THE NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTH SEAS EXHIBITION

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2726, 2 January 1890, Page 2

THE NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTH SEAS EXHIBITION

THE AUCKLAND IiXHIKITS. (FROM OCR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Dunedin, December 23. I do not think I can do better than to .•ouiinence in this letter a detailed description of the exhibits from your district. I nail not be able to complete the description this week, but will do so in my next, vlr Holland, the official agent for Auckland, has treated ma with every courtesy md given me every assistance to quench the devouring thirst for knowledge which consumes every special correspondent. The iirst thing to be seen of the Auckland Court is a great arch, the columns of which ire composed of pieces of kauri gum. Fhis has a capital effect from a little diaance. The bases are of coal and the sediment of flax, with the arms of the City if Auckland on the facia. Sage-green jurtaios festoon the arch and take off any mgularities. On the left within the arch ire the Auckland offices, small but convenient. The walls of the offices are covered with photographs of tun Auckland iistiict by Joshua Martin {who obtained lie gold medal at the last Paris Exhibi•lon), and prominent amongst them is an vrg-mtic enlargement of Sir George Grey. Che photographs, besides views of Auck»nd, include magnificent pictures of t'irt Hor. Lake- district, the great Wai--au Falls, Waitakerei I'ulis, the Te Aroha Hot Springs, Tarawera Valley, Pink and White Terraces, Rotomahana (oeforethe eruption), views of Miori life ind manners, views all round Taupo, and she roads to it, etc. A stand on which the Vuclclnuii papars are piled after each mail s another prominent featuie. The first t>ay on the left is occupied by Messrs E. vti'chelson and Co., with exhibits from tiieir New Zealand Varnish Works. Here ■re shown simples of the various products f the factory, in their packages as usually ■ent out, iu glass show bottles, and in a Wwn of glass tubes placed in a handsome frame, in sich a way that the light shines through them and gives a true idea of their colour. There is also shown a niagnificient collection of kauri gums arranged in their various grades from the pale, clear, transparent specimens of the very best down to the darkest and cheapest vaiieties. Carved kauri gutn is also shown as well as some monster specimens. Nor is this all, on the ways is exhibited a groat variety of woods treated with the company's varnishes, the body of a gig, buggy wheel, door, mantel-piece, balustrades, and a number of other wooden goods, to illustrato the qualities of the varni.-h. The whole bay is most tastefully fitted up, and has a bell-tent top which sets it off >ery well. The next bayis that of the Kauri Timber Company. The back of the bay is entirely filled with two colossal kauii boards half varnished and half plain. Doors, mantels, table.legs, balustrades, &c, of the Company's kauri are also exhibited and look remarkably well. A curious exhibit is that of an old kauri door which for 50 years delied the battle and the breeze in an old mission house in the Auckland district and is now as whole and uncracked aR on the day upon which it was put up. The Otiehunga Iron Works Company come next, with a bay illustrative of their manufacture of iron. The walls are lined with bars, rods, raii»,' shafting bands, etc., of Onehu'oga iron. This looks to he of first-rate quality, as is also the sheet-iron, which is said to be the first made in the colony. In the centre of the bay is a large exhibit of pig-iron, and iron in various stages of its manufacture. There is hardly enough of the raw material —iron-sand—to interest the casual visitor, this exhibit being confined to a smiul box, put with a box of pipe-clay to balance it. A prominent feature is a case of small objects, such as horse-shoes, bolts, etc., made from Onehunga iron. Next comes a i large bay of miscellaneous goods, the first prominent object in which is a ease containing the manufactures of the Auckland Roller Mills Company (Limited). Here are specimens of their patent brands of flour — Premier, Standard, Housewife's Piide and Daisy. Samples of very fine wheat, semolina, porridge meal, and, specimen bags of the product complfij* the filing of the ease. And here, like a I must break off, "to be continueSTii'-Our next."