Otago Daily Times,

November 6, 1885.

The Wellington Exhibition.

The New Zealand Industrial Exhibition, which has been open since August 1, was closed last evening, when his Excellency the Governor and the Premier delivered addresses. The Governor, who was accompanied by Captain Barker (of the United States corvette Enterprise), Major Eccles, A.D.C., and Mr Pennefather, private secretary, arrived at the Exhibition at 8 o'clock. About 2000 persons were present. After the "Festival Chorus" had been sung,

The Hon. Mr Stout said: Before asking his Excellency to pronounce this Exhibition closed, it may not be amiss to refer very briefly to one use that we may make of this Exhibition. No doubt this Exhibition has brought before us in a prominent way the high state of efficiency to which many of our manufacturers have attained. It has also shown us the lines on which our manufactures are proceeding. It has been useful also in proving to us that in our struggle for material advancement we have not forgotten those things that tend to soften, sweeten, and humanise life. We have had in this building beautiful music, both instrumental and vocal. We have amateurs who by their acting and recitations have shown to us that in the highest kind of art, the dramatic, we are not without much talent in our population. Then a visit to the fine art gallery and the home industry branch proves to us that the fine arts have a home in our midst. I believe, however, that in this, as in everything else, we can only arrive at any result by comparing things and thinking of the past, and perhaps casting our mind's eye into the future; and on more than one occasion, when, walking through the Exhibition, I have been reminded of another Exhibition that was held in the Colony 20 years ago. I allude to the Exhibition held in Dunedin in 1865, and, in passing, I may say that the first of the commissioners in that Exhibition, and one who did so much for its success, is the same Dr Hector who has done so much for the present Exhibition. Then, in thinking of that Exhibition, one naturally thinks of the state of the Colony 20 years ago; and, if you pardon me for a few minutes, I shall bring out some of the points that in what is called "this depressed time" we are apt to forget. At that time—the end of 1864 (I prefer to take the statistics of 1864 and compare them with those of 1884)—we had a population in New Zealand of 184,131 parsons, including of course the Native race. But of that number 9136 were officers and men on military service, for we had then what might well be termed a standing army amongst us. Nowadays we are able to maintain the peace of the Colony with 300 Armed Constabulary, who do police duty in many instances as well, and are not all located in Native districts; and then if we look at the industries of the Colony that then existed, and the industries that now exist, I think they are sufficient to lire us with considerable hope for the future. What have we done in 20 years? In 1864 we had under cultivation altogether only 382,655 acres. That included in crops 110,533 acres, and in sown grasses 272,123 acres. We had in 1884 no less than 6,391,075 acres in crops and sown grasses—viz., 1,132,241 acres in crops, and 5,258,834 acres in grass, and during the 20 years we had given from the Crown for settlement purposes no less than about 14.000,000 acres. We had in wheat alone in 1884 nearly as much land as we had altogether in crops and grass in 1864—viz., 377,706 acres. Then if we look at our productiveness, it will be seen what great advances we have made. In 1864 we exported 16,691, 666lb of wool, and in 1884 81,139,0281b, so that side-by-side with the growth of agriculture, pastoral pursuits have also increased. Then in 1864 we imported 19,801 tons of flour, at a cost of £383,546; we imported 331,116 bushels of wheat at a cost of £129,186; and we imported 189,046 bushels of barley, at a cost of £8561; and 99,296 bushels of oats, at a cost of £24,746. Our exports of wheat and barley in 1864 were only nominal. In 1884, however, we exported 2,706,775 bushels of wheat, valued at £536,728; we exported 128,450 bushels of barley, at a value of £25,138; we exported 51,311 bushels of malt, valued at £ 14,665; and 2,474,613 bushels of oats, at a value of £67,286, whilst our imports of flour and wheat in 1884 were a mere bagatelle—flour and wheat and all grain not exceeding 20 thousand pounds worth. Then the general exports have risen in the 20 years from £3,401,667 to £7,091,691. Our shipping has largely increased, and I need not tell those of the audience who were in the Colony in 1864 of the difference of our steam communication, coastal, intercolonial, and direct. Before I leave the exports I may point out that our exports of timber have also risen largely. £24,771 was the page break value exported m 1864, now it has risen to £152,311, which was the value of the timber exported in 1884. The value of the potatoes exported has increased from £982 to £53,536; of kauri gum, from £60,590 to £342,151; and even in the export of oil there has been the same increase. The value of our exports in that have risen from £2945 to £7414. Then, if I take another test of our wealth, it will be seen how largely it has increased. The number of depositors in our savings banks in 1864 was only 4669, and the amount to this credit was £94,248 6s 8d; but now our depositors number 79,514, and the amount to their credit is nearly two millions. And the deposits in our other banks, too, have enormously increased, so that they now amount up to nearly 10 millions—namely, £6,043,956 bearing interest, and £3,328,048 not bearing interest. These are sufficient to show you the enormous advance that has been made in our material welfare. Now I must point out how we have advanced in other respects. Our live stock has increased in horses from 49,409 to about 170,000; our cattle from 249,760 to about 700,000; our sheep from 4,937,273 to 11,056,266; and our pigs from 61,276 to over 200,000. In 1864 we were importing not only flour awl wheat, as I have pointed out, and oats, but we were importing cheese and butter and bacon and hams. In fact we had to rely almost entirely on foreign countries for what we ate. I have stated what we have done in the matter of flour, wheat, and oats; what have we done in reference to dairy produce? Last year we exported of cheese and butter £9667 worth, while our imports were only £750 worth, and we exported of bacon and hams £12,433 worth, but these are what may be termed the first things that a young settlement will have to look to—namely, to provide for its food. But what has been done in reference to clothing? In the Exhibition of 1864 the whole exhibits of New Zealand manufactures could have been contained in three of the spaces occupied by the small factory, the Kaiapoi factory, and Hallenstein Bro.'s exhibits. But what do we see in this exhibition? In clothing all that could have been exhibited in 1864 were some blankets and heavy thick tweeds, manufactured with a hand-loom, I believe, by Mr Webley, of Nelson. Now we have tweeds exhibited here equal to any in the world, and not from one factory alone, but from several; and we see throughout the Colony that, so far as tweed factories are concerned, every large town will soon have a factory of its own. In machinery the contrast is enormous. As regards agricultural machinery, which is always the first machinery that has to be attended to in a new country, in 1864 there was only, I think, one exhibitor of a Colonial-made plough; and I believe there were some harrows from some manufacturers in Canterbury. Now we have agricultural implements equal to any in the world. Not only ploughs and harrows, but all those things that tend to economise labour, and to enable farmers to produce their products cheaply. And in general machinery the contrast is still greater. In 1864 there was practically no machinery manufactured in the Colony. There were a few exhibitors no doubt, but they were not manufacturers in the true sense of the term. I doubt even if there were imported into New Zealand any such kitchen ranges as are how exhibited by Scott Bros., of Christchurch, far less made in the Colony Then in furniture we were really almost entirely dependent on the imported articles. It is true a few cabinetmakers sent in tables that could be made out of New Zealand woods, but in 1864 there was no such thing as manufactories of furniture in the sense in which the term is now applied. Go through our furniture exhibits and you will see there exhibits that would not have disgraced an exhibition at Paris or Vienna. If we come to those things needed for household purposes, soap and candles for example, in 1864 there was no such thing as stearine candles, and all that was manufactured then in New Zealand were tallow dips and tallow moulds, and some common yellow soap. But now we can show the finest candles and the finest of soap. In leather, boots, shoes, and saddlery the advance has been enormous. In 1864 we imported roughly about £300,000 worth of leather, boots and shoes, and saddlery. In 1884, though our population has increased from 184,131 in 1864 to 608,401 persons, we have only imported £251,267 worth of leather, boots and shoes, and saddlery. And then we have begun to export leather to a very large extent. In 1864 there were only four exhibitors of leather and nine of saddlery and harness work, and the goods they exhibited were poor and small in number compared with what is seen in this Exhibition. In clothing, also, this Exhibition shows an enormous advance. In glasswork, in pottery, in preserved fruit, and a dozen of other things that I could mention, the exhibition shows that industries have taken such a hold on New Zealand that if there was a time which might be called the "whale-fishing" time, which afterwards passed into the pastoral time, then into the agricultural time, we might now fairly, looking at this exhibition, say that we have, at all events, begun the industrial era. And since I am showing how the Colony has progressed since 1864, I might point out how along with our material welfare other needs have been attended to. I need not tell you that in 1864 the railway system was only beginning. Something had been done in Canterbury and something in Southland. We have now 1527 miles of railway open. In 1861 we had only 295 post offices; we have now 969. In 1864 the total number of letters posted was only 2,112,771; now we have 16,611,959, including postcards, and our postal revenue has risen from £39,198 to £186,065, whilst I am happy to say that our expenditure has not increased in like proportion. There was a large expenditure in 1664, mainly through the heavy subsidies given for steam-service, amounting to £147,577. It only amounted to £161,070 for last year. The total miles travelled in our inland postal routes have risen from 676,507 to 329,501, and to show the effect of exchange in trade and commerce our money orders have risen from £16,592 to 186,052, and the amount from £78,557 to £572,666. Now as to our telegraph lines. In 1864 we had only 699 miles, now the length is 4264 miles. Then I might point out one thing that is of importance to show that though as a Colony we have increased in population more than treble in 20 years; although the births have kept about the page break same, I am glad to say that our death-rate has fallen. The number of deaths in 1864 was 2921, and in 1884, with more than three time the population, they were not doubled, but only 5740; or to take it per 1000, the rate in 1864 (excluding the military and their families) was 1615 per 1000, and in 1884 it was only 10 30. And what perhaps is still more gratifying, the number of persons committed to gaol in 1864 was 4114, while in 1884 it was only 5173. Had I time I might point out how our factories were increasing, how, if we compare even this exhibition with some held so late as 1881, there is an enormous advance. We have now some industries started that were not known then. We have in metal-working exhibits that would not disgrace Birmingham, Messrs Burt's metal works, gas chandeliers, and all things in metal working are equal to any that could possibly be imported; and when one mentions gas-chandeliers they must, however, remember that in 1864 there were not many towns in New Zealand that had the benefit of gas. We have new industries starting every day. We have here, I notice, carpets made in the Colony, and we have, I hope, in preserved fruit and preserved fish the hint, if I might so term it, of canning industries for this Colony. There are other exhibits in the Exhibition that call for our notice. I have already referred to the fine art gallery. It is true that there are some here who exhibited in 1864—the names of the Hon. Mr Richmond, and of Mr Gully, and of Mr Barraud were in the catalogue of 1861, but their pictures are grander than they were then, and our art gallery in this Exhibition shows that we have growing up amongst us young artists who will yet bring fame to themselves and fame to the Colony in which they live. I hope the statistics that I have given you of the progress we have made in 20 years will be an incentive to us to have hope in the future. If you had told the less than 5000 people who inhabited Wellington 20 years ago—for there were only 4741 people in Wellington then, if you had told them that 20 years hence there would be an exhibition like this, that their city would contain 22,757 inhabitants, that the population of the Colony would have trebled, and that it would have had the wealth that it, now possesses, I do not believe that you would have had a single one who would have listened to or credited your story. And I ask you, What may we not look forward to in 20 years hence in this Colony, with its climate, its resources, and its people? If this Exhibition can have had this one effect—if it can have helped us to feel confidence in ourselves, and confidence in our Colony, it would not have been held in vain, and I feel sure it will do much more. It will tend to make us brace ourselves anew for the perennial conflict of man with nature, so that he may do good to himself and to his surroundings, and good to those that follow him.

Mr Stout sat down amidst great cheering.

His Excellency also delivered an address, and then declared the Exhibition closed.

The number of persons who have been registered as visitors to the Exhibition since the opening day is 130,000. The largest attendance in any one week was the first week, when it was 15,302. The second largest was the seventh week, when 13,412 attended. In the singing contest for tenor voice E. J. Hill was awarded first prize, and for baritone or bass W. Widdop first prize; soprano or contralto, Miss Cherritt and Miss Stanford equal; comic, W. D. Lyon, j first prize.

The five gold medals allocated by Executive Committee for general collection and display were awarded as follows:—

Class 1.—Haw and manufactured products: J. Kitchen and Sons (Limited), Wellington.

Class 2.—Apparatus and process used in the mechanical industries: A. and T. Burt, Dunedin; North and Scoullar, Dunedin.

Class 3.—Textile fabrics and clothing: New Zealand Clothing Factory, Dunedin.

Class 4.—Alimentary products: The Gear Meat-preserving and Freezing Company of Wellington (Limited).

It is stated that there will be very little, if any, loss on the Exhibition, and that the amounts depend on what the building realises.

In connection with the exhibition the number of silver medals awarded to exhibitors in the general branch is 149, no fewer than 56 of which go to Wellington; Auckland takes 20, Canterbury 21, and Otago 19.

Silver medals accorded as special first prizes have been allotted as follows:—Mark Sinclair (Dunedin), combination buggy; S. Danks and Son (Wellington), brass binnacle; A. and T. Burt (Dunedin), coppersmith's work; A. Littlejohn and Son (Wellington), clock and regulator; H. E. Liardet (Wellington), feather, muff, cuffs, collars.