OUR MINING EXHIBITS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9154, 8 September 1888, Page 5

OUR MINING EXHIBITS.

CONFERENCE WITH THE MINISTER

OF PUBLIC WORKS. A number of gentlemen interested in the question of a proper representation of the mining industry at the Melbourne Exhibition assembled yesterday afternoon at the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce, to meet the Hon. Mr. Mitchelson, Minister of Public Works. Beside the Minister, there were present: The Mayor (Mr. Devore), Messrs. Wilson (Mining Inspector), A. Porter, S. T. George, John Chambers. Mr. Porter drew the attention of Mr. Mitchelson to the fact that the Customs wanted a bond in respect to the specimens shipped to Melbourne, having received no instructions from the Government on the subject. Mr. Mitchelson said the matter had been brought before the Cabinet, and it was then undertaken that the specimens should go free of duty. He would arrange on this point with Mr. Hill, the Collector of Customs.

Mr. Porter pointed out that the ore sent had had to be boxed, some of it in town. The committee, which comprised three gentlemen then present, wished to know if they would have to pay this themselves. The cost of transit would be about £30 ? Mr. Mitchelson asked whether £50 would be sufficient? Mr. Porter: Yes. Mr. Mitchelson said that he would arrange that £50 would be given. Mr. Porter mentioned the Paris Exhibition, and thought they should at once get ready for it. The Mayor was about to proceed to Melbourne on Tuesday week, and the committee would empower him to interview the President of the French Court at that Exhibition, and would perhaps glean much valuable information. Mr. Mitchelson remarked that the French Consul at Wellington was impressing upon the Government the necessity of sending worthy exhibits to Paris. He asked whether it was proposed to prepare a fresh lot of specimens ? Mr. Porter said that it was. He produced a catalogue of the exhibits sent to Melbourne, and said that the Government had intimated that they would print it in Wellington. About 2000 copies would be required. Mr. Mitchelson asked how much would be required from the Government for the Paris Exhibition ?

Mr. Porter said he did not knew. The answer to this would depend on the Government themselves and upon the number of exhibits sent. What they desired was that the Government would advance the money to purchase the specimens, or, say, 75 per cent, of their value. Mr. Mitchelson : Don't you think some of the companies ought to advance this? It's advertising them. The Mayor thought that about £150 would meet all the expenses other than those incurred in respect to the specimens for the exhibition.

Mr. Mitchelson said that the only thing about which he could not give an answer, was the advance. He would wire to the Government on the question. Mr. George said he had written to the Goldfields Committee, pointing out that the Government had three or four assayers in their employ, and that it would not cost much if one of them was sent to the Melbourne Exhibition, and an assay department established there. His letter had been sent to the Government.

Mr. Mitchelson said he would also mention this matter in a communication to the Government.

OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE. [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Friday, The following is a copy of the official correspondence that has taken place in respect of the mining exhibits from New Zealand in the Melbourne Exhibition. The first letter is from Mr. Tolhurst to the Premier, as follows: —

Wellington, September 6, ISSS. Sir, — With reference to the alleged inadequacy of the Now Zealand exhibits at the Centennial International Exhibition, I have the honour to forward for your information a copy of a letter I have just received from the secretary of the New Zealand Commission, who is now in Melbourne, written in the absence of the Executive Commissioner, who was temporarily absent on a visit to Sydney, replying to the strictures which have recently been so freely made on the display in the New Zealand Court. It will be seen that the evidence furnished in this communication entirely exonerates the Commission and the officers acting for ic, from any blame for whatever shortcomings there may be in any section of our exhibits. It proves conclusively that telegrams and circulars were sent from Wellington to the various local committees throughout the colony, urging them to endeavour to secure exhibits of our manufactures, and of the mineral, pastoral, and agricultural products of the several districts, and it shows that at one place (the Thames) from which loud complaints have been made as to the inadequacy of our mineral exhibits, the greatest apathy existed, and that no exhibits were forwarded thence. Extracts from the Melbourne papers are furnished, showing that a very different view is entertained there from that expressed in recent telegrams from New Zealand visitors to Melbourne regarding the New Zealand Court, which is described as having ' the largest and finest collection of cereals in the Exhibition, the samples of which are not only numerous and excellent, but they are displayed to the best advantage.' Regarding the New Zealand coal supply, it is stated that ' Samples of the fuel there used may be seen in plenty in the New Zealand Court,' and eulogistic comments are also made on our mineral display. It seems clear that if the exhibits in any of the classes named are not what they should be the fault does not rest with the gentlemen who were appointed to collect and forward exhibits, nor with the Executive Commissioners, but is mainly due to the apathy and indifference of the public. If the same amount of interest that is now being shown had existed from the beginning New Zealand would have undoubtedly presented the finest display of any of the colonies represented at the Exhibition.—l have, &c., George Tolhurst, Acting Executive Commissioner in New Zealand."

The enclosure, a letter from Mr. O. Callis, secretary to the New Zealand Commissioners, to Mr. G. E. Tolhursfc, dated August 29th, says : —" The circular addressed by the Commissioners to be forwarded. to the Mayors, Chambers of Commerce, and Industrial Associations were forwarded in accordance with the instructions received, and in reply I beg to say that they were all fully addressed upon the subject of the Centennial Exhibition in January last, and that after the local committees were formed copies of all forms and regulations as issued by the Victorian Commission were immediately despatched to the various secretaries in Auckland, Gisborne, Napier, Wanganui, Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson, Grcymouth, Hokitika, Christchurch, Oamaru, Timaru, Dunedin, Invercargill, and Queenstown, and that an assistant was constantly at work in the secretary's office forwarding all such information, and that the Press throughout the colony was also included, which can be duly vouched for by Mr. G. S. Grey, the assistant employed under the writer's directions. I enclose a copy of a telegram forwarded to Grahamstown in January last, together with the reply, which will explain the reason for no appointment being made at the Thames ; in fact the same obstruction was experienced in pretty well every quarter, as the correspondence will prove. I also enclose copies of correspondence with the Mines Department, and beg to state that I called repeatedly at the Minos Department and inquired for Mr. Gordon, but he was always from Wellington, so that I could only state the object of my visit to the two juniors in the office. The Executive Commissioners will be returning from Sydney in a few days, and will then instruct me further with reference to other correspondence." Mr. Callis encloses telegrams to and from the mayors of corporations and chairmen of local bodies, from which I take the following:—Mr. A. Brodie, Mayor of Thames, replied as follows: "On receipt of your telegram called public meeting ; attendance so small will not warrant appointment of committee ; this feeling arises from the unaccountable manner the local commitee re the Colonial and Indian Exhibition treated, and the manner exhibits sent to previous Exhibition returned." There are also enclosed extracts ,

from Melbourne papers, and a letter from the Minister of Education of New South Wales (Mr. Inglis). He says: "I have seen enough of general arrangement of this (mineral) part of your collection to be able to say that a more comprehensive and typical array of specimens could not well have been brought together."

[by telegraph.— co:

Thames, Friday. With reference to Mr. Callis's communication re the non-representation of Thames ores at the Melbourne Exhibition, and published by the Press Association, Mr. Brodie, the Mayor, informs me that the reasons assigned by Mr. Callis are correct, but that, in fairness, Mr. Callis should have premised his statement by intimating that the liberal sum of £6 was the amount which the executive commissioners considered would enable a local committee to make provision for an adequate and suitable display of our great mining industry at the Exhibition.