Wellington Local Industries Exhibition.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3869, 24 May 1881, Page 2

Wellington Local Industries Exhibition.

* THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH

The Wellington Industrial Exhibition was opened by His Excellency yesterday afternoon. The exhibits were very numerous. In reply •to - an address of the President, his Kxc^feo&y v said : Gentlemen, I am far front thinking any apology necessary lor your request' that I should be present at the opening of this exhibition. On the contrary, lam grateful to you for the wish that I should take a part in the proceedings, and be associated with you in your undertaking. Such exhibitions must always in a new and rising country, be attended with pecu liar interest, not attaching to perhaps more dazzling displays of larger exhibited communties. We see in- them the first tentative steps taken to ascertain what are, indeed, the industries, for which the locality is really suited, or which will eventually augment in no inconsiderable degree the wealth of the colony, and gire employment to those of its population who are not engaged in agricultural or pastoral occupation. Therefore, this can be effectually done. However, feelers will, no doubt; be' "thrown out in many directions without success. This is inevitable, and it is important to remember that probably no industry can obtain, and that certainly none deserve' success, unless able to command it, without permanent reliance on artificial aids. The existence of manufacture, which can only be secured by ex lusion of all foreign competition, with the article produced; is a direct injury to the p-ople at large, and questionable beuefit to the pro* ducer himself. Young, however, as New Zealand is, she already possesses industries'which may now fear nothing from external rivalry, and I have it en good authority th-it her woollen manufactures very closely contested with the vineyards of Australia for the imperial prize awarded at the late Melbourne Exhibition for the most successful enterprise of colonial industry. .The articles of her collection will no doubt afford material for thought and enquiry, and I trust their exhibition may tend to promote the development of the vast resources of the colony. _^_______ 11 __