NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRIES

Otago Witness, Issue 3402, 28 May 1919, Page 17

NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRIES

COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY.

EVIDENCE IN. WELLINGTON.

WELLINGTON, May 21. Giving evidonee beiore the Industries Committee to-day, Mr &ingleton (Assistant Director of the .Dairy Division of the Department of Agrioulturo) said that at the last oenaua tnere wore 793,215 cows for the 1916-17 season. He estimated the average yield at 151.81 b of butter fat. as against 142.11 b in 1910-11—an increase of 19.71 bof butter fat. This represented an increased export Yaluo of £1,276,000, besides an inoreose in the by-produeta. Witness stressed the value of the special purpose cow, which tended to follow an inorcaso in land values.

Mr H. A. Huggins gave evidence regarding automatio stamping machines, CM) ol which were in use in. Wellington. The absence of colour in the impression mado by the inaohine was inclined to hamper the work of the postal olerks who dealt with letters. By the ufto of the machines the department was losing about £I2OO per year, 'ine maonine was a consideraoie convenience, as it obviated the necessity o± firms keeping accounts. In answering a question he said the firms were up against the department because they did not receive a commission for stamps.

Mr Cuddie (of the Agricultural Department) spoke or the manufacture of casein. The manufacture, in his opinion, might be fostered by making it free to anybody. Mr R. .W. de Montalk (architect) said there was no doubt that houses could be erected in permanent materials at no greater cost than the present rates for building in wood, provided sufficient capital was found to deal with the enterprise on a fair scale. He suggested that the use of such materials instead of timber would be for the economic good of the community and would assist in the conservation of tho timber supplies. Mr H. J. H. Blow (Seoretary of Mines) said tho present shortage of coal was duo to tho lack of miners, Evory mining company in New Zealand was short of miners, and the number of men engaged in mining was decreasing. It wa3 difficult to see how more could be done to attract men to the mines, but probably something would have to be done.

Representatives of the seed trade asked for duties against foreign seeds prepared and packed ready for sale, and for the release from duty of certain printed matter ,suoh as catalogues. Packets of teeds came in free from duty, but if a New Zealand seedsman wanted.empty packets for his own seed ho had to pay duty on them. WELLINGTON May 23. Evidence given before the Industries Com. mitten showed that the dominion contained some million apple trees in excess of requirements, valued at £60,000. Looal planting has been stopped by the war. These trees had been grown at the request of the Minister of Agriculture. Witnesses urged that they should be used for planting by returned soldiers, and that the Government should subsidise two or three ships next year to enable them to dispose of the trees in overseas markets. If no use could be found for them they would have to be burnt.

Dr J. S. Maolaurin (Dominion Analyst) gave evidence regarding the distillation of alcohol in New Zealand. He said there was not sufficient molasses produced in the country to warrant the Government taking up the matter. It would appear that the only way in which large quantities of alcohol could be produced would be from timber and sawdust. The sawdust system had been tried in America with considerable success. He considered that it wouki bo advisable to send a specimen of our timbers to other countries for examination by experts. In Germany practically all the alcohol was obtained from potatoes specially grown, but he would not favour such a scheme in New Zealand. Large quantities of waste material from flaxmills could be used for the distillation of alcohol. It would be a wis© step to get an expert from abroad to visit New Zealand and make careful investigations into the possibilities of the production of alcohol, provided the right man could be secured. Witness said the ironsands of Taranaki were not as good as they were usually supposed to be. He favoured a suggestion made to the committee that the Government sftould obtain an expert from England or America to make a comprehensive report on the ironsand deposits of the dominion. In making coal briquettes, which had been abandoned in Now Zealand because the men objected to working with pitch, he believed it was now possible to bind slack coal without the use of pitoh. This was being done in Germany. There was no reason why some other form of binder should not be found in New Zealand. Referring to the prospect of the discovery of oil in the peat swamps in the north, Dr Maolaurin expressed the opinion that a comprehensive survey of the swamps would be necessary. Mr F. W. Furkert, of the Public Works Department, said he thought that light railways, such as those used in France for war purposes, were too small, and it was doubtful if they would prove a successful proposition commercially. The Government had thought of purchasing light railways from France, but found that they were wanted in the latter country. Witness expressed the opinion that if light railways were built people using the roads would still cry out for the former road space for carts and motor cars. Ho estimated the cost of light railways at £3OOO per mile, though he bad known them to be built for £I2OO. Light railways would have to be run on the 'bus system. It was advisable that public bodies should control the railways running through their districts.

Mr D. Cuddie (Director of tho Dairy Division) was called to give his opinion on a cylindrical butter package, submitted to the committee. He said there were strong points for keening the present box, which was known as the New Zealand package on the Home market. He submitted a design in two-ply for making an oblong box similar in appearance to the present box. Of this latter box a trial shipment was being made, and a similar trial might be made of tho cylindrical package.

DEALING WITH BY-PRODUCTS. WELLINGTON, May 24, Giving evidence before the Industries Committee. Dr Maclaurin advocated making commercial alcohol from waste produots, particularly sawdust and tho waste from Eaxmills. He considered the matter well worthy of the fullest investigation. Alcohol had been made on a commercial scale in America at from 84d to Is per gallon, and It averaged 15 gallons to the ton of dry wood. On that oasis }t should bo praotioablelnNew Zealand, To prevent abuse, the

production should be a Government monopoly. Mr Morgan (Government Geologist) stated that the Parapara block would prob* ably contain 63,000,000 tons of iron ovt, averaging about 45 per cent, of metallio ore, which was therefor© of medium grade* The most extensive deposits of irorisana were near Batea, where 5,394,000 tons of high-grade ore were believed to exist. lit the production of pig iron he would try" Parapara ore first, as it could be worked more cheaply than the Taranaki ironsand, tlo thought it bettor that the Government should build their own works than pay th# subsidy that had been asked for to assist private enterprise. EVIDENCE AT CARTERTON. WELLINGTON, May 24, The Industries Committee sat at Cartel* ton this morning They were welcomed by the Mayor. Evidence was given urging the Rimutak* 4 deviation; the Importance of overcomlnrf prejudice against New boots, shoes, and knitted yam etotninaft Government upkeep of the main arterial roads; more rigid inspection of AKSteaifaii and imported wheat, both in Australia ana on sn-ival in New Zealand; more regard 1$ weevil inspection of chaff and oaia frc-ra, the South island; prevention of the spread of the Californlan thistle) the importance o| appointing inspectors and instructors t» visit the cheese and butter factories j to* reservation of white pine for cheese caeesj better facilities for the transport pf liv« stock and perishable goods j the abolishment of the extra freight on imported coal to enable local bodies to undertake the eree» tion of workers' dwellings. The speakers were Messrs W. Howard Booth (Mayor), 6. Davies (Tradesmen's Association), J. Moncrlefl (secretary of th* cheese factories), H. M. B, Trapp (Borough Council), J. A. Dodson (Wairarapa Brick, Tile, and Drainpipe Company), W. J, O'Meara (weevil in wheat). Mr Booth also urged reversion to the" pre-war railway time* , table for Wairarapa and a non-stop run between Upper BLutt and Wellington, th« wants of that district being supplied by the suburban service.

The committee left at 11.45 by motor care for Greytown, and thence an a tour of Lower Valley. They will sit at Mastertod, on Monday.

COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY. MASTERTON; May 26. The Parliamentary Industries Committed sat at Masterton to-day. The questions of the deviation of the Rimutaka railway, hydro-electric power, woollen mills, railway surtax on timber, and the developing of the dominion's resources by the establishment of a light line of railways to the back-blocks were presented by members of the Chamber of Commeroe and others.

(Fbom Oub Own Cokbespondent.) WELLINGTON, May 21. "It will never be possible for the City Council or any other publio body to run a farm at present prices, for the simple reason that they would have to pay regular tion wages, and they wduld have to pay overhead charges that would never have to - be borne by any farmer." This statement was made by Mr Cuddie before the Industries Committee to-day. Mr Luke had been questioning Mr Cuddie as to the danger of cities and towns being unable to get supplies of milk on account of the development of such highly profitable industries as the manufacture of milk producte for export. Mr Cuddie said that this would always be regulated by the prices to bo paid. If the factories offered more they would get the milk. The Mayor of Wellington told Mr Cuddie that the City Counoil had had lately to go as far as Hawke's Ray for milk to supply the city, and he offered the suggestion thatf municipalities should have first call on the milk, from certain areas surrounding the town.

Mr Cuddic said there were difficult}©* about any scheme of this kind. It would involve oompulsion. and thus might causa hardship. He pointed out that a farmer might bo equipped with labour and appliances suffioient to enable him to milk for a factory, but not to milk for a city supply. Mr Luke said that it seemed, a* he had always advocated, that the only solution of the problem was for the city to own and operate its own farm. Mr Veitch agreed at once with this proposition^ Mr Ciiddie agreed with it also, but h» said that such a scheme would cost th« consumers of milk more.