ASHBURTON INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 366, 24 March 1881, Page 2

ASHBURTON INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

To-day the Industrial Exhibition at Ashburton will bo formally opened by His Excellency the Governor, and should the errand autumnal weather wo have had for some time past still smile o’er the scene, the ceremony will prove an unqualified success. Exhibitions of such like nature to that at Ashburton should be generously fostered by the colonists?, for they tend to show how the arts, sciences and last, but not least, the manufactures of our adopted country are progressing. Anyone of; a contemplative turn of mind cannot but be struck with the contrast between New Zealand of twenty or thirty years ago—when it was a vast wilderness of tussocky grass,, flax, fern, and tutu, with only a.- few European inhabitants —and of the present day, when we find the land almost literally “ flowing with milk and honey ; ” the hidden treasures of the earth brought to light: gold and silver, precious metals.,that have brought weal or woe to many individuals coal, to gladden,. and to bring comfort and warmth to the hard-working laborer, iron, copper, platinum, and other articles, as the auctioneers say, “too numerous to mention.’’ At the same time that the resources of the Colony have been gradually developed in regard to its mineral wealth, so, also, have the colonists been busily engaged in establishing manufactures whereby the products of the country may be utilised instead of being forwarded Home for similar purposes, and in this respect Canterbury- holds the palm second to none in New Zealand. But it is not our present intern ion to hold this Provincial District solely as an example of Colonial enterprise, for we find the same spirit prevailing throughout the length and breadth.of the Colony. In all of the Provincial Districts we find in a greater or lesser degree, the same enterprising, spirit, tiie desire that sooner or later the imports of manufactured articles should entirely, or nearly so, cease, for the reason that the same articles can be manufactured in the Colony, in some instances at leas cost. In regard to the manufacture of woollen goods, Nelson came to the fore, and for a long period

imported from Geelong, a neighboring Colony “ over the other side.” But the development of gold in Otago brought with it other advantages.. Tiie miners, finding that the precious metal could no longer be discovered in payable quantities, turned their attention to. other pursuits, instigated by the enterprise of the sister Colonics. It is universally acknowledged that wool is one of the principal products of the Colony, and how to- utilise it, instead of forwarding it Home for manufacture, seriously engaged their attention. This was followed by the establishment of a woollen manufactory at Mosgiel, and another at Kaiapoi, both of which are in full work, and so great is the demand for their goods that, to keep pace with the orders they have been receiving, both establishments have had from time to time to be enlarged, and the machinery added to. Then, again, boot and shoe factories, brick (under the German principle), pottery and glassware, foundries, and many other industries, iron have sprung into existence all over the Colony. Some little while ago a suggestion was made, and quickly acted upon, that there should be an Industrial Exhibition in Christchurch* for the purpose of bringing before the public, under one roof, specimens- of Colonial Industry. So great favor did this suggestion take in the mind of the business and manufacturing portion of the community throughout New Zealand that all space available was quickly taken up. A Royal Commission was appointed to report thereon, and the whole affair passed off with considerable eclat. A lapse: of some months having now intervened, it was decided that a similar exhibition should be held in Ashburton, the centre of a, large and populous district, about 50 miles south of Christchurch, which resulted in. the favorable support and cooperation of the industrial classes far and near. The Town Hall and adjacent grounds have been secured for the reception of goods, and all available space is now occupied, several tents having been creeled on the adjacent ground for different classes of exhibits, such as agricultural machinery, carriages, etc., that could not conveniently have been placed in the Ivdl. At the time of our visiting the exhibition —the day before yesterday—although some of the articles were in the building, yet not being placed in the apace allotted to them, it was impossible to give even an outline in regard to their merits or demerits. The dais at the upper end of tjbe hall was being draperit/fr and festooned for the reception of the Vice-Regal p-'uty, and great preparations made adjacent to the hall. The distinguished visitor’s will alight from the train opposite the hall, passing under a triumphal arch of evergreens and flowers, cross the main road, thence through a bower of greenery at the right hand of the hall into- the side entrance. The arrangements will be very complete to prevent overcrowding of spectators. We wish the exhibition, every success, especially in a, monetary, point of. view. We shall have something to.say in regard to the exhibits themselves in another issue.