OUR MINING EXHIBITS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 859, 17 August 1888, Page 2

OUR MINING EXHIBITS.

(from our own correspondent. ) . 7 , /' Auckland, August 9.

The Herald, again speaking of the display of mining exhibits at the Melbourne Exhibition, says that the perusal of the catalogue will show that the Colony is most meagrely represented in this department. The article proceeds : “The matter is one of paramount importance and imperatively callsfor piompt, effectual action. Mr Seddon, we are glad to see, is again moving in his place in the House in the direction of securing something like an. adequate display of, the Colony’s mineral riches, and it is earnestly to be hoped that neither the Government nor .Parliament will permit themselves to be deceived by the rose-coloured representations of those anxious- to conceal their own wretched blundering and miserable failure. We —fAot.ii> ontiified that our corre.

(have c indemued the mining display in the New Zealand court in the terms he has done without the fullest justification, and if any proof were wa/ited that his statements aie warranted by it would, we venture to say, be found in the singularly lame and impotent conclusion arrived a. 1 ; by the meeting of the New Zealand Commissioners and their friends.- held in Melbourne - yesterday to consider" our correspondent’s \ allegations.” The Star also refers 3* the question in 7 a leading artiefe / to-night, an i says that Sir James H ectov’s statement that the report as to the failure o?the,-.mining exhibits originated-from mine 'speculators strengthens 'and confirms the crwnpli. ints instead of being a satisfactory reply' Ib ' the,m. . The Star goes on to say : “ The general public may be very well pleased with the; tout ensemble of the New Zealand court, which we believe to be one of f t>ie prettiest in the Exhibition, but if ‘mine speculators in Melbourne, who are legion" at present, express disappointment with the show of precious ores from New Zealand, it is a convincing proof that our exhibits aro verypoor indeed. A meeting of New Zealand Commissioners to the Exhibition, called for the purpose of defending themselves in the matter, has passed a resolution declaring the criticism of the mining exhibits to. be premature, as several cases, for that department are still unpacked. That is the merest claptrap, and a shuffling evasion of the question at issue. Any one has but to look at the iist of exhibits of ores and mining exhibits from New Zealand to be convinced that the display wll be bnt a fraction of whatit should be.” It is contended by the Star that the action of the Government in permitting the export of gold ores to the Melbourne Exhibition on the guarantee of the exporter to re-import or pay duty does not go far enough.

With reference to the alleged poor display of New Zealand mining exhibits at the Melbourne Exhibitiou we may mention that Mr James Hazle, a well-known West Coaster, wBo has been connected with mining since the first rush to Hokitika, ieturned last Friday b-y the Rotomahana from a trip to Melbourne. In an interview with him he informed our representative that from what he saw in the New Zealand Court'at the Exhibition the mining exhibits at present are a disgrace to this Colony. In his own words -be says i—- “ When I saw them I felt ashamed that I was a New Zealand colonist.:: The specimens shown are a puny lot, and are-eutirely unworthy of the Colony. They gave no idea of the mineral wealth of New Z. aland, especially the exhibits from the West Coast. 1 was simply disgusted at what L saw. ” ,