11

H.—sa

On the 21st December the Wool Committee desired this Commission to nominate a juror, and Mr. Younghusband, Manager of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, in Melbourne, most kindly consented to act on behalf of New Zealand. On the 23rd December a full report was issued of the jury work executed, and about the same date the public papers announced that New Zealand had taken the three first awards for bulk beer ; this was the first notice issued of any awards, and drew considerable attention to the New Zealand court, in the Exhibition, and the City of Melbourne generally. Early in January the wool show was opened. The Editors of the public papers expressed themselves as follows with regard to the provision made in the Exhibition, viz.:—" The exhibition of our most valuable product is disposed of in different parts of the building, and in such a manner that the visitor, who wishes to thoroughly examine all the specimens sent in, does so at considerable inconvenience, the great staple which furnishes Australia and New Zealand with an article of export, valued in 1879 at nearly sixteen millions sterling, has not been thought worthy of a special site." Fifteen entries were made by New Zealand exhibitors, in the wool class, and five awards received, viz.: two, first order of merit, two of the second order and one of the third, several parties forwarding entries did not send the exhibits. The wool was placed in the hands of the noted firm, Messrs. E. Goldsbrough & Co., and fully displayed to the best advantage. The International Wool Show closed on the 16th January, but the case-wool was allowed to remain in the Exhibition some time longer. Messrs. D. Gollan and T. Tanner's exhibits were forwarded to the wool show that was to be held in the Crystal Palace, London. On the Bth April I again started for Melbourne, and arrived on the 14th, for the purpose of making the necessary arrangements for closing the New Zealand Court and returning the exhibits to the owners, except in such cases where I had received written instructions to forward them to the Dunedin Exhibition. The latter exhibits were consigned to Mr. Donald Eeid, who very kindly acted on behalf of the Commission in Dunedin in handing over the goods to the Dunedin Committee, and obtaining receipts, thus relieving the Commissioners from further liability concerning them. The Exhibition, which according to the original regulations should have closed at the end of March, was kept open during the month of April; and upon the Ist of May the work of dismantling the court was commenced by a dozen workmen, and most vigorously pushed forward until the 27th June, when upwards of a thousand packages were despatched to the various owners and to the Dunedin Industrial Exhibition. During May, Mr. F. G. Dalgety, of London, purchased six pictures from the New Zealand Court, for the sum of £150, and I have learned that Mr. John Gully disposed of nearly the whole of the pictures he had forwarded for exhibition, and also received orders for water-colour paintings from the Mayor of Sheffield and Captain Dawson. Mr. C. D. Barraud, I believe, has sold the whole of his pictures to the gentleman who bought one in Melbourne, and has received orders to complete four more for Mr. F. G. Dalgety, of London. The model of the " Morning Star" gold-mining claim, from Hokitika, at the desire of Mr. Larkworthy, the managing director of the Bank of New Zealand, in London, was taken away by him on his return visit from the colonies, and will no doubt assist in floating the shares of the company in the London Market. Two thousand copies each of the catalogue of the New Zealand exhibits and the official handbook have been circulated amongst all the foreign Commissioners and the visitors generally to the Exhibition, the Agent-General for New Zealand, in London, and the public institutions throughout Victoria. The Maori house has been forwarded to the Agent-General for New Zealand in London, and a good assortment of New Zealand timbers has been forwarded to Dr. Dyer, of the Eoyal Kew Gardens, London. On Ist July, the reshipment of the exhibits having been completed, the Secretary returned to Wellington where he was occupied, bringing the business to a close until 29th July, when he concluded his duties. On relinquishing his services, I had much pleasure on behalf of the Commission in expressing my appreciation of them in the following terms :—

To Charles Callis, Esq., Secretary to Intercolonial Exhibitions at Sydney and Melbourne. Dear Sib,— 25th July, 1881. As your connection with the Exhibition Commissioners is now concluded, I have great pleasure in testifying to the zealous and efficient manner in which you have performed the duties of Secretary in charge of the New Zealand Courts at the Sydney International Exhibition of 1879, and the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1881. In your relation with myself as Executive Commissioner, and with Mr. A. S. Webster and Mr. J. H. Blackwood, the Eesident Commissioners at Sydney and Melbourne respectively, you have gained our confidence in your industry and business ability. Personally, I feel greatly indebted to you for the cordial manner in which you at all time 3 have carried out my instructions, and for the conciliatory and obliging relation you have maintained with the exhibitors. I have, &c, James Hectob.

The total expenditure on account of the New Zealand share of the Melbourne Exhibition has been £4,877 Is. 4d., which is classified under the following charges:—