538 Proceedings. 
oceur-under different conditions, and in an older formation, similar to that at Gympie 
Creek in Queensland. He pointed out the importance of the diamond drill in exploring 
such deposits, and stated that New Zealand was yet only on the threshold of its true 
mining development. 
2. Mr. Romilly, Deputy Commissioner for the Pacific, then gave an 
interesting account of a recent inspection of some of the less-known islands 
of Western Polynesia, illustrated by the exhibition and description of a large 
collection, numbering several hundred objects of ethnological interest. The 
islands visited were San Christoval and Carteret, in the Solomon group; 
Fischer’s Island, in New Ireland; Jesus Maria, in the Admiralty group; 
_ Astrolabe Bay, in New Guinea ; New Britain, Woodlark Island, and Teste 
Island, in the Louisiades. From all these places articles used in warfare 
and domestic life were exhibited, and their uses explained. He pointed out 
that Mr. Wallace was in error in supposing that the Natives at Astrolabe 
Bay were to be distinguished as a race that did not use bows and arrows, OF — 
manufacture pottery. The latter he had seen the women making, and he 
produced specimens of both pots and powerful bows and arrows, the latter 
_ with bamboo tips, which he had obtained there. Among the articles shown 
was a singularly massive coat of armour, made out of cocoanut fibre by the 
Natives of the Hermit Group, and some magnificent mats, woven by the 
Natives of Rotumah from the leaves of the screw pine, one being highly 
ornamented with featherwork. 
. Mr. Chapman asked whether Mr. Romilly had made any observations comparing the 
aces ior of these Islands, as to which was the most powerful and 
likely to prevail and displace the-other in the constant warfare going on. 
Mr. Romilly said that the Natives in the interior were smaller and darker-coloured 
men, but were much better armed, especially with stone weapons. Although always at 
__-war with the coast Natives, each seemed to maintain their own districts. 
His Excellency Sir Arthur Gordon said that apart from the mere interest of examin- 
_ ing any large collection of curious and unfamiliar articles which had been made from such 
an extensive archipelago, two facts were suggested. The first was the extraordinary 
similarity of form in objects made in places furthest apart, while on the other hand 
each little group of islands, even when quite close, had produced objects having distinctive - 
_ gnd peculiar characters. It was easy to understand how a novel form is adopted, but 
what is difficult to account for is the similarity between articles in the possession of 
different races separated by many thousand miles. This might at first sight suggest ® 
common origin for the people who designed these woke bat he ——. it unreasonable 
to suppose it must always be so, and that th be attributed to the: 
