I.—4a

4

Martin personally. I met him at Singapore, when he came back from Siberia. He is a member of the Geographical Society of Paris. In Tonquin, French and English capitalists are associated together for mining undertakings. In the Straits Settlements, at Perak and Kinta, there are two French companies working tin mines. lam a shareholder in that of Kinta, which has just paid its first dividend. The capital in shares is 840,000fr., debentures 3,000,000fi\, issued in Paris. I hand you in the annual report and dividend-sheet [produced]. There are three thousand Chinese engaged in the works at Kinta. Tho engineer, M. Errington de la Croix, was the Commissioner for the French Government at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition. He was a personal friend of the late Sir Julius yon Haast. I understand that M. Errington waited on Sir Julius yon Haast to inquire whether there was tin in New Zealand, for the French are very anxious to develop their tin enterprise. I would strongly recommend to this Committee, if there are any tin deposits in this colony, that exhibits from them should be sent to the Paris Exhibition. The Chairman : There is tin in the colony. Mr. Allen : I should think so ; plenty. Mr. Valentine : There have been specimens of tin sent over to the Melbourne Exhibition. M. D'Abbans .- I would also recommend that you should send to the Paris Exhibition specimens of antimony. Mr. Grimmond : We have several antimony mines in New Zealand. M. D'Abbans : In Oceania, French mining enterprise is noticeable, and in Borneo there is the Societe Francaise dcs Mines de Diamants, de Borneo, near Pontianak, Messieurs Simmonard being directors. This is the largest enterprise in that part of South Borneo which belongs to the Dutch. I have myself been in Borneo, and seen this French company at work. They have imported portable railways and extensive plant of every description. It is a paying concern. There is a French Society for working tin mines at Billiton. A French syndicate is at present negotiating the Bataviau Government for concessions of goldfields near Ateheh in Sumatra. I should mention the mines for nickel of New Caledonia. The shares are quoted 555fr. at Paris (SOOfr. paid up), which represents 55fr. premium per share. Nickel is likely to become important, seeing that, as the old copper currency is being called in, money of small value, such as halfpence and pence, will be made of nickel. lam not aware of any large mining enterprise in Australia where only a few isolated French miners are to be found, but I have no doubt that the establishment at Melbourne next year of a branch of the Credit Lyonnais. a very enterprising French bank, will bring French capital into Victoria and neighbouring colonies. This important bank has a capital of something like £10,000,000. They have established themselves in India and in almost every part of America. They have sent a representative to Melbourne, not only to report upon the Exhibition, but with a view of establishing a branch there next year, and they are investing large sums of money in mining enterprises. Money is cheaper now in France than in other parts, and the result is likely to be that the Credit Lyonnais will bring a large amount of capital not only to Victoria, but to all the Australasian Colonies. I firmly believe that a good display of ores representative of the mineral resources of this colony will attract a great deal of attention at the forthcoming Paris Exhibition. Gold offers the best inducement to emigration and capital from Frnnco and many other countries of Europe. The emigrants who leave their own country for the purpose of gold-hunting without finding it, as well as those who have succeeded, soon begin to wish for a quiet and settled life, so that it is not long before they engage in agricultural pursuits. There is not a single industry of France but has been introduced by Frenchmen into California. There is no form or method of cultivation and industry but they have introduced into California, the Argentine Republic, and Chili, and which might not be introduced here in the same way as a consequence of extended mining enterprise. I am aware that the representation of the mining industry in the Paris Exhibition generally will be the most complete that has ever been collected and exhibited. All kinds of machinery of the newest kinds, and all kinds of patents for the extraction of gold, silver, and all other metals and minerals from refractory ores, will be exhibited and tried. New Zealand ores could be tried at Paris, and New Zealand miners would be informed by the Commissioners of the practical results, and the improvements of every kind that might be adopted. Exhibits of coal would be very important, as the French in the Pacific are large consumers of coal. In this part of the world they need it for their establishments at Tahiti and Noumea. There are more than ten French men-of-war in the Pacific which have to import their coal from Cardiff. It would be a great advantage to them to be able to get their coal from New Zealand instead. Kauri gum would also be an important exhibit at the Paris Exhibition. We have very extensive manufacturers of varnish in France who get their gums from Borneo, Singapore, and other places. An exhibit of kauri gum would therefore be very much appreciated. Referring again to the Credit Lyonnaise, there has been a report sent in relating to the cultivation of beet and beet-sugar-making, in the hope of sending some manufacturers of sugar here. In France this year many small sugar-fabricants are obliged to amalgamate or stop works, because the percentage of sugar to be taxed per ton of beet according to our last law will be increased. Some of them could be induced to come to New Zealand for creating that important industry. I have the honour to place before this Committee some of the by-laws of the Universal Exhibition to be held at Paris which relate to the exhibition of minerals and metallurgical machinery :— from tho By-laws of the Paris Exhibition.] Fifth Gboup.—Extractive Ixdustbies. Raw and Manupactubed Peoducts. Class 41. — Products of Mining Works and of Metallurgy. Collections and samples of rocks, minerals, and ores, hard rocks, refractory materials, moulds, soils, clays, various mineral products, raw sulphur, rock-salt, salt from mineral springs. Mineral fuel, various coals, residue and agglomerated ; asphaltum and asphaltic rocks, bitumen, mineral tar,