COLONIAL EXHIBITS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1511, 19 March 1887, Page 2

COLONIAL EXHIBITS.

EXPERTS REPORT. [bBUIOK'S . TBLKGRAMS—COPTBiaHT. J Lokdow, Maroh 17. The following reports have been made on colonial exhibits at the recent Exhibition. Mr Forster, a mineral expert, is of opinion that New South Wales has the the finest collection of coal and the best mining model. Mr T. N. Laslefr, a timber expert, reports that New South Wales and Victoria possess hard and heavy woods for engineering and'architeciural work, and also have a fair quantity of timber which would make good furniture. He cdnsiders South Australia and Queensland have but little timber suitable for export. Of the timbers of Western Australit jarrah, karri, and tuart are the most likely to be largely required for constructive purposes. He mentions kauri, puriri, rita, rerau, and totara as the best of New Zealand woods. .;

Messrs Sewell and Reid, meat^experts say the colonial tinned meats are of excellent quality, and the frozen meat is everything that could be desired. All the New Zealand and a few of the Australian sheep show equal to English sheep. The exhibits oi the Sydney Meat Preserving Company and » Messrs Walsh and Elliot are highly praised. Mr A. Baker, grain expert, considers the progress of agriculture m Victoria remarkable, and the cereals displayed are of a very fine quality. He regretted that the South Australian cereals were so poorly represented. New Zealand grains he reports are of the finest quality the Chevalier barleys bring enormous prices.

Mr Anderson, machinery expert, reports the Beard and Lesson's Victorian strip* pers, and Staff and Sons' South Australian stump plough and cultivators are novelties m England.

Mr Foster, the mineral expert, considers the returns from the Band and Albion Consols trine, Ballarat, and Mount Moran mine truly phenomenal. '"