*F.—No. 1.

20

REPORT OP COMMITTEE

4. " Capability of extension, so as to meet foreign requirements." We think the extension of this trade must chiefly be restricted to this Colony and the adjacent islands: we cannot hope, for some time to come, to export beyond the bounds alluded to; still, we believe there is in this Colony ample room for extension, almost indefinitely. 5. " Capital requisite for the efficient working of your business." This is not an easy question to answer, but we may state, for your satisfaction, that were we to start afresh we should require at the least, to make it successful, £10,000. 6. Under this head wo will answer the following: " Difficulty, if any, still standing in the way of the development of your trade," and " Generally upon any matter connected with your business which you think may promote its interests." As we have before stated, the great difficulty we have to contend with is the want of capital to carry on business more efficiently and extensively. Now, Sir, we do not know whether the General Government are really desirous of assisting us or not; but we do say that such assistance would at the present time be very opportune, and gratefully received. We therefore throw out the following suggestions for your Committee's consideration : — (1.) Is it not within the power of the Government to place at our disposal (by way of encouragement), from the trust or other funds, with a low rate of interest, a sum which would enable us at once to extend our factory, so as to produce any kind of fabric required by them in the various departments, of the service, such as the military and police ? (2.) Can they not assist us by giving us orders for the material we make ? We regret that when the tenders were issued for supplying Government with flannel, serge, and blankets, we were not in a position to contract for the same; wo trust, however, we shall be in a position shortly to produce the serge, and also to attempt the blankets. There would be no difficulty at all in this if you could get our first suggestion carried out. We have thus dealt with all your questions as fairly and fully as possible, and trust your Committee will kindly consider the difficulties we have advanced, and strive to remove them for us. We have, Sec, The Chairman of Joint Committee on Colonial Industries. Webley and Sons.

No. 2. Sic,— Nelson, 9th August, 1870. In answer to your inquiries requesting information as to the development of sericulture within the Colony, I beg to state that, in my correspondence with the Government, I have attempted to show the difficulties that lie in the way of committing oneself, in writing, to a fixed plan. I consider that were I allowed the privilege of verbally stating my plans to the Committee, and producing the numerous letters I have received from all parts of the Colony, it would have materially assisted the development of sericulture ; but, as you request my views in writing, I most willingly send the following suggestions. First, the distribution of from 1,000 to 2,000 mulberry trees, by means of Acclimatization Societies, in each of the Provinces willing to carry on sericulture —not more than 200 trees to be given to any one person or family ; and to distribute in the same manner, after the second year, 2,000 silkworm eggs of the best quality for each 200 trees. That a bonus of £50 be given for the growth of 1,000 silk cocoons spun by silkworms fed entirely on mulberry leaves, the cocoons to be the actual production of the person or family claiming the bonus. Second, that in January, 1871, a bonus of £100 be given to any person resident in New Zealand for rearing 2,000 silk cocoons, the silkworms to be fed entirely on leaves of the mulberry. That, in January, 1872, a bonus of £100 be given to any person resident in New Zealand for rearing 10,000 silk cocoons, the silkworms to be fed entirety on mulberry leaves. That, in January, 1873 and 1874, the same bonus be given as in 1871 and 1872, but any person taking the first or first and second years' bonuses, should not be entitled to those for the third and fourth years. I have, &c, The Chairman of Joint Committee on Colonial Industries. T. C. Batcheloe.

No. 3. Sic,— Christchurch, sth August, 1870. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a letter from you, dated 30th July, requesting information regarding adipocire, and my experience in its formation. I must, in the first instance, disclaim any title to the character of " botanist," which you have been good enough to assign to me, as, having neglected its study for the last twenty-five years, my knowledge of botany is reduced to its minimum. The attention of scientific men was first called to the substance in question by a French chemist of the name of Eourcroy, who found it abundantly in some old grave-yards in Paris, in the year 1786, and an account of his discovery is given in Hooper's Medical Dictionary, as well as in most works on chemistry, See. It was subsequently experimented on by Chevreuil, and declared to consist, mainly, of margaric acid, in combination with ammonia, potassa, and lime. The substance was called by its discoverer " adipocire ;" English chemists and writers have called it variously adipocire and adipocere, and the name has been applied indifferently both to the crude adipocire, as produced by the action of cold water upon animal structure, and the wax which is formed by melting the crude adipocire in water. I adhere to the spelling used by its discoverer. My experiments have led me to conclusions slightly varying from the opinions I find expressed on the subject in the different works I have consulted. I find that not only the skin, muscle, and fat, are