8 
In this place I desire to draw attention to the very important aid 
granted by Sir David Prain, the Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew. By 
his instructions Miss Smith was allowed special facilities for drawing the 
plates at Kew; the correspondence between Mr. Hemsley and myself was 
treated as official; the parcels of specimens for the artist were received 
and cared for by the assistants in the Kew Herbarium, and when finished 
with were packed and returned to me. Such assistance has been of great 
service, and must not pass without due notice and acknowledgment. 
I have already stated that the arrangements for the preparation of 
the work and my appointment as editor were made on behalf of the 
Government by the Department of Education. I now desire to thank the 
Department for its readiness at all times to discuss with me any matters 
relating to the progress of the work, and for the courteous manner in 
which any suggestions made by myself have been received and considered. 
In this connection it is due to mention the names of the Hon. G. Fowlds, 
who was Minister of Education when the work was first authorized; and 
the Hon. J. Allen, who occupies the position at the present time. As for 
the permanent officers of the Department, my warmest thanks are due to 
Mr. G. Hogben, the Inspector-General of Schools; Sir E. Osborne Gibbes, 
the Secretary of Education; and Mr. W. E. Spencer, who has had much 
to do with the correspondence concerning the work. 
In conclusion, it only remains for me to call attention to the excellent 
manner in which the plates have been printed by West, Newman, and 
Co., and for the very great care and attention which the Government 
Printer has given to the passage of the work through the press. 
Auckland, July, 1914. 
