280

Auckland Provincial Government Gazette.

Offices of the Victorian Commissioners

for the
Philadelphia Exhibition of 1876.

Melbourne, 12th Nov., 1874.

SIR,—

1. I do myself the honour to inform you that His Excellency Sir George Bowen has been pleased to
   Sir Redmond Barry, Chairman.
   issue a Commission addressed to the gentlemen named in the margin, " giving
   The Hon. J. J. Casey, M.P.
   " (us) authority to ascertain whether united action should be taken by all the
   The Hon. J. F. Sullivan, M.P.
   " Australasian Colonies, to secure their proper representation at the Philadel-
   The Hon. C. J. Jenner, M.L.C.
   phia Exhibition of 1876."
   James Munro, Esq., M.P.
   John McIlwraith, Esq.
   L. J. Sherrard, Esq.
   G. C. Levey, Esq., Secretary.

2. The Commissioners have adopted the belief that it is the desire of the
   inhabitants of New Zealand that the resources of that Colony should be repre-
   sented in America, the new field of contention, with the like success as has been heretofore achieved in
   Europe.

3. I may premise that it has appeared to the Commissioners desirable that an Inter-colonial Exhibition
   should be held preliminary to that at Philadelphia.

4. Representations have accordingly been made by them to the Government of Victoria. That
   Government have resolved to ask Parliament to grant £2,000 to erect buildings within the grounds of the
   Public Library at Melbourne. These, with the great Hall, the Rotunda, and the Annexe, will afford ample
   space for the purpose. £3,000 will be placed on the estimates to meet the expenses of the Inter-colonial
   Exhibition. The project is submitted as calculated to conduce to the accomplishment of several important
   results.

5. The first great purpose to be served is to secure the combination of the five Colonies already estab-
   lished on the Continent of Australia, and the co-operation of New Zealand and Tasmania, and to con-
   centrate their united exertions so as to impart to them the characteristics of a national movement.

6. By such a consolidation of the well-directed energies of the people (exceeding now two millions of
   souls), an economy of administration would be gained; a judicious selection of the objects most suitable
   for ultimate exhibition at Philadelphia might be made; of raw materials, types of the highest excellence
   would be assembled in groups distinguishing the zones of national production; the most approved works
   which denote the direction in which manufacturing ability, skill, and genius have been developed in the
   various centres of industrial enterprise would be brought together for comparison and exhibition.

7. A shipment of all of them at the same time from Melbourne, central and convenient for
   that purpose, would ensure the arrival of them together at the port of destination, and admit of their being
   placed in position simultaneously in one Court. Delays which have occurred in getting ready different
   Courts at Exhibitions held in Europe, so prejudicial to the reputation for activity and punctuality of certain
   classes of exhibitors, would be thus obviated, and an impression would be created at Philadelphia more
   striking, more effective, and more substantial than could be produced by the independent efforts of each
   isolated community.

8. The Commissioners consider, moreover, that such united action would tend materially to promote
   that mutual good understanding and those friendly relations which it is so desirable should on all occasions
   exist and be fostered by all Her Majesty’s subjects in Australasia.

9. In submitting these views, the Commissioners present merely an outline of the project, the details
   of which will be enlarged upon when they are favoured with your reply. The leading proposition is, that a
   Preliminary Exhibition should be held, at which should be displayed all the objects to be sent to America;
   that representatives of each Colony should jointly decide on the shipments of the objects to be sent, and on
   the steps to be taken to secure the greatest measure of success at Philadelphia, each colony bearing its own
   share of the expense of transhipment, and a proportion of the subsequent charges of administration in
   America.

10. Authorised as the Commissioners are by the terms of their Commission to address themselves to
    you, I beg leave to ask that you will consider the proposed undertaking, and that the Commissioners may
    be favoured with your early convenience with an expression of the views entertained by you and the members
    of the Government of New Zealand on the subject.

11. If disposed to concur and lend the benefit of your much-valued aid, you may probably deem it
    advisable to appoint a Commission of gentlemen empowered to act with the Commissioners of Victoria, as
    also to invite contributions to the Intercolonial Exhibition, and make the necessary arrangements for the
    ultimate transmission of the objects to Philadelphia.

I have, &c.,

(Signed) REDMOND BARRY,
Chairman.

The Honorable the Chief Secretary,
Wellington, New Zealand.