NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITION

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 465, 23 April 1890, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITION

CLOSING CEREMONY. The New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, after being open for four months and a-h3lf, was brought to a close on Saturday. During the evening the attendance re'ached 18,434. At seven o’clock the volunteers mustered at the Garrison Hall to the number of about 400, and marched to the Building, where they were dismissed. The Concert Hall, where the formal closing ceremony was to take place at eight o’clock, was well filled. The Garrison Band having performed a selection, Air Roberts read a telegram fiom Lord Onslow, who heartily congratulated the Commissioners on the success of the venture. The fact that the number passed through the turnstile exceeded the population of the whole colony, spoke volumes for the way in which the people of Otago had supported the enterprise. The Premier telegraphed his congratulations, and regret at not being able to attend, as also did the Hons. T. Fergus and Captain Russell. At the request of the President, the Hon. T. W. Hislop gave an address. He compared the condition of the colony now with that at the close of the 1865 Exhibition, stating that, notwithstanding mistakes and errors of judgment, progress Avas very marked. He noticed that the present project came to a head in a month when tho colony had sustained the largest loss of population it ever had in one month. It) spoke volumes for the enterprise of the promoters, and their faith in the future, that they took the matter up when the cloud of depression was darkest, and he was sure such faith and enterprise were requisite for the building up of a great nation. It had checked the flow of population, and although the tide had ebbed and flowed, still, on the whole, there had been a gain. He was glad to learn that as a memorial of the Exhibition there was a project on foot to plant a Workmen’s College in Otago, thus setting a noble example to other parts of the colony. (Applause.) The list of awards wa6 then read by the secretary as follows, the band playing a suitable selection after each, such as “ Rule Britannia” for Great Britain, “The Marseillaise ” for France, “ The Watch on the Rhine ” for Germany, and “ Hail Zealandia” for New Zealand Great Britain : 1 special, 102 first, 17 second, 4 third, 2 commended. France: 41 first, 5 seconds, 33 third, 4 commended. Germany : 3 first, 1 second. America : 21 first, 14 second, 2 third, 2 commended. Mauritius : 9 first, 7 second, 9 third. Ceylon and India : 22 first, 20 second, 9 third, 1 commended. New South Wales : 1 special, 106 first, 24 second, 9 third, 6 commended. Victoria: 2 special, 166 first, 66 second, 34 third, 4 commended. South Australia : 3 special, 26 first, 20 second, 3 third. Whole of New Zealand : 11 special, 627 first, 419 second, 192 third, 68 commended. Mr John Roberts, president, said tho Exhibition had brought them friends from all quarters, and had given them an opportunity for exchanging views, and had thus led to broadening their notions. There was a universal feeling that they bad on tho whole had a rare good time of it, and naturally they were reluctant to say goodbye to it. The proposed College would have the warmest support of himself and Commissioners, and also no - doubt of the shareholders. If the buildings realised well he hoped they would be able to present the four octagons to tho Aluseum and University and the main building for the proposed college. At any rate, if they were not able to make a gift of it they would give it on the most reasonable terms. The band played “ God Save the Queen,” and most of those in the concert hall joined. About ton o’clock tho crowd commenced to go out, and though there was a steady stream it was not till after half-past eleven that the building Avas empty.