THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 9TH JULY, 1887.
773
During the year 1885, Australasia, with a population of 3,500,000 imported from Great Britain goods to the amount of £32,000,000. The United States, France, and Germany, whose combined populations number 133,000,000, imported during the same period, from Great Britain, to the amount of £53,000,000. Calculated at per head of the population, Australasia therefore imported nearly 23 times as much as the above-named countries combined; and this in addition to a large and increasing trade with other countries.
The mileage length of Railways opened for traffic in the Australasian colonies amounts to 7,700 miles, and when the lines further authorized and now in course of construction are completed, they will reach a total length of 10,000 miles.
Already the capital cities of South Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria are connected by railway, the distance from Adelaide to Sydney, via Melbourne, being 1,100 miles. Between Sydney and Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, a further distance of 710 miles, there remain only about 100 miles of railway to be constructed to connect the capitals of the four principal colonies, and as the construction of this portion is now being rapidly proceeded with, there will soon be uninterrupted communication between Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, a distance of 1,800 miles.
In view of the remarkable growth of Australasia in all things relating to population, production, and general distribution of wealth amongst all classes, the facilities for rapid, economical, and easy transit, and its many other advantages, the Commissioners confidently invite all desirous of extending their commercial relations with these rapidly-extending communities to exhibit the fullest and most complete representations of their Raw Products, Skilled Industries, and Arts, at the CENTENNIAL INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, MELBOURNE, 1888.
CENTENNIAL INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, MELBOURNE, 1888.
APPLICATIONS FOR SPACE.
1. Governments intending to take part in this Exhibition are requested to forward an intimation to that effect not later than the 31st August, 1887.
2. Applications for space, with full particulars, are invited as early as possible. Copies of the official form of entry can be obtained upon application to the Secretary to the Commissioners, through the representatives of the country or colony to which the applicants belang. In the event of no re- presentatives being appointed by the country or colony to which an intending exhibitor belongs, he can communicate direct with the Secretary. Applications for space should be made not later than the 31st August, 1887. Space assigned to countries and colonies, and not occupied on the 30th June, 1888, will revert to the Executive Commissioners, and will be subject to re-arrangement. Space will not be charged for, but power will be reserved by the Executive Commissioners to reduce the space allotted to any Government or any exhibitor, should they deem fit, at any time.
3. British, Foreign, and Colonial Governments, or Commissioners appointed by them, are re- quested to inform the Executive Commissioners, Melbourne, not later than the 31st December, 1887, whether they require any increase or diminution of the space offered them, and the quantity. They are also requested to state whether there will be any exhibits for which special space should be pro- vided, together with a description showing their nature and bulk.
4. Before the 31st May, 1888, the representatives of countries or colonies should furnish, for the approval of the Executive Commissioners, approximate plans, showing the manner in which they propose to allot the space assigned to them, together with lists of their exhibitors, and any other in- formation necessary for the compilation of the Official Catalogue. (Vide No. 13.)
SHIPMENT OF EXHIBITS.
5. Commissioners representing countries or colonies, and private exhibitors whose countries are not officially represented, but to whom space has been allotted, may adopt one of two courses, viz.:-
(a) They can ship their exhibits direct to Melbourne, and make their own arrangements for their
shipment, reception, and exhibition;
(b) Or consign their exhibits, freight and expenses prepaid, to
The Secretary,
Centennial International Exhibition 1888,
Melbourne, Australia,
with specific instructions as to what is desired. Where it is found necessary to incur expenses on exhibits consigned to the Secretary, such expenses will be a first charge on such exhibits.