D—No. 7

Enclosure in No. 4. THB GOVERNMENT PRINTER, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, TO THE CHIEF SECRETART. Government Printing Office, Adelaide, May 20th, 1862. Sir,— I have the honor to report for the information of the Government of New Zealand, that the cost of the original plant in 1849, for the South Australian Government Printing Office, was £382 14s. lid. The size of the original building, one room, was 27 feet x 36 feet, and the annual charge for salaries, £678 ; additions have since been made to the plant, in type and machinery, to the amount of £2183 12s. 6d., and it is proposed to add about £500 worth more immediately. The buildings now occupy a space of 72 feet x 75 feet, and are divided into Compositors' and Binders' Rooms, Machinery, Store, Rack, and Fireproof Rooms. The persons employed at this date, of all descriptions, number thirty two. Wear and tear estimated at eight per cent, per annum. ■ I take this opportunity of stating, that if a few particulars were supplied as to the Legislature of New Zealand, (whether one or two houses), the average of the numbers of pages of Acts passed each Session, average size of Government Gazette, as well as of the Public Departments, the number of Post Offices, Telegraph Stations, Custom Houses, Local or District Courts, Railways, Boards, &c, it would enable mo to draw out a list of material and its cost suited to the circumutauces. The quantity and value of the original plant here cannot be a guide in the establishment of a Printing Office elsewhere, as it was indented for by a person of limited knowledge in the matter, and was found from the first to be very insufficient. I have, &c, W. C. Cox, The Hon. the Chief Secretary. Government Printer,

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A GOVERNMENT PRINTING ESTABLISHMENT.