NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE ORANGE RIVER COLONY. 361 



•during" his absence. I cannot pass over this event without 

 paying the highest tribute to Dr. Exton for his unremitting 

 zeal and care bestowed on our institution. One can in fair 

 justice declare that the Committee would in all likelihood not 

 have succeeded in its endeavours if the services of a man like 

 him had not been at its disposal — one who, without any re- 

 muneration, and only out of love for the propagation of science, 

 worked unremittingly for the benefit of our ^luseum. After a 

 few years of absence in England, which time he occupied not 

 only in gaining some higher professional qualifications, but 

 also in acquiring many more valuable specimens of our collec- 

 tions, he returned to Bloemfontein, to take over the Curator- 

 ship." until he retired altogether, leaving Bloemfontein for Jo- 

 hannesburg in 1888, so that he served the Museum during a 

 period of ii ye rs. Since then I have been engaged as the 

 Hon. Curator of the Museum, while Mr. M. Leviseur had 

 already in 1883 taken over the onerous duties of Hon. Secre- 

 tary and Treasurer, duties which we both have tried to fulfil to 

 the best of our knowledge and ability. 



Our collections had increased to such an extent that the 

 A'olksraad saw the necessity of adding a new wing to the old 

 iDuilding on its west side in 1884, and another one on the east 

 side in 1887. It is quite evident now that a new Museum is 

 urgently required. The Town Council of Bloemfontein has 

 granted us a beautiful piece of ground on Warden Square for 

 the erection of a new building, and the late Government even 

 went so far as to put the sum of £12,000 on the estimates for 

 that purpose and had invited tenders for the best suitable plan, 

 when the falling off of State revenues and the erection of other 

 ^^ery expensive institutions, caused the delay in the execution of 

 this laudable plan. The new Government has not seen its way 

 clear to carry it out. A movement is, however, on foot now to 

 see that justice is done to our demand, and we may see our 

 patience crowned with success at last. 



The grant which the Volksraad had voted to the Museum had 

 increased from £50 to £100 and later on to £200. During recent 

 years we even received a yearly assistance of £400. which the 

 present Government has continued. The Town Council of 

 Bloemfontein also gave us £100 yearly for the last few years, 

 but has again withdrawn this grant under the plea that it could 

 not bestow more money on the Museum as long as it was kept 

 in the present unsuitable building. 



With the means at our disposal we have gradually improved 

 the furniture as much as possible by adding new glass cases and 

 other suitable shelving; the collections have, however, increased 

 to such dimensions that we cannot exhibit all the specimens 

 in our possession. A good many cases filled with valuable col- 

 lections are stored away and await their resurrection as soon 

 as the new plan is carried out. A large number of objects were 

 iDought by us; many more, however, were received from the 

 public, which continues to take a very lively interest in the 

 institution. 



It gives me great pleasure to put on record here that, after 

 •several more or less suitable appointments, we secured at last 



