that country on any measure of useful progress
or improvement, and the total absence of all en-
ergy or enterprise; besides, in many parts of Asia
Minor a weed or "burr" is found to exist very
generally, which is very detrimental to the wool.
From all the information we are possessed of, we
have great confidence that the fine Angora goat
might be successfully introduced, and would
thrive well on the table-land at the Cape of Good
Hope. It is a hardy animal. We would, how-
ever, suggest as desirable, to send out at first
with the animals a few shepherds who are accus-
tomed to their habits.'

Mr. Titus Salt "considers that not only the
the Angora goat, but the Alpaca, is an animal
particularly worthy the attention of the govern-
ment with a view to its propagation in our colo-
nies. Mr. Salt has a flock of Alpacas (about a
dozen); they have been bred in the neighbour-
hood of Bradford, and no difference is perceptible
between the foreign and the English clip. The
animals only require to be kept from wet; cold
does not injure them. They require housing in
this climate, and no doubt would thrive well in a
dry elevated temperature. There might, how-
ever, be some difficulty in obtaining them, as
those imported are smuggled over, the govern-
ment of Peru having passed a law prohibiting
their exportation, in consequence of some person
who had a correct notion of their value, having
some years ago shipped off 300 to England, of
which, however, only six survived the voyage.
Alpaca wool is now 2s. 9d. per lb. Messrs. John
Foster and Son (Bradford) also say that 'if this
animal (the Alpaca) could be introduced into the
Cape or Australia, it would be of great benefit to
the grower, as well as to the manufacturer. Mr.
George Shaw Pollock (Liverpool) likewise con-
firms this opinion, and says that 'the Alpaca is a
hardy, graceful animal, and would, he presumes,
thrive on the bleakest mountain lands, either at
the Cape or in Great Britain.' Messrs. R. M.
Scholefield and Co. (Liverpool) say that 'there is
also an animal called the Vicuna, in South
America, which the Cape climate would suit, and

45
the wool from which is worth from 6s. to 7s. per
pound.

The Council of the Society of Arts are anxious
to avail themselves of this opportunity of ex-
pressing their readiness to undertake the collec-
tion of evidence and information on all matters
affecting the material progress of this country and
her dependencies. They believe that in the
British possessions in various parts of the world,
there are many substances as yet unknown to
commerce, which might be beneficially employed
in the arts and manufactures, and they conceive
that it is in the highest degree important that
wherever the supply of any particular raw ma-
terial falls short of the demand, the greatest
publicity should be given to the fact, so that co-
lonists and others may thereby be led to inquire
whether it be possible to find or rear any substi-
tutes for the same in their own immediate locali-
ties. It is extremely desirable that no occasion
should be lost in studying and making known the
rude and primitive methods of the natives them-
selves, as it is by the publication of such state-
ments that the attention of individuals in other
countries, where the arts have attained to a
greater perfection, are led to apply their know-
ledge and experience to the improvement of the
mechanism and processes adopted in less civilized
states.

The Council have to thank the following gen-
tlemen for the ready manner in which they res-
ponded to their communication:--Messrs. Arm-
strong and Bercy; Mr. Edward Barstow; Messrs.
Buchanan, Browne, and Co.; Mr. Edmund
Buckly; Messrs. Abram Gartside and Co.; Messrs.
Greame and Co.; Mr. James Haley; Messrs.
Hughes and Ronald; Messrs. Law and Wylie;
Mr. George Shaw Pollock; and Messrs. R. M.
Scholefield and Co., all of Liverpool. Messrs.
John Foster and Son, and Mr. Titus Salt, of
Bradford; and Messrs. E. and R. W. Blake, and
Mr. George Jay, of Norwich.

" (By order) P. LE NEVE FOSTER,
"Secretary."

A STATEMENT of the LIABILITIES and ASSETS, and of the Expense incurred on
account of the COLONIAL BANK OF ISSSUE at AUCKLAND, for the year ended
31st December, 1853.

LIABILISIES.
£ s. d.
ASSETS.
£ s. d.
£5 Notes in circulation
4010 0 0
Gold held by the Bank on 31st Dec.,
4287 0 0
£1 do. do.
2051 0 0
1853
Silver do.
144 0 0
£ 6061 0 0
Notes of the Bank of Issue at Wellington
630 0 0
exchanged for Cash
Cash paid into the Commissariat Chest
1000 0 0
for investment in Public Securities
£ 6061 0 0

EXPENSE of the MANAGEMENT of the BANK OF ISSUE at AUCKLAND for the
year 1853.

Salary of the Manager from 1st Jan. to
£ s. d.
Receipts
£ s. d.
31st Dec. 1853
200 0 0
0 0 0
Stationery
1 0 0
£ 201 0 0
£ 0 0 0

I, Alexander Shepherd, the Colonial Treasurer, do hereby certify that the above is a
true account as required by the Ordinance, No. 16, Sess. 8.
Dated at Auckland, this
17th day of April, 1854.

A. SHEPHERD,
Colonial Treasurer

Printed and Published by WILLIAMSON & WILSON, for the New Zealand Government.