A Conversazione was held at the Tuam Street Hall, on the 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th of August, 1886, in aid of the Funds of the Industrial Association of Canterbury, established 1879. (Founded to Foster and Encourage the Industries and Productions of New Zealand.) Music, Science, Art, Exhibits of Local Manufactures, and Industrial Appliances in operation.

The Tuam street Hall last night was crowded, and no doubt will be again crowded to-night and to-morrow, with visitors to the Industrial Arts Conversazione, organised for the purpose of raising funds for the Industrial Association. The number and excellence of the collection brought together provoked general admiration, and the tasteful arrangement of the hall and stage greatly enhanced the general effects. All concerned may be congrattilated upon the success which has crowned their efforts. A detachment from the City Guards had been told off to do honour to the occasion, and their bright uniforms in no small degree added to the coup [unclear: dievl]. Shortly after half-past 7, Mr. H. B. Kirk, the President of the Association, appeared on the stage with his Worship the Mayor, and was received with applause. Mr. Kirk then spoke to the following effect: In asking the people to come to the conversazione, the Committee had thought it desirable that he should say a few words, which ho would make as brief as possible, to explain the history and work of the Industrial Association. First of all, a few gentlemen had banded themselves together in the year 1879 to consider some plan by which the industries of the community could be increased, so as thereby to create more employment for the people. The result of their deliberations had been the formation, on August 12, 1879, of the Industrial Association, the object of which was to foster and encourage the industries and productions of the country in every legitimate manner. The first President had been Mr. Robert Allan, under whose management the Association had done a fair amount of good work. From that time to this the Association had been working Bteadily in the endeavour to get the Government and public bodies to have all their work done in the Colony. The Association had worked so successfully that the present Government were having made, over and above the locomotives, £100,000 worth of articles, for which previous Governments had been in the habit of sending out of the Colony. This, of course, had created a large amount of work, and, therefore, the Association felt justly gratified that their work had not been in vain. But the grand object of the Association was to educate the people of the Colony to consume nothing but what was made or produced in the Colony. (Applause.) As soon as the people could be got to depend upon nobody but themselves, they would then, and then only, become a prosperous Colony. The Committee of the Association thought that such exhibitions as the present were lessons whereby they could teach the people what the object was they had in view. The exhibition showed page 12 what wort was being done, and showed some industries actually in operation. This last was a great inducement to people to use what they saw actually made. Before concluding he would say that the Committee wished him to convey their thanks to the ladies and gentlemen who had so generously come forward to their assistance. With these few words, he had very much pleasure, on behalf of the Association, in asking his Worship the Mayor to declare the conversazione open. (Applause.)

His Worship the Mayor was sure all present would believe him when he told them that it afforded him the very greatest possible pleasure to comply with the President's request. It gave him the greatest pleasure, because what he saw before him was a very remarkable instance of what could be done in a young country. Not that ho thought it as remarkable as it ought to be. It was remarkable, notwithstanding, if considered under all aspects. That the Province had not made greater progress was due to causes easily explainable. That it had made vast progress was self-evident. A number of the ladies and gentlemen present could call to mind the struggles of what were termed local industries, and what had been tor some distance back their chequered career. The reasons for that had been, on the one hand, the very prosperity of the place. From its first history the community had not been called upon to be as self-reliant as it might have been. Here, in the early days, riches had been inherent, so to speak, in the place, and could be gained almost without effort. The land revenue had taught the people to feel rich without any effort, and all were prepared to send their wealth away to buy what they required. The people, however, had now come to a period of stern necessity, when it was the duly, and should be the privilege, of every citizen, to put his shoulder to the wheel to obtain wealth to he produced by himself. He thought he could congratulate the community on having come to the dawn of a better doy. The position their exhibits had taken in London was an augury of future prosperity, provided they did their utmost to deserve it. He agreed with the President that it was the duty of every citizen to use everything that could be produced in the Colony, eveu if called upon to give a little more for it, for it was a most foolish policy to send out of the Colony for what could be produced here, and so to rob our children of the wealth that was ours by right. He was quite satisfied that those present had not come there to hear a speech from him. He could say much more on the subject if his feelings were the gauge of the length of his speech, but the inspection of the vast array of specimens of local industry would better occupy their time. Those specimens reflected the highest credit upon some of the producers, who had spent almost their last shilling in producing them. He had now very great pleasure in declaring the conversazione opened, and in wishing it the utmost possible success in every sense of the word.

During the evening an attractive programme o£ music, &c., was given. The Garrison Band contributed a number of well executed instrumental selections; the Misses Wood played nicely some pianoforte pieces; Miss Button and Messrs. Meares, Reid, M. E. and A. W. Woodward, sang some popular songs, many of which were encored; Messrs. Ingleson, Scott, and T. Williams gave humorous, and Mr. Davidson declamatory, recitations, which were loudly applauded.