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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 218, 5 November 1880, Page 4

Of all Iha exhibits in the New Zealand court at tbe Exhibition (says the Melbourne Daily Telegraph), ihe most extensive, aud ths one, which bes represents a local industry in thai colony, is that of Mesßrs A. and T. Burt, the well-known brassfoonders of Dunedin. Thia firm >is one of tht oldest ih Otago, and they have risen from a very small beginning to one of tbe largest employers of labor io ; the oolony. Their works are situated in Cumberland end Stuart- streets, and besides brassware, they are largely engaged in tbe manufacture of lead piping md of bronze chandeliers, Owing to the limited area of the New Zaaian.l court, all the exhibitors suffer, and Messrs Burt are among those who an restricted as to;space. .Their exhibits include plumbers and engineers' brasswork, various patterns in force-pumps, a brewei's refrigerator, corkiop machines, lead and composition pipes, an improved water-engine, severa* psteros io gaseliers, billiard lights, gt b brackels, and two handsoaely.fiaished marble-top washstands for lavatories The manner in which the brasswork U turned out of hand is quite equal to anything shown in the Exhibition, either Australian or from Home, and, if we are not much mistaken, Australian exhibitors will have to look to tbeit laurels when tbe jurors go round tc pronounce their decision. . The specimens of leadwork cannot be excelled, and they vary in eiza from a quarter of an inch to cix inches in diameter. The. chandeliers made byithe firm are ol excellent workmanship and chaste design. A five-light gaselier in what is known as the Maori pattern is a beautiful srticie in its way. It is purely characteristic of New ..Z.aland, the ;ohief features beiog ferns aod Maori figures. They also chow a row of gasfittings, with brackets suitable for lonp shops, and tbey have a light appearance, which is a striking contrast to the heavy-looking fittings one sees in our large drapery establishments. In br.t were' work the firm make a good display, varying from the corking and bottling machines tp a large beer refrigerator. The exhibits are most creditable to Messrs A. and T. Burt, nnd they are such as residents in New Zealand. may justly be proud of. If New Zealand,, writes the San Francisco correspondent of the "Otago Daily Times," cannot compete with the United States in many of its products, tbere sre some tbiogs in which it can and should compete. -The following extract from the " San Francisco Commercial News" is to the, point. It tells its owh*ta!e. Why not go in for an export of preserved -potatoes,, as California hss done. Your labor is quite as cbeap, and you can grow equally good potatoee. Let some of your enterprising capitalists try. The machinery can be bought, I have ,no doubt. The " Commercial News " says — " Recently an important industry has sprung up in this State in ihe way of preserving potatoes for a foreign market. A machine bas been invented for pressing and preserving potatoes in such a manner; that they may be dried and kept for a number of years in any climate. No oxidization or fermentation takes place in the process, and after the potatoes go through the entire method tbey retain to a great extent their natural taßte and original freshness. Shipments made to England during the last yctr by Falkner, Bell and Co. have attracted attentioa, and tbe demand for Californ'ao preserved potatoes in tbat country already exceeds the supply. Tbe first shipment to Liverpool brought the sum of 160 dollars per ton over all expense of shipment. Last year about twenty tons were shipped from San Francisco, which brought about 45 English shil lings per cwt., or at the rate of 3 dols per spek for green potatoes. At Areata, Humboldt county, a etrong company .has been organised tp preserve potatoes by this new process, Ventura [.as ao apparatus in working order, and will handle a large quantity of potatoes thiß fall. San Francisco merchants and capitalists evince a lively interest in this enterprise, sod ate watcbipg re-

suits closely. The teeiifiiqny of English merchants is to the efiect that ttie products are superior, - and in actiye demand," \