538 Proceedings. 



occur 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 dcYelopment. 



2, Mr. Eomilly, 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, or 

 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 Eotumah from the leaves of the screw pine, one being highly 

 ornamented with featherwork. 



Mr. Chapman asked whether Mr. Eomilly had made any observations comparing the 

 races on the seaboard and interior 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. Eomilly said that the Natives in the interior were smaller and darker-coloured 

 men, but were much better armed, esi^ecially 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- 

 mg any large collection of curious and unfamiliar articles wMch had been made from siich 

 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 

 and 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 a 

 common origin for the people who designed these works, but he thought it unreasonable 

 to suppose it must always be so, and that the similarity should rather be attributed to the 

 gradual development of the designs under similar circumstances. For instance, stone 

 axes, whether they belonged to the prehistoric period in Europe or the existing time in 

 New Zealand, were identical in form so long as the material of which they are made is of 

 the same nature. As an instance, he might mention that the earthern pots made in Fiji 

 were identical in form with those made by the Natives on the Upper Orinoco. The in- 

 habitants of these countries have not the least affinity, and the similarity in design arises 

 from their having both taken for their model the nest of the mason wasp. The proof of 



