NEW ZEALAND AND THE PHILADELPHIA EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4425, 19 January 1876, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND AND THE PHILADELPHIA EXHIBITION.

Alhottgh there something He absolute indifference shewn by Auckland in connection with the Exhibition at Philadelphia, in celebration o£ the hundreth anniversary of American Independence, the interests of the colony have not been neglected. The Exhibition opens the 10th of May. The following gentlemen were appointed Commissioners for New Zealand ; on. W. B. D. Mantell (chairman), Hon. W. Gisborne, W. H.Levin, Esq.,, D- Mclntyre, Esq., J. Hector, Esq., C.M.G., F.E.S., with special power to represent the colony at Philadelphia. The exhibits which have been collected arrived on Monday by the Hawea, in charge of Mr. A. T. Bothamley, who has been for some time connected with the Colonel Museum, and who has been appointed to proceed to Philadelphia, and there to meet Dr. Hector, who is now in London. By the City of San Francisco there will be despatched 42 eases of miscellaneous exhibits for the tion. The chief part of the exhibits come from the South. Among the most important is a very fine collection of gold specimens of all descriptions collected by the ifnnlr of JS T ew Zealand for the Exhibition Commissioners. The Maori part o e population shew up well in a number of their weapons, ornaments, carvings, and other curiosities. Exhibits of corn, and other seed, flour, coal, rope, wool, &c., will well display the capabilities o£ the colony to our cousins over the water. In addition to the numerous collections sent f rom " 10 colony we understand that Dr. Hector has been appointed a special Commissioner to collect exhibits that relate to New Zealand in England, and also to procced to i luladelphia and be present as the representative o£ the colony at the opening o£ the -kxliimtion. "We regret that among all the exhibits this "province is only represented by afew gallons of petroleum from Poverty Bay, and some kauri gum. The last date for receiving articles at the Exhibition is 31st March, 1876, so now it is too late to repair the omission of this province to shew what it can do. We tlimk this is very much to_ be regretted. The colony is paying heavily to open, up direct communication with America, and Auckland, ought to have made strenuous endeavours to ! have had a full representation of its products, several of which are peculiar.