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wool —greasy, scoured, and manufactured; specimens of New Zealand timbers, polished and un polished, including some fine pieces of kauri; hops (from Nelson); cheese. Oil and water-colour paintings by Messrs. Butler, Howorth, Gibb, Peele, Perrett, Wilson, Madden, Baker, Wright, Leslie, Hamilton, Kirkwood, Carter, Mrs. Field, and Miss Hodgkins. The places depicted include Lake Rotorua, Waimangu Geyser, Waitomo Caves, Lake Taupo, Wanganui River, Lake Waikaremoana, Great Barrier Island, Caswell Sound, Milford Sound, Smith Sound, Lakes Manapouri, Te Anau, Wakatipu, Coleridge, Kanieri, Otira Gorge. &c. About three hundred enlarged photographs of New Zealand scenery and Maori life are on exhibition, besides coloured photographs of Native scenes and subjects, and some thousands of smaller photographs of pastoral, agricultural, mining, and sawmilling industries, and Maori life. k large number of these pictures are framed in New Zealand woods. A notable feature of the Department's art-gallery is the collection of splendid oil-paintings of celebrated Maori chiefs, by Lindauer, kindly loaned by Mr. H. E. Partridge, of Auckland. A valuable oil-painting, " The Arrival of the Maoris," by Goldie and Steele, was lent from the Auckland Art Gallery. Game: Twenty large rainbow and brown trout, representing fish weighing from 121b. to lb., preserved and mounted on New Zealand woods; and numerous stags' heads. Exhibits by business firms through the medium of the Tourist Department included the following: Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Blenheim, on account of Mr. Coulter, an exhibit of wool fleeces and hemp; Clapham Bros., Ashhurst, patent horse-holders, wheel-lock, and other New Zealand patents; Messrs. Thomson and Co., Dunedin, large exhibit of aerated waters and cordials; an exhibit from the Milburn Lime and Cement Company. Departmental Representation: The Railway Department, Public Trust Office, Government Life Insurance, Labour Department, Agricultural Department, Industries and Commerce, and Tourist Department supplied a large number of illustrated papers, books, and statistics showing the progress of the colony during the last fifty years, and giving particulars of the colony as a place for settlement and recreation. The Tourist Department supplied a large quantity of lanternslides, plain and coloured. Maps of the whole of the colony, and in detail, are available for reference, with New Zealand directories. Copies of all the principal New Zealand weekly newspapers are being sent to the Exposition during the time it is open. These are for reference by visitors to the New Zealand Court. Private exhibits: Companies, institutions, and private persons have lent exhibits as follows: Union Steamship Company, models of the company's latest steamers and photographs of its principal vessels engaged in the intercolonial and coastal services; Westport Coal Company, photographs of its coal-mines and their working ; W T estport Harbour Board, photographs of Westport Harbour and coal-loading operations; Greymouth, ditto; Christchurch Meat r works Company, photographs of works, slaughtering, loading, and shipping frozen meat; Mr. John Strang, Gladstone, Wairarapa, a red-deer stag's head carrying seventeen points; Mr. Peter Gow, Waipukurau, a red-deer stag's head of sixteen points; Mr. T. E. Donne, Wellington, twelve red-deer stags' heads, some fine specimens of Maori carving, and beautiful Maori feather mats; Mr. F. H. Coombs, Auckland, six large fallow-buck heads; Mr. G. W. S. Patterson, Auckland, a very fine collection of kauri-gum specimens. North Auckland. Last summer the Department's photographer was despatched on a special tour through the north, in order to obtain pictures of the principal scenic spots, as well as of industrial and Native subjects. He spent several weeks in the district, visiting Kaipara, the northern Wairoa, Whangarei, Kamo, Hikurangi, the Bay of Islands, Hokianga, Whangaroa, Mangonui, and other localities. As the result of his trip several hundreds of photographs were secured. These are now available for advertising purposes, and serve to convey a very comprehensive idea of the varied attractions which the North of Auckland offers to the tourist and the settler. An amount of £200 is required to complete the road from the head of navigation on the Northern Wairoa (near the junction of the Wairua and Mangakahia Rivers) to the Whangarei Main Road, a distance of about one mile and a half. The construction of this short section is necessary in order to enable vehicular traffic to be carried on direct from the steamer-landing. When completed the road will considerably facilitate tourist traffic between Auckland and Whangarei by way of the Northern Wairoa and the Wairua Falls, a route which promises to become a most attractive one. Little Babrier Island (Native Bird Reserve). The annual report of the Secretary of the Auckland Institute, dealing with the native birds on the Little Barrier Island (Hauraki Gulf), which is a reserve for indigenous avifauna and flora, will be found in the Appendices. It is satisfactory to note from the report that several species of the rare native birds are on the increase, notably some which are now extinct on the mainland. Some kakapo and kiwi from the southern sounds have been placed upon the island during the past year. TE AEOHA. The popularity of this place as a health and pleasure resort is steadily growing. The mineral drinking-waters are in considerable demand. During the past year a number of improvements were carried out in connection with the baths and grounds. The bowling-green has been drained and regrassed and a long flower-border made, running parallel with the street frontage of the domain property. The terrace roadway has been improved, and a gate placed at the north-east end of the terrace in order to admit vehicular traffic. The track leading to the top of the Bald Spur, behind the baths—a favourite climb—has been cleared and put into repair. At the frequent request of temiis-players and convalescents a good