The museum which was established by Sir William Robinson, during his second Governorship, was for several years under the care of the Rev. C. G. Nicolay, at Fremantle, and the complimentary references made to his services as curator, by His Excellency the Governor, in the course of Wednesday’s proceedings, are thoroughly deserved. Subsequently when the discovery of gold and other minerals had given to the museum a greater importance than it previously appeared to possess, it was moved to Perth, and at the last session of Parliament, a sum was placed upon the estimates as a salary for a curator, Mr. B. H. Woodward receiving the appointment.

This gentleman, who is also the Government Analyst, has accomplished a useful though difficult work, in getting this nucleus of a public museum into its present orderly and useful condition. As already mentioned, the Rev. C. G. Nicolay began the formation of the collection in Fremantle, and it was pleasant to see him present at the ceremony on Wednesday. Since Mr. Woodward was appointed curator, he has re-labelled and classified the specimens. Mr. Woodward also acted as local secretary for sending specimens from this colony to, the Mineralogical Exhibition held last year in London; and these exhibits having been returned safely to Perth, they form now an important part of the present museum.

To these and other specimens received from various sources, Mr. Woodward has added, as a loan, his own large collection, which is typical of the mineralogy of most parts of the world, and  has been collected by him during some 20 years, and is very useful here in  helping to identify the various minerals found in this colony.

It is noteworthy that, while Western Australia is exciting a keen interest as a gold-bearing country of rare promise, yet this is essentially a country of iron ores. These are not readily marketable at present notwithstanding their abounding quantity, because the dearness of local labour prevents competition with European smelting but the time may come when West Australian iron will take an important position in the market.

The mineral specimens now in the museum include lead ores from Northampton, where fine pure ore is obtainable from 10 inches to 3 feet in thickness, and is likely to come into extensive demand for use in the treatment of the silver ores of Broken Hill.  This ore is remarkable—geologically—for its fine crystals.

In auriferous ores there are specimens of gold in pyrites, from the Darling Range, wonderfully rich samples, lent by the Hon. H. W. Venn, from the Murchison clusters, also very fine specimens sent down by Mr. W. L. Owen, the late Warden of the Pilbarra field, as well as numerous specimens from the Yilgarn and Kimberley fields.

Tin ores are well represented from the Greenbushes, and some remarkable specimens from the North West, these being very curious for size and lustre. Round the sides of the room are ranged the rock collections made by successive Government Geologists, namely, Mr. H. Y. L. Brown, Mr. Hardman, and Mr. H. P. Woodward, who now fills the office. Although the museum is not yet sufficiently well-known, Mr. Woodward has, however, during the year, received a good number of visitors, especially strangers interested in mining. The room it occupies, formerly used as the chapel, in the old gaol, a building now used as auxiliary Government offices.

Among those present at the opening were sir John Forrest, the Chief Justice and Mrs. Onslow, Sir James and Lady Steere, the Hon. W. E. Marmion, Hon. J. G. H. Amherst, Hon. J. W. Hackett, Dr. and Mrs. Waylen, Dr. and Mrs. Jameson, Dr. and Mrs. Harvey, Mr. Traylen, M.L.A., Messrs. W. D. Holmes, S. R. Hammersley, A. E. Burt, Rev. C. G. Nicolay, &c., &c.

The curator, Mr. Woodward, explained to members and visitors the more interesting features of the museum, and nearly an hour was passed pleasantly in this way.

His Excellency the Governor arrived shortly before 4 o'clock, accompanied by his aide-de-camp, Captain Stuart, and Sir Henry Wrenfordsley. After some time spent by His Excellency in inspecting the exhibits, [sic]

The PRESIDENT (Sir John Forrest) said:
Your Excellency and ladies and gentlemen,—I am sure we are all pleased to see your Excellency here to- day, to open to the public this Geological Museum. It is a small beginning, a very small one, I am sorry to say but I hope and believe that it is a beginning which is to be the forerunner of something very far better in the future.

The want of a museum in Perth, the capital of the colony is one of these very many wants that we feel in a young and growing colony; but I hope that in the very near future something may be done to give to the people of this colony, and to the inhabitants of Perth, a museum worthy of the name.

All great countries vie with each other in providing institutions for the education and elevation of their people, and all visitors to them must be impressed with the number and extent of the picture galleries, libraries, museums, in in [sic] which works of art and instruction are stored, and which serve not only as sources of enjoyment to the people in those respective countries, but also as great public educators.

The Old World, in these respects, is very different from the New; for one cannot but be struck, in visiting Australia or America, as comparatively new countries, with the greater advantages enjoyed by people in the older countries, where such institutions abound. In America or Australia, there is nothing equivalent to the British Museum; there are no such museums or picture galleries as those which so impress the visitor to Naples; there is no Vatican as at Rome, with its beautiful mosaics and its priceless statuary; you have no such magnificent picture galleries as those at Vienna or Munich; but, on the contrary, the people in these newer countries are mostly engaged in their necessary occupations, their first care necessarily being to create material wealth. What great advantages, therefore, those persons have who can travel in other parts of the world and see those beautiful objects; and what opportunities for gaining knowledge and the highest enjoyment have those people living in countries where such facilities are provided.

In Australia, of course, we are a new people; but I am very glad to be able to say that in the larger colonies of Australia great efforts have been made to give to the people those opportunities of knowledge which are common to every one living in the older portions of the world.

In Melbourne, there are the beautiful Victorian Public Library, and the magnificent Technological Museum the, Natural History Museum and the beautiful parks laid out with plants from all parts of the world, their names engraved on tablets with particulars by which every passer-by may learn the name of each plant, the order to which it belongs, and its native habitat.

In Sydney, also, there are a magnificent Public Library, a Technological Museum, and an Art Gallery, where fine pictures are stored; besides the splendid public garden called the Domain, where not only have the many plants from various parts of the world their names and habitat set forth on tablets, but also where the beautiful lawns and glades are adorned with statuary imported from various parts of the Old World, by the wisdom of such public men as the present Premier, Sir Henry Parkes.

All these tend to elevate and educate the people of these colonies ; and it is with that view that this little museum in Perth is being opened to-day. We hope it is only the forerunner of what will in the future be a great public institution. We must follow—of course at some distance—the great efforts made in other parts of the world ; but I see no reason whatever why, in this colony, we should not be able, in the very near future, to build a museum worthy of the colony, and also have public gardens and other means for the enjoyment and higher education of the people, surrounding this beautiful city of Perth. (Applause.)

Nature has given us great advantages, and we have already provided the land necessary for a public park, and for other public buildings. I can only hope that we shall not be wanting in our exertions to provide for this city, and for this colony, museums and art galleries which will not only be educators and also be sources of enjoyment for the people, but also be sources of enjoyment and attraction to the people who visit us from other parts.

In conclusion, I have very much pleasure in welcoming Sir William Robinson, and in asking him to formally open this museum. I am sorry that it is not of greater pretensions, but we must hope there will be better things for us in the future. I am sure the Governor has great pleasure in being here to-day because he has always manifested an interest—in Australia and wherever he has been—in all those public movements which tend to give enjoyment to the public and to elevate the community. (Applause.)

His EXCELLENCY then said:
Sir John, ladies and gentlemen,—
It is not always that a man, when he makes a mistake, realises its full effect immediately. I confess I have, within the last few minutes, made a mistake which I now realise—I will not say to my own satisfaction—and that mistake was in allowing Sir John Forrest to speak before me ; for he has said almost everything that is appropriate to the occasion, and has said it so well that it will be quite unnecessary for me to repeat his words.

There is a story of two gentlemen sitting alongside each other at a public dinner, one being a ready speaker, and the other not so ready, so that the less ready speaker found it necessary to prepare a few notes before attempting to speak in public. Mr. A had no notes of what he intended to say, but Mr. B had his notes ready on the table by his side. Well, Mr. A manages, during the dinner, to steal Mr. B's notes, and being a ready speaker, and happening to he called on first, he made a most elaborate speech from the topics suggested in Mr. B's notes, to the great delight and benefit of the audience, but to the silent consternation of poor Mr. B. (Laughter.)

I do not mean to suggest that Sir John has used my notes on this occasion, because I had none prepared, but he has taken the wind out of my sails completely. (Laughter.)

Most heartily do I endorse his remarks as to the duty of a Government to beautify the principal towns of a colony with public gardens, picture galleries, museums, and so forth, for the enjoyment and education of the people. In opening this museum to-day, it would be very unbecoming on my part if I were to omit some reference to the services of a gentleman who is now present, and who started the first museum of this character in Australia.

The Rev. Mr. Nicolay, many years ago, I think in conjunction with myself, took the steps necessary to make a mineral collection at Fremantle. The collection so made has been presented to this Museum, and forms a very interesting portion of the larger collection which you now see. That was in the days before gold had been discovered here in payable quantities ; but Mr. Nicolay always told
me, in those early days, that gold would be found in payable quantities, and certainly he has proved in this respect a true prophet.

The gold which has been found in in [sic]Western Australia has changed at once the whole character of his colony, which now promises to be one of the richest gold- producing colonies in Australia; and I believe that reefs which cannot now he worked profitably, in consequence of the difficulty of communication, will, when other railways are completed, be brought into work and will
then be very payable. And now we have hare an illustration of one great value of such a collection of mineral specimens, and which collection we hope presently to increase: it is that when strangers come to Perth or to other parts of the colony, and want to know reliably what part they should go to in search of gold or other minerals, they may learn from these specimens where to go, and what are their prospects of success. If only in this respect this collection will be of great practical value to the colony.

About the time when the great gold finds of Western Australia created a stir, a mine was started at Kendenup, somewhere near Albany, and a deal of money was expended in it, a manager being appointed, and some work done; but unfortunately the gold which was believed to be there was not extracted in payable quantity. But I have here (looking at a ring), in my possession, something rather interesting to me. It is a gold ring, and is very nearly the only piece of gold which was got out of that reef at the time. They were kind enough to present it to me, and I had it made into a gold ring. Plain gold rings are usually somewhat expensive, but I do not know of any gold ring that represents a greater money value than this one.

I thought I was invited here to partake of a cup of tea, and to look at these interesting specimens, and that no formal speaking would be required; but I am delighted to be present at the starting of this museum, and pleased to have the opportunity of congratulating my old friend Mr. Nicolay, on the accomplishment of what he has long desired, and what I believe will be the starting of a noble institution in this most beautiful city of Perth. (Applause.)

The REV. C. G. NICOLAY then gave an account of the origin of the mineral collection which has been the nucleus of the museum, and he congratulated the colony on having now acquired a Geological Museum, while disclaiming the title of “museum” as too pretentious for the limited collection formerly at Fremantle.

He said that a number of mineral specimens were, in the early days of the colony, lying about the various Government offices ; and it being suggested to Sir William Robinson, who was then Governor of the colony, that these should be collected together, and be added to as opportunity offered, a collection was got together in a vacant guard-room at Fremantle, there being then no suitable place available in Perth. Two glazed book-cases were then sufficient to contain the specimens, which were added to very slowly, as additions by exchange with other colonies
were not then practicable, and no money grant from the Government was then available. But when Sir William Robinson was removing to South Australia as its new Governor, he allotted £50 for increasing the specimens, which amount was afterwards continued as a yearly grant from the Legislative Council.

At the exhibition held in London in 1886, more than 200 selected specimens of the minerals [missing text] … lar specimens had made Western Australia a familiar name to geologists, palaeontologists, and even to chemists, owing to peculiar composition of the Youndegin meteorite. No doubt much more might have been done in the past to enlarge the collection, if more liberal assistance had been available, and more sympathy had been manifested, or if the collection had been under the charge of an expert who could devote his whole time and energy to it. The reverend gentleman, in concluding his remarks, hoped that under better auspices and direction, the collection might soon become a museum worthy of the name and of the colony. (Applause.)

The CURATOR also made a few practice remarks. He announced that the collection would be open in future every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p. m. and from 2.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. The arrangement adopted here was to keep the ores separate—the gold-bearing ores, the lead ores, and the tin ores; while the other minerals were arranged on the system adopted in the British Museum. Some other specimens belonging really to this collection were at present in the museum attached to the Mechanics' Institute. He then proposed, on behalf of the Hon. J. G. H. Amherst, that the Hon. W. E. Marmion be elected a member of the Natural History Society, seconding the nomination himself, the ballot to take place at the next meeting.

This concluded the formal proceedings. A vote of thanks was accorded by acclamation to his Excellency for his attendance, on the motion of the Hon. J. G. H. AMHERST.

Tea and coffee, provided by the West Australian Natural History Society through the kindness of Mrs. Jameson and Mrs. Harvey who superintended the arrangements, were partaken of by the members and visitors, before leaving the building.