The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Thursday, June 12, 1890. THE “WORLD’S FAIR.”

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 466, 12 June 1890, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Thursday, June 12, 1890. THE “WORLD’S FAIR.”

Be lust and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim’st at bo thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth’s.

SO far as Exhibitions in the outer world are concerned, the New Zealand representation has generally proved a miserable farce. The poor show made by the colony has only served to retard, and not advance, its interests. Some old fossils have always had a hand in pulling the strings, and in place of New Zealand being represented as she is, a marvel of progress in the industrial line, there have been the most pitiable attempts to get up a kind of old curiosity shop, in which the savages of other days have been made to appear as though they were of the present—a kind of muddled up representation of semicivilisation and ancient savagery. Large sums have been squandered on such tomfoolery, and New Zealand has never yet been fairly represented at any large Exhibition. What occurred at Melbourne must still be fresh in the memory of those who took the trouble to pay attention to such matters. The recent Exhibition at

Dunedin, being well managed, was very successful, but it was really no more than a local show, the object of which was to attract visitors to our shores.

If it is worth while bothering at all in trying to get the colony represented at the international Exhibitions, it is worth doing the thing well. A miserable show only serves as a reflection to the discredit of the colony-—not only does no good, but contributes much to our disadvantage, as strangers naturally conclude that, to use a vulgarism, “ our best leg has been put forth/’ and they view with contempt a place represented so poorly. Now, thequestion has beenasked, what action does New Zealand intend to take regarding the great Exhibition to be held at Chicago in 1892 ? It it is intended that anything should be done, it is nope too early for us to set our minds to the consideration of the best means of achieving our purpose, and not on this occasion allow the colony to sink into a fit object for the contempt of all who have had no other opportunity to see it than through what may be called Exhibition glasses. There is good reason for supposing that the Chicago World’s Fair will eclipse anything of its kind previously witnessed. It is ’intended to try and outshine the brilliant Exhibition which the Americans have already made, and there is a fine spirit of emulation the outcome of which, it is confidently asserted, will be to completely throw into the shade the mammoth Exposition at Paris. The Americans have so often given practical proof of their wonderful powers of organisation that there can be no doubt concerning their ability to overcome the task which they have in this instance set themselves. The city of Chicago itself has guaranteed ten million dollars, and this guarantee has been supplemented by an equal sum from Congress. Will it be worth the attention of New Zealanders? We say most decidedly it will, and that it is time to be moving in the matter. There should be something more than a spasmodic attempt made at the last moment, and controlled by a few gentlemen who are capable enough in their own spheres, but are entirely out of place when denuted to attend to a representation of the colony’s resources. A lot of curios, Maori mats, etc., do attract a certain amount of attention, and so do nicely arranged geological exhibits, but not the attention of the class of people who are wanted in New Zealand. It is the attention of men who are likely to come and invest in the colony, to develop its resources, and, in seeking their own interests, help to redeem the colony from its present stagnated condition. The thing should be done for an honest business purpose, and done in a competent, business-like way. By showing that we have confidence in ourselves, and that we have resources which justify confidence in our adopted home, we shall also inspire confidence in those whose co-operation would be very valuable at the present stage of the history of the colony. As the Wellington Post convincingly puts the matter: —Our object, as a colony, in taking part in any Exhibition should be to advertise the resources of the colony, and bring them under the notice of the classes most likely to assist in developing those resources. There is no good in attempting this in a half-hearted and retiring manner. We must show that we believe in ourselves, or we are not likely to inspire others with a belief in us. We must prove that we are in possession of resources which are worthy of the best attention of the classes under whose notice we wish to bring them, and we must show our own faith by advertising our wares in the most striking and attractive manner. Our Court at Chicago should, by pictures, by figures, and by material exhibits, set forth in the most glowing manner that New Zealand is a country which has broad lands to settle, and that these lands are capable of bearing rich harvests which are unequalled in any other country under the sun ; that our climate is unsurpassed, whether for agricultural or pastoral pursuits, or for the purpose of health, and that it embraces a range from temperate to semi-tropical; that our hills teem with mineral wealth of all kinds ; that our coalfields are widely distributed and practically inexhaustible ; that our forests are full of splendid timber ; that our seas teem with valuable fish, and that in New Zealand are all the elements of vast national wealth, awaiting development by the capital and labor which it is our purpose to attract. If we could bring all these facts prominently before the millions from all parts of the world who will visit Chicago during its Exhibition, the colony would be richly recouped for whatever expenditure it might incur in doing so. At Chicago we should endeavor to make such an impression as to our natural attractions and advantages las would turn the attention of tens of thousands to New Zealand as a suitable field for settlement and investment. The opportunity is a grand one, and we hope it will be taken advantage of. It has been suggested that Parliament should grant a sum of ,£25,000 for the purpose of ensuring a proper representation at Chicago, and if the management of the thing were entrusted to gentlemen whose ideas rise above the conception of an old curiosity shop, we think that the value of the money would be many times recouped. Even at this early period, too, we think it would be wise for the matter to receive local attention, so that this historical and infamously-named district may be creditably represented at the great World’s Fair which is to outshine all previous efforts in that direction.