EXHIBITION COMMITTEE.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1078, 24 April 1882, Page 2

EXHIBITION COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the Exhibition Commit-, tee was held on Friday evening, when there were present, Messrs Wise, Stevenson, Lee, Grieve, Hanking Faler, D. P. Anderson, Crumpton, Rater, Irving, Colling*, Joice, and Preshaw. Mr H. G. Hankin was called to. the chair, and after the minutes of the last meeting had been read and confirmed, requested Mr Wise, as one of the deputation appointed to interview the County Chairman in reference to funds, to report the result Mr Wise said that they had waited on Mr Brennan as requested, but he said that he could promise nothing till next Wednesday, and he recommended the Committee to put in a letter embodying their request. This was all that he could report The thanks of the committee were passed to Mr Wise, and the other gentlemen associated with him, for their services. Mr Grieve said that he had quartz specimens promised, which would be brought in next week. Mr Wise said he had arranged with the raining manager of the Caledonian, to send in specimens of quartz, galena, and rich gold-bearing pyrites. Mr Stevenson said he had not seen the people of the Happy Valley, but he feared that they would have nothing worth bringing in. Enough work had not yet been done in the claim. The Chairman thought it was absolutely necessary to get all specimens possible, even if they did not show rich gold. The fact of it not being rich stone should not be a bar to sending it. Mr Wise agreed in this view. Much of the quartz now being got in the new claims was merely surface stone. Much of this, however, though not showing gold, was highly payable. He instanced the stone from the Golden Point line. He suggested that they should send stone of this kind, and that they should have a small quantity crushed, and the gold obtained from it placed in a watch glass side by side with the stone, with a certificate to the effect that so many pounds of stone of a like nature had yielded that quantity. He named other claims of the.

some character, adding that if the judges doubted that the stone gave the amount of gold, they could have some crashed for themselves, to test it. The Chairman said that Mr Lewis, assayer of the National Bank here, had most kindly promised to assist the Committee in any way that lay in his power, and he had no doubt that he would test any stone submitted to him, the Committee, of course, finding the labor for crushing. He (Mr Lewis) would also, he was sure, give an analysis of the value of the pyrites, and would give an assay note certifying to the results both from the stone and pyrites. This might accompany the exhibits, and would be conclusive proof of their value. He thought Mr Wise's suggestion a very good one. A motion by Mr Wise, seconded by Mr Stevenson, that samples of stone from the new mines should be procured, and that Mr Lewis be asked to kindly test the same and give a certificate of the results, was carried. ' The Chairman reported that he had communicated with the Lyell, and hoped to obtain some good exhibits from that district. He thought that the Committee should consider the advisability of employing men, pending the, decision of the County Council. They should be Specially employed in getting samples of timber. Some parties had liberally promised to send in certain articles, but they could not get all they wanted without employing labor. He had no doubt that the County Council would recognise the justice of their claim, the only thing he feared was that they would not give as much as was required. The meeting at which the Committee was appointed was duly convened, and the request for assistance was made by the ratepayers, and would no doubt be recognised. Mr Wise thought they were sure of support from the Council, but if not they would appeal to the public, and they would be perfectly safe in employing necessary labor. A discussion took place relative to samples of marble and sandstone, Mr Irving saying that he could procure slabs of any size. It was ultimately resolved on the motion of Mr Grieve, seconded by Mr Kater, that Mr Irving be requested to procure specimens of marble of five or six feet in length, and of sandstone fit for grindstones, and be authorised to engage such labor as was necessary for the purpose. The question of procuring the requisite timber exhibits was then brought forward and it was ultimately resolved, on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Me Colling*, that Mr Grieve be asked to obtain them, and that gentleman consented to do so. With respect to coal it was stated that only one coal, that from the Union Company, would coke, and Mr Joice liberally undertook, not only to procure samples but also to prepare coke from it for transmission, together with the coal Mr Collmgs reported that the Result Company would furnish specimens of quartz. The Chairman said he had seen Mr Brennan with a view to getting more specimen^ btttthftt gentleman said he had furnished all he intended to send from the mines ef which he was manager. MrCollings brought under the notice of the committee the advisability of forwarding an accurate tracing of the County map, showing all the coal leases granted, and also, if possible, all the gold-mining leases. The committee fully recognised the utility of such a map, and Mr Colling* was empowered to have one prepared. This was all the business and the Committee then adjourned till Wednesday evening next, at eight o'clock, when the decision of the County Council, respecting assistance, will be known.