the New Zealand Society will also be send—maps, plans of proposed harbour improvements, lighthouses, and other engineering works, water-color sketches illustrating New Zealand scenery, and articles of native manufacture and curiosities.

The exhibition of a New Zealand built steam engine will probably be a unique and most interesting contribution from this province.

The Province of Canterbury is now preparing rapidly for the Exhibition, and if fairly represented, will I believe, contribute evidence of greater enterprise and advancement than any other Province in New Zealand. It has the great merit of possessing the first locomotive railway, and the illustration of the works connected with that great engineering enterprise will form one of the most sterling features in the Exhibition. It is proposed to exhibit, for instance, an immense section of the tunnel that is in the course of construction, with specimens of the rocks for every few feet that have been passed through.

The geological strata, and mineral resources of the Province, are to be fully illustrated by most elaborate maps, sections, and collections both of scientific and economic interest. Maps and plans showing the system of survey, and land sales, proposed railway, road and telegraphic routes; topographical features of the country; harbor improvements, architectural designs for public buildings, are to be furnished; also specimens of lithography, and engraving.

It is to be hoped that the muster of wools will be sufficient to show the important position occupied by the Province in this respect, and to enable the flockowners to compare the produce from different parts of their own Province, with those of the rest of New Zealand. Works of art, articles of home manufacture—such as cabinet work, saddlery, &c.—may also be looked for.

In recapitulating the foregoing remarks, we may show that from.

MARLBOROUGH

may be expected—

Gold, wools, timbers, and cabinet woods.

NELSON—

Ores and metals—gold, platinum, and osmium, copper, lead, iron, chrome, plum, bago, minerals in great variety.

Useful and ornamental building materials

Marbles, serpentines, freestones, limestones, and cements, flagstones and slates.

Coals of several qualities and associated rocks and fossils—geological specimens.

Timber and ornamental woods

Flax, and machinery for its preparation.

Grain, malt, and hops.

Wools, and woollen manufactures

Survey maps and plans—topographical and geological.

Mining plant.

Engineering works, plans, and models

Fine arts.

TARANAKI—

Iron sand ore, and articles made therefrom; maps showing the original progress of the settlement, and the injury done by the Native War.

AUCKLAND—

Timber of great variety.

Ores, gold, and copper.

Building stones, limestones, and marbles.

Volcanic rocks.

Sulphur.

Kauri gum.

Coals.

Fossils, and geological specimens.

Maps, plans, &c.

Cabinet work.

Manufactures and imported articles of interest.

Maori articles.

HAWKE’S BAY—

Wools.

Specimens of woods.

Fossils and objects of natural history.

Maps, plans.

Fine arts.

Agricultural products

Maori articles,

WELLINGTON—

Timber, ornamental woods.

Wool.

Agricultural products.

Machinery.

Geological and natural history specimens.

Plans and maps, topographical and geological.

Engineering, plans and models.

Works of art.

Maori articles.

CANTERBURY—

Wools.

Engineering works, plans, sections and models.

Railway plant, tunnel, bridges, &c.

Geological specimens, maps, plans and sections.

Topographical maps.

Agricultural produce.

Manufactures, saddlery, cabinet work, &c.

Lithography.

Works of art.

Many of the articles sent will be sufficiently sheltered in light sheds, such as the heavier spars of timber, building materials, &c., so that probably one half of the above space will be sufficient accommodation to provide within the main building.

The result of my tour leads me to believe that the Commissioners may feel satisfied that the various local authorities, and their committees, of the Provinces I visited, are now taking practical steps for a proper exhibition of their resources. Still the Commissioners must not overlook the fact that it is only recently that anything has been done, and that therefore simply owing to the short time before the date fixed for the opening, it will be quite impossible, with the most zealous endeavors on the part of the Committees, to insure anything like a complete display even of raw materials.

This will be especially the case with respect to timbers and woods of construction, and it would be very much to be deplored if, through hastening selection and preparation of the samples sent for trial, an understated estimate of their value were to be published by the Engineers, as a result of the tests which they applied. I hardly therefore expect that the Exhibition can possibly realise the original conception of a complete display of the natural resources of the Colony, but as a first attempt there is every reason to expect that it will prove successful, and suggestive of the proper direction for future development.

In no Province was it suggested that the time of opening shall be delayed, but this may perhaps be due to my stating emphatically that such a course had not been contemplated by the Commissioners.

The great difficulty that the various Committees seem to have had to contend with, was ascertaining what there was to be exhibited in their Province, and as their inquiries have invariably led to the discovery of many resources previously overlooked, this of itself forms a strong argument for the necessity of having a New Zealand Exhibition. Various suggestions are offered in the different Provinces respecting subjects most of which have already been brought before the Commissioners for their consideration.

The principal of these are that early information shall be transmitted to the various Provinces of the arrangements which were to be made for lowering the steamboat fares, and providing accommodation for visitors. This is a most important point, and the success of the Exhibition, and the interest taken in it by the other Provinces, will be mainly dependent on the facilities afforded to enable persons to visit Dunedin without a great pecuniary sacrifice.

It was also suggested by practical nurserymen, when they learnt that live plants would be excluded, that a Horticultural Exhibition shall be held, if possible, at the same time with the other. As horticulture is carried on extensively in the Northern Provinces, this province would be an immense gainer by such an arrangement.