15

H.-17

Exhibitions of New Zealand Products, etc. Full particulars of the various exhibitions at which the Dominion has been represented during the year will be found below. The labour in organization and management has been quite a tax on the High Commissioner's staff, as well as on the staff of this Department in New Zealand. These exhibitions are the means of bringing vividly before the notice of multitudes of people the unique resources of the Dominion both from the agricultural and from the manufacturing point of view, as well as of drawing attention in a most effective and striking way to the suitability of the country to the needs of the settler, the health-seeker, the tourist, and sportsman. It must be conceded that such unrivalled opportunities for advertising the Dominion arc well worth all the effort and money spent thereon. Crystal Palace. The permanent court at the Crystal Palace which is devoted to the display of New Zealand productions received a valuable addition by the transfer of many .attractive exhibits from the Dominion Pavilion at the Franco-British Exhibition, subsequent to the latter closing. Those portions of this permanent exhibit which are subject to deterioration and loss of freshness are renewed as required. Franco-British Exhibition. This great Exhibition opened on the 14th May, 1908, and closed on the 31st October, 1908, and it is estimated that during that time upwards of 10,000,000 passed through the turnstiles, while the estimated number of visitors to the New Zealand Pavilion was over 5,000,000. As stated in my last annual report, the Government decided to exhibit, and floor-space to the extend of 6,000 sq. ft. was engaged, on which a pavilion was erected for the reception of exhibits forwarded from the Dominion. Great care was exercised in the selection of these, and a fine display of New Zealand's principal products and manufactures was the result. New Zealand visitors to the pavilion have numbered about 3,(KM). some 2,000 of whom registered their names in the visitors' book. The quantity of literature that was distributed was large, and consisted for the most part of handy illustrated pamphlets. Yearbooks, illustrated papers, handbooks, guide-books, and maps. It is worth noting that a great many applications were received from schoolmasters for parcels of literature for distribution to their scholars. The chief fault found with the New Zealand Pavilion was that its relatively small size proved insufficient to permit the multitude of visitors who constantly thronged its courts and aisles to view satisfactorily the exhibits contained therein ; but, although there was fair ground for this complaint. there is no doubt that the Dominion received quite as much if not greater value for the money expended on her display than any other colony represented at the Exhibition. This very satisfactory result must lie largely credited to the excellent position secured by the High Commissioner for the erection of (he pavilion, which was only obtained after considerable discussion and frequent interviews with the Exhibition authorities. The Press was particularly complimentary to our exhibits, and I quote one extract as an example of what an excellent advertisement the exhibition proved for the Dominion. (London Post, 12th June): — " Colonial Avenue, one of the main thoroughfares of the Franco-British Exhibition, can boast no more important pavilion than that which is devoted to a display of the part which New Zealand is taking in Imperial progress. This prosperous colony has sent a very fine collection of exhibits to the ' White City,' and they are arranged in a manner which enables the visitor to form a very good idea of what the country can do. The object which the Government of New Zealand had in view in renting, at no small cost, a portion of the ground in the Exhibition and in erecting a, hall was twofold. First it was desired to show the people of England that on the other side of the world is a country which is sending us big supplies of the very best of food at reasonable prices, and is capable of sending us much

Date. Scheelite. Wolfram. Antimony. 1908. 28s. per unit 28s. 25s. to 30s. per unit of tungstic acid 26s. to 28s. per unit February .. March April 30s. per unit, No. 1 grade .. May 28s. to 30s. per unit £7 per ton, 50% minimum. £7 to £7 10s. per ton for 50% ore. £7 to £7 10s. per ton for 50% ore. £8 to £9 for 50% ore. July 17s. per unit 19s. per unit August 18s. 20s. per unit, for 68 to 70% September October November December 1909. 25s. 30s. 29s. 29s. „ of tungstic acid 27s. per unit 32s. 32s. 32s. ,, of tungstic acid M January . . February .. March 28s. to 29s. per unit 24s. to 27s. „ 24s. to 27s. 30s. to 31s. per unit 28s. to 30s. 27s. to 29s. £8 to £9 for 50% ore. £7 10s. to £8 for 50% ore. £7 to £7 10s. for 50% ore.