The Westport Times. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1872,

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1016, 25 October 1872, Page 2

The Westport Times. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1872,

It has beeu proposed that an Inter provincial Exhibition of Colouial products shr.ll ho held at Christehurch, about the middle of December next, and that from the exhibits there displayed, a selection shall bo mado and sent home to the Vienna Ex. hibitiou, which according to present intentions, will be opened in May next; thus giving effect to a recommendar tion some time since made by -Dr Featherstone the Agent-General for the Colony. The Canterbury people are going heart and soul into tho matter, and have appointed n General Committee of management to make arrangements for the exhibition, and to also arrange for the appointment and co-operation of subcommittees throughout the various provinces. The idea is good beyond all question, from whatever point of view it may be considered. Is'ew Zealand is still to nine-tenths of the people of a terra Incognita, or at the best, known only as the baUle field of ruthless among whom scanty bands of pioneer white Bottlers

maintain a perilous abiding place. In Britain the efforts of tho AgentGeneral and his various emigration agents, have no doubt assisted in some measure in creatine; a truer impression regarding the Colony, but the very fact that emigrants need coaxing, persuasion, and almost bribes, to come out to New Zealand, proves that something more attractive than mere descriptive or official information is needed to remove the prejudice still existing in the mother country against New Zealand as a field for emigration. The same lack of knowledge prevades on the continent of Europe, and, to dispel this ignorance, no better plan , could be devised than to follow in the wake of Victoria, New South Wales, ■South Australia, Queensland and , Tasmania, and exhibit in palpable and uuinistake'able form and substance, evidences of the rich spoils of this ■ Britain of the South, her treasures of the soil, the rocks, and the sea. Assuming- that the Canterbury Committee of management will seek to co-operat e with all communities forming the centres of either manufacturing or mining industry, the South-west Goldfields will certainly he enabled to contribute exhibits at once attractive and valuable, not merely from a local point of view, but as proving beyond all question the vast general resources of the Colony. Woods \i e have in every variety of grain and substance, coal and shale in abundance and quality that would astonish home consumers, even as it now astonishes the JSTew Zealand and Australian public ; glittering specimens -of our gold impregnated rocks would gladden the eyes of admiring thousands, and give proof more convincing in NewZeaknd's favor than the eloquence of a thousand tongues, the very sand from the sea shore would yield favorable testimonv. In fact it may be fairly questioued whether any part of New Zealand 1 could furnish a collection of exhibits of more intrinsic worth or sterling attractiveness than the South-west Goldfields, and jit will be a most unpardonable error if by any mischance they are allowed to remain unrepresented. As a shoi-t time only remains for the preparation of exhibits, it is desirable that the Canterbury Committee should communicate with residents on the Coast willing to take action herein, giving information regarding the objects admissible for exhibition, their classification, and the mode of transit to be observed in conveying them to Christchurch. It is scarcely possible the public on the Coast will be apathetic in the matter. If the selection of products to be sent from hence never travelled beyond Christchurch, their exhibition there would be productive of very excellent results. Even in New Zealand the IN el son Goldfields are not nearly so well known as they should be. Canterbury and Otago men have very hazy ideas of geographical positions beyond the boundaries of their own provinces, and it is not difficult to find in either scores upon scores of intelligent men who hardly know whether the Buller river is in the North or South Island. The exhibition, as proposed, will awaken enquiry and doubtless stimulate enterprise in this direction. Erom the published conditions under which the Vienna exhibition will be conducted it appears it will be opened on the Ist of May and close on the 31st October. 1873 ; and that lists of exhibitors and details as to space required must be sent in to the general manager before Ist January; but the difficulty thus presenting itself iu the ease of New Zealand exhibits will be obviated by the Agent-General applying for a certain space on behalf of the 'New Zealand Government, and thereafter arranging for the display of exhibits therein. There is thus no insuperable obstacle to prevent the Christchurch exhibition being a success, or to prevent the Colony being worthily represented at Home.