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Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 9173, 5 August 1890, Page 4

At the Mining Exhibition in the Crystal Palace, New Zealand does not seem to have put in an appearance. During the opening proceedings, at all events, there was not one word about our Oolony—not one mention of tbe name of Now Zealand. That is the impression we got from the cable message describing tbe opening ceremony. Sir Arthur Blyth spoke about his Colony, other Agents-General mentioned the glories of theirs, the gem of the whole collection was the mineral exhibition from New South Wales. The Government of the mother Colony understand fully the great advantages of displaying the resources of the Colony to the utmost advantage. When

exhibitions first became fashionable they collected a splendid exhibit of minerals. At each succeeding the| added to the original stock, until a| last they have come to possess a coll lection unrivalled on the face of th® earth. This is the collection whiol| worthily represents the mother Colon in the Crystal Palace at the present| moment. | Naturally everybody thinks NeW'j South Wales is the richest of all the ■ mineral countries of the Australasian group. No one denies the conclusion in fact. Sir Arthur Blyth, of South Australia, takes the bull bravely by the horns, and claims the richest deposits as in reality belonging to his Colony. The distinction ho draws between the ties which are merely geographical and those which are commercial and financial, is very fine in its way. He has, perhaps, an equally fine explanation of how a Colony extending from Spencer Gulf to Port Darwin is entitled to be called South Australia. The comment, no doubt, will be, “ See how these Australians love each other.” Prom which there will be facetious conclusions about Colonial Federation and other things.

But that is not a conclusion which need interest us. The conclusion for us to consider is that the visitors to the Exhibition will decide in their own minds that there are no minerals in New Zealand. The value of an advertisement is apparent to all advertisers, and to all non-adver-tisers. The former reap a profit; the latter bear a loss. New Zealand not having advertised herself is in for a loss. The mineral wealth of our country offers the highest temptation to the capitalist and the worker in metals. But if no attempt is made to instruct these people as to the value of our treasures which await the magic touch of capital, capitalist workers will stay away, and the solitudes of our mountain passes will continue in their present condition of solitude undisturbed. This, we suppose, is the policy of “ labour and wait.”