SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 385, 28 June 1879, Page 19

SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

Exhibits for the Sydney International !‘Exhibition are coming in rather slowly, the principal ones that have yet been received at tlie depot, St. George’s Ilall, being some cases of coal from the Buller mine, and a number of blocks of Mr. O’Neill’s Caithness flagging, the latter having been sent in yesterday. Then; are also in the hall some samples of grain and flour. We learn, however, that fifteen cases of various exhibits are on their way from Invercargill, twenty-three from the Thames, and a few from Taranaki. The Government have promised a Maori house from Whakatane, which is daily expected to arrive at the depot. The space allotted to New Zealand in the Exhibition is now nearly filled up, and we would therefore point out t® intending exhibitors the necessity of forwarding their goods as speedily as possible, more especially as the time up to which they can be received is drawing to a close. We in'iv mention that amongst the intending exhibitors is Air. G. 1). ihirrivid, who will forward some of his flue paintings of West

Coast sceuery. Four pictures have already been finished, and may be soen at Mr. Barraud's show-room, Lambton-quay. Two are oil paintings, representing views of Mitre Peak, in Milford Sound ; and Hall's Arm, Doubtful Sound ; and the other two are water-colored representations of Dusky Sound and “Wet Jacket" Point respectively. Each of the pictures is an admirable work of art.

The following letter, addressed to Dr. Hector, C.M.G., Wellington, under date Sydney, 4th June, has been received from Mr. Augustus Morris, Secretary to the Sydney Commissioners :

“Sir, —i have the honor to inform you that there will be shown, in operation, at the Exhition, machinery, and a method on a working scale for extracting the precious metals, not only from untreated tailings, but also from those which have been treated by the ordinary processes, and in which a notable percentage of gold or silver has been left. There is every reason to believe that the machinery and method referred to will save at least 50 or 60 per cent, of the gold left in tailings which have gone through the grinding operation of machines such as Wheeler’s or Berdan’s pans, or of airastras. The process is a cheap one, and does not necessitate the use of smelting or reverberating furnaces, and it ought greatly to increase the production of gold in New Zealand. I have b*-en applied to by the in vontors to ask the New Zealand Commission, and, through it, private persons, to forward samples of not less than lcwt. each lor treatment at the Exhibition. Those samples are most sought after from which in practice it has been found most difficult to extract the gold. The operations will he conducted under the supervision of officers of the Commission, aod careful analyses of the tailings will be made in all stages. There will be no charge, but it is proposed that the gold extracted should he retained by the owners of the exhibited machinery. It has been explained to me that as different samples of tailings may require in some respects different, although equally inexpensive, treatment, that 20ths of each, whether previously treated, or untreated tailings containing payable quantities of gold, should be forwarded beforehand, so that an analysis of each may be made beforo the Exhibition opens. If these samples are sent to me I will have them forwarded."

Although, some short time back, we had occasion to complain of the easy way in which the members of the Local Exhibition Committee appeared to be taking things, it affords us much pleasure to learn that things have very much improved since then. Mr. Grant, whose services were lately secured, is busy at work, and is sanguine that before another week shall have elapsed, a fair quantity of exhibits will be stored in St. George’s Hall. A large number of application forms have be filled in, and it is probable Wellington will manage to secure a share of the honors to be awarded in the capital of New South Wales.