13

H.—s

specimens in natural history. When he has completed the setting up of the skeletons of the Moas forwarded by Dr. Haast, this will be quite unique of its kind. The thanks of the Colony are due to Mr. Philip Cunliffe Owen, the indefatigable Secretary to the Koyal Commission, for the great pains taken by him to secure every advantage for the Colonies'. Indeed, it was through his exertions that I was enabled to be of somewhat more service to New Zealand than might otherwise have been the case. We are also much indebted for the early attractiveness of our Court to Dr. Featherston and Mr. Buller, who have obtained many articles of importance for exhibition from friends of New Zealand in Great Britain. The careful classification by Dr. Hector of many of the specimens sent direct from the Colony naturally calls for attention, as it increased their educational value, and prevented an otherwise unavoidable loss of time in unpacking and rearranging them. I left Vienna on May 11th, and returned to England with the strong impression that the New Zealand Court at Vienna would be far from the least interesting part of the most magnificent Exhibition that the world has yet seen. I may perhaps be allowed to suggest that many articles exhibited by the Government and by individuals, which have little or no intrinsic worth, would be highly valued by museums and scientific societies, and that it would be a graceful recognition of their courtesy to us, as well as useful to the Colony, if they were presented through Professor Yon Hochstetter to the various institutions of this kind in Vienna. Botanical, inineralogical, and zoological specimens, and collections of raw material might thus be utilized. Trusting that I may have fulfilled the honorable duties intrusted to me by the Colony to the satisfaction of the Government, I have, &c, Charles CLirroaD. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington, N.Z.