THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 935, 6 April 1882, Page 3

THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

Mr R. Ernest IS’oweli Twopeny was born at Little Casteiton Rutland), of which parish his father was Rector, in August, 1857. His early years were fpent in France, and he was subsequently educate:! at .Mar boro ugh College, and at the University of Heidelberg. Coming out to Australia in 1876. his connection with Exhibitions began with iii.i appointment, in 1877, as Secretary to the South Australian Commission to the Paris Exhibition, where he first came in contact with Mr Jouhcrt. In 1879 he was appointed Secretary to tiie South Australian Com mis doners to the Sidney a .d Melbourne Exhibitions, and in February, 1881, he planned, with Mr Joubert, the Adelaide Exhibition, which was so successfully carried out in July, August, and September of the same year. In November Messrs Joubert and Twopeny changed the scene of their operarations to Perth, where they held a small Exhibition to pass the lime whiia preparations were being male for the Christchurch Exhibition, which is by far the largest ever held under their management. Mr Twopeny is an officer of the French Academy, and the author of several official publications on South Australia, in English, French, and German.

MU MITCHELL. Mr W. R. Mitchell, the official agent for New Zealand for the International Exhibition, commenced his colonial career in Victoria in 1852, landing in Melbourne during the heights of the gold excitement- He was a resident of the Ballarat district till th l arrival in tiie colon/ of the cel. barted firm of Cobb and Co. , when he became th< ir road manager, and was for several years engaged in putting on lines of coach/s to the various goldfields. Iu 1853 lie was appointed manager for that firm in New Zealand, whose head office was in Dunedin, when, after arranging the several routes north, south, east, and west b fore roads were made or accommodation houses opened, he visited Canterbury, He found the mail services were being worked in the slew going manner peculiar to those times, when a trip to Tiraaru took three day?, to Oatnaru five, and the scarcely ever attempted through journey to Dunedin occupied seven days. Determined to extend the operations of his firm to Canterbury, upon his return to Otago he reported so favourably of the prospects that shortly nfier, in 1865, a brunch was established, ami Mr Mitchell became manager. Tins position was held till 1838, when he succeeded in purchasing the interest of the firm, and became mail contractor for a 1 the piincipal routes, consisting of the north to Hurnnui, south to Aka/oa, and west to Hokiti a, including branches to Greymoulh and R >ss. Ha was also a partner with Mr A. G. Howland, in the American Carriage Factory. In 17G he retired from business on account of ill-health, and paid a visit to the old country. He lias always been identified with committees for charitable purposes, lending his aid in years past as an amateur musician to any good cause. He has

always been recognised as a worker, and. with Mr Job ; Oiiivier, in charge of (he collecting hook, be it ball, recep tion, anniversary sports, threepenny readings, or any plot to raise a revenue for charity, success was certain. He organised and had b en frrmany years captain of the fire police. As a Freemason he is held in high esteem by the fraternity of the mystic tF, holding the impoitant position of District Grand Secretary for C mt-udiary. When Mess; s Jouhert and Twopeny had fixed upon Christchurch as the city in which to hold the New Zealand Exhibition, tiiev n 'Xt sought for a fitting representative to t ike (ho initiatory steps to carry out the p: eject. Mr Mitchell, who had acted as the representative of the Industrial Association at the Melbourne Exhibition, was apnomied, and all arrangements left, in his hands till the arrival of Mr Twopeny. two months axo. No time has been lost in ccitcs-

!«:n dux wilii the adjacent provinces, and, as official a.xeut, Mr Mitchell las assisted in the most en -rg uic mutter in cat tying out the necessary arrange mon& go as to ensure succegg.

A supplement containing the following description of the Christchurch International Exhibition Building has been pub'ished by the Press This is a quadrangle, the main building being 668 ft in length by 282 ft in breadth, the main transept for entrance to fernery 334 ft long by 96ft wide, including the cloak rooms, offices, telegraph and telephonic, postal aud money order and Customs offices. Above these are the offices for the representatives of the press, and the judges of the various departments. The main entrance fronting the Lincoln road is 46ft high from sill to top of transept, the walls • being 26ft in hieght. The avenues which are apportioned to Canterbury, Southland, Otago, Australia, America, and Europe are 20ft in height from floor to ridge, the wall being 12ft. The avenues are divided into three sections of 15ft each, viz., the range of bays on each side and the passage way. The octagons, four in number, are 70ft high and 45ft in diameter, the walls being 27ft high, These are apportioned to Wellington, Auckland, Asia, and Africa. The main transept is divided into three parts, viz., the special art gallery, the entrance to which will be draped with maroon colored curtains, enriched with gold fdnge, similar to the decorations used at the Paris Exhibition. On each side of the entrance to the gallery also, will bo several groups of statuary. This art gallery will be between 73ffc and 80ft in length by about 53ft in width. Beyond this again is the concert room. 130 It long by the same width, and the transept is completed by a very handsome fernery which has been constructed. This is 50ft by 18ft. In the fernery, the supply has been so arranged as to rise to the top of the fernery and trickle over the plants. The approaches to the special art gallery will

be a Corinthian facade, executed in piaster, and fully enriched, the entrance being flanked by a pair of columns on pedestals on eacn side, 16ft high, surmounted by a segmental pediment, provision being made for the reception of four large statues on and inside of same. On either side are niches, 10ft high, for statues, enriched with pateras in spandrils. The plaster work of this elegant design has been entrusted to Messrs S and T Andrews, who are under a heavy penalty to complete the same by six o’clock on the morning of Good Friday. On entering the art gallery one is struck by its capacious dimensions, it being nearly 100 ft long by 50ft wide. The walls rise to a height of 20ft, with open roof and skylight on each side. The roof has a light and substantial appearance The front entrance is bold in appearance, and of a decidedly ornamental character, being 20ft wide, surmounted by an eliplic arch ; the windows on either side being of a similar form. A bold string course runs round throughont, above which are two circular lights, with keystones, at right angles to each other, which are to be stopped with .colored glass. The walls, which are 26£t high, are surmounted by a bold cornice, from which springs a semicircular fan light, supported on either side by richly car.yed brackets and flag poles, also surmounted by a central flag pole, which is likewise bracketed. Bound the fan light, which is boldly mounted, is a band on which is to be inscribed, in i large plain letters, “Advance New Zealand.” The .keystone is strictly emblematical, being the well-known fern trees and kiwis. The concert room is most commodious, being 117 ft in length by 50ft in width. Equidistant from the wings and the fernery is to be erected the octagonal band stand, 18ft in diameter. The special art gallery is floored in a superior manner with a smooth and uniform surface, being eminently fitted for the balls to be held therein. The walls have been specially prepared for the pictures to be hung thereon, colored to an appropriate hue round the room to a dado height, and at the top of the walls elaborately designed stencil bands of various hues have been determined on. The paintings will be hung by a well known and recognised authority on such matters, and will be seen to the best advantage. Access is gained to the concert room from the art gallery by an aperture richly draped with maroon curtains, jver which is a gallery, access to which is gained in an adjoining passage by an easy and convenient staircase. This room will be finished somewhat similar to the art gallery and lias fou.r capacious entrances. The walls will be decorated with choice works of art. Reverting to the band stand it might here be mentioned that it will serve as dais on the opening day. The ironwork has been executed by Messrs Scott Bros, The gallery already mentioned has been set apart for the cantata performers, and here the organ will be placed. The fancy grotto will be very attractive. A stream of water issues from the left hand side, and a cascade is arranged on the right hand side, pear which, in a deep recess, is a fantastic waterfall. Entrance to the fernery is gained by an elliptical arch 20ft wide, from which numerous baskets of vegetation will be suspended. In the open space allotted to implements is erected a tank stand of considerable altitude, containing four tanka, from which the fountains will be supplied by water pumped up by force pumps worked by motive power. A shed has been erected by special arrangement in the open space allotted thereto, for which an extra charge is pjadeto the exhibitors, in one corner of which is placed the machine for electrical lighting, under the charge of Mr Meddings, power for winch is supplied by the engine driving the machinery ; the light will be used on special occasions. The open spaces for machinery will be lighted by rows of gas lamps. A certain space on the north east side of the great transept will be devoted to the sale of nicnacs, whilst a space will be allotted to specimens of waxwork and artistic glass work on the north-west, outside the concert roem. The refreshment portions of the Exhibition building are situate as follows ; —Two bars, one in the Asiatic octagon, the other in the Auckland octagon, that is at the north and west ends of the buildings Ladies refreshment rooms, lavatories, etc., are situate at the same ends of the building, bnt are more within the general range of the courts. A wide avenue, called the Avenue of Nations, runs through the centre of the building from north to west and if upwards of 20 feet in width. In the centres of this avenue are the fountains, and in the main entrance there is also a handsome fountain, which has been placed at the disposal of the promoters by Messrs Scott Bros of Man cheater street. Very complete arrangements have been made by the Gas Company for lighting the building, the Chair man of the Gas Company agreeing to carry the whole of the fittings, mains, etc., to every required part of the builaing, so that the Exhibition will be thorouhgly lighted every evening from seven to eleven o’clock. It has been computed that the consumption of gas each night for the promoters’ purposes will range from 15,000 to 20,000 ft. The opening ceremony is fixed to take place on April 10th, when the following will be the order of the proceedings : 1 Hi* Excellency the Governor and suite

will be received at- the gates at 10 30 a m. punctually, and conducted to the dais in the concert hall by the Mayor and City Council of Christchurch, the committee of judging and awards, together with the promoters, the bands all playing the National Anthem, His Lordship the Primate of New Zealand will then read an inaugural prayer, after which the Artillery Band will play the “ Exhibition March,” specially composed for the occa* sion by Mr A Hamilton, bandmaster. The promoters will present an address to the Governor setting forth the objects of the Exhibition, and his Excellency, after replying, will declare the Exhibition open. The cantata (Mendelssohn’s ‘ Lobesgang’) will then be performed by over 100 voices, under the leadership of Mr H Wells, accompanied by the Austrian Band, which will also play the International Maich, composed by Herr Braun, while hia Excellency makes a tour of the Exhibition. At the entrance to each court he will be met by the exhibitors, who will be presented to him by the promoters. The proceedings will conclude with the National Anthem, The various friendly societies and trade organisations will form in procession, which promises to be one of the finest of the kind ever seen in Canterbury. Such up to the present is the history of the Exhibition, and it only remains to express a hope that it will meet with that success which it merits.

THE PROMOTERS,

The following are sketches of the lives of the promoters, Messrs Joubert and Twopenny : MR JOUBERT. Mr Jules Joubert, born at Oharente, in France, in 1824, is the youngest son of M. Alexis Auguste Joubert, an officer in the Imperial Navy, After being graduated at the College Royal Bourbon in Paris, he started from Brest in the French frigate Heroine. After visiting Madeira, Rio Janeiro, the Cape of Good Hope, Madagascar, Bourbou, and Mauritius, the Heroine called in at the Bay of Islands in 1840, when the young traveller left the Hereine and, under the charge of Rewa, the chief of the Karereka tribes, undertook to walk across to Hokianga to meet a vesrel bound for Sydney ; failing to meet the Deborah at Hokianga, he had to retrace his steps to the Bay, from which place he started sor Banks’ Peninsula in the Aube frigate, whose mission was the establishment of a French colony at Ataroa. In November, 1841, Mr Joubert arrived in Sydney in 1844 he was appointed Chancellor to the French Consulate, and held that position until the fall of the Bourbon dynasty in 1848, when he removed to South Australia, entering mercantile pursuits and land speculations. When the rush to the Victorian goldfields bomn.enced in 1851, Mr Joubert started for Mount Alexander, where, for two years he managed the construction of public works contracted for by Mr Mather, C.E., as well as carrying on business at Sawpit Gully. In 1853 Mr Joubert paid a visit to New Caledonia, and also visited New Guinea, Borneo, and the various islands north and north-west of Australia. In 1867 he undertook the management of the Agricultural Society of New South Wales, as secretary, and initiated Industrial Exhibitions in Australia. The success of the first attempt in the Prince Alfred Park, in 1868, led him to plan out and suggest the erecting the permanent building, which cost £27,000 In 1877 Mr Joubert suggested and planned the Great International Exhibition, based on the co-operative system the then Government appointing the projector of this great scheme Secretary of the Royal Commission for the Paris Exhibition, Whilst in Europe he actively canvassed the representatives of the narious nations represented at the Great Wor d’s Fair, and to him and Mr G C Levey are due to the success of the Sydney and Melbourne Exhibitions. A change of Government, however, caused the removal of Mr Joubert from the active management of the New South Wales International Exhibition and the overthrow of the principles instituted by the promoters, hence the financial failure. It is a known fact that both the Sydney and Melbourne Exhibition, although in every othersespect beneficial to Australia, have left a deficit of upwards of a quarter of a million sterling, whereas the subsequent Exhibitions of Adelaide and Perth, undertaken and managed as a private enterprise by Messrs Joubert and Twopeny, have enabled the bold promoters to come to New Zealand with sufficient means to undertake the great outlay of the Christchurch Exhibition —with a sanguine hope of success, which we fully endorse. Whilst in Paris, in 1878, the President of the French Republic conferred on Mr Joubert the Knighthood of the LeSion of Honor for services rendered, amongst others for the warm feeling he evinced towards the victims of the great and disastrous flood which plunged several of the Southern provinces of France in utter destitution in 1871, at the closing of German war. On receipt of the cablegrams of this disaster Mr Joubert, unsolicited, made a house to house collection in Sydney, and remitted by cable. £I2OO for the relief of his distiessed countrymen, this remittance reaching Varsailles within one week of the disaster, and being actually the first relief received, though coming from the Antipodes.