OUR MINING EXHIBITS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9130, 11 August 1888, Page 5

OUR MINING EXHIBITS.

& MEETING OF THE GOLDFIELDS'

COMMITTEE.

WITNESSES EXAMINED.

THE "HERALD'S" COMMENTS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

Wellington, Friday. The Goldfieldo' Committee obtained permission to sit to-day for the purpose of taking evidence on this matter. Mr. Seddon presided. The evidence of Mr. Tolliurst (chairman of the commission), Mr. George (secretary of the commission), Mr. Gordon (of the Mines Department), and Mr. Brown (Mayor of Wellington) was taken.

The general tone of tiie evidence, I am informed, was to the effect that the money voted for the Melbourne Exhibition was insufficient, and the commission, therefore, could not purchase exhibits of the several classes, though they could not otherwise be procured. There were stringent instructions given by the Government that the vote of CS.IOO should not be exceeded. As a matter of fact the vote is now considerably exceeded. There has been no communication between the Commission and the Mines Department as to the former desiring the assistance of the latter. The Mines Department itself furnished the whole of the exhibits which were shown at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, and has yet a number of exhibits which have not yet been forwarded. The samples of gold which were exhibited at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, and which were collected by purchase from the different centres of the colony, were, it seems, returned to Wellington, sold by the Government, and converted into cash. No attempt has been made to replace these samples, and so far as samples of gold are concerned, the colony is not represented, though it is by auriferous specimens. In conversation with a prominent goldfield member on the subject to-day, he informed mo that the general opinion of the gold fields' members is that from a museum" point of view the mineral resources of the colony are fairly well represented, but that from a commercial and mining st andpoint, it will be found that the strictures of the Herald's correspondent will bo substantially borne out. From what I can understand, one phase of the difficulty arises from the fact that Sir James Hector will "boss" the show, and will accept of no advice or suggestions, still less permit of any interference. He is an officer appointed by Act, and practically the Government have little or no control over him.

Mr. Toliiurst, chairman of the Commission, lifts written to the Minister for Mines to the following effect: —"I beg to state that a month ago His Excellency the Governor, the president of the Commission, cabled to the Executive Commissioner to ascertain if tho exhibits showing the resources of the colony were all that were to be desired, and, if not, what more were wanted ; and received a reply to the effect that they were so, and that the only thing needed was the wool exhibit in the coming season."