RESOLUTIONS OP JOINT COMMITTEE OX COLONIAL INDUSTRIES.

15

G.—No. 14

systems, with a view to determining which of them is best adapted to tho circumstances of this Colony. The procuring of such further information was evidently contemplated by the Committee, when they recommended that immediate steps for the introduction of technical and scientific education in this Colony should be only of a tentative character. It should, moreover, be the duty of such Agent to arrange for procuring educational appliances, and Natural History collections, by way of exchange or gift for the use of the educational institutions of the Colony. Such collections would be willingly given by many of the overcrowded museums at home, if there were a competent Agent on the spot to select those that would be acceptable in the Colony, and to undertake the trouble of packing and transmitting them. " 4. Acclimatization. —In addition to the above duties, the Agent might do good service in the interests of the Colony, by collecting information as to what means, if any, can be adopted to check tho progress of the various insect pests that arc so alarmingly destructive to almost every industry in this Colony; and in other ways to assist the efforts of the various local Acclimatization Societies, by personal communication with the best authorities at home."

No. 22. Mr. E. Fox to the Hon. J. Vogel. Sir, — General Government Offices, Wellington, sth September, 1871. I have the honor to hand to you estimates of the cost of machinery of various kinds, respecting which you instructed me, when in England recently, to make inquiry. I have appended to the Memorandum of the Hon. the Colonial Secretary as to cloth-dressing machinery a statement why estimates for such machinery are not included amongst those now handed to you. I have, Ac, Hon. J. Vogel, Ac. E. Fox. Enclosure in No. 22. Memorandum by the Hon. the Colonial Sechetart for the Hon. J. Vogel. It has been stated that the chief reason why the finer kinds of cloth and other woollen fabrics are not manufactured in this Colony is, from the absence of proper finishing machinery which is required to " dress" the manufactured article so that it will take in the market, but which process does not add to the durability of tho fabric ; further, that the expensive nature of such machinery precludes its use except for very large operations, and that no small local manufacturer could afford to employ it. It is desirable, therefore, that inquiry should be made on this subject in England, and, if the above informationis found to be correct, it should be ascertained whether a manufacturer could be induced by a subsidy in form of a bonus or guarantee to undertake the establishment of such machinery in the Colony, to which local producers could send the unfinished material—of course, no subsidy could be offered without tho previous sanction of the General Assembly. By this means a local market would be created, especially for hand-made fabrics of good quality, which are only excluded from the market on account of their inferior appearance and finish to imported articles. This would afford a useful and profitable employment to a large class of persons who are not fitted for the more active life of colonists. The advantages in favour of the establishment of such Colonial industries are found in the abundance and cheap supply of the raw material, the cheapness of food, and the great natural command of water-power. The disadvantages are the want of skilled labour and the dislike of persons in a new colony to settle down to the steady work of a mill. Necessity is however gradually overcoming this prejudice in the larger centres of population; and judging from the success which has already attended the establishment of mills and other manufacturing works in Melbourne, there is good reason for hoping that in a few years, with proper management at the start, a very large number of those who are at present almost useless to the Colony would bo profitably employed as producers. W. Gisborne, Wellington, 2nd February, 1871. Colonial Secretary. As to not obtaining Estimates for Cloth-dressing Machinery. With a view to my obtaining information on the subject of the preceding memorandum, Mr. L. Lawson, of Leeds, introduced me to Mr. T. Robinson and Messrs. AVm. Kempe and Sens, of that city. Mr. Robinson is, I was told, the largest " dresser " in Leeds ; and Messrs. Kempe, are practically the only firm in the district who make cloth-dressing machinery. In each case a promise to supply me with estimates on or before 26th June was made, but was not performed, although I wrote to Mr. Robinson and to Messrs. Kempe, recalling the promise. I hope that the incoming mail will bring the estimates, as, at my request, Mr. John Morrison undertook to communicate, if necessary, with the gentlemen named, in time to allow of their answers being forwarded by the July mail. The appended copy of a letter to Mr. Robinson will explain what passed during my interview with that gentleman, except as to the samples of wool spoken of in the first paragraph. During the interview Mr. Robinson several times said that no one could fairly decide what kind of machinery would be required, without knowing the precise qualities of wool to be manufactured; and I accordingly promised to send him average samples of New Zealand wools, procured from brokers in London. " Dear Sir, — " Charing Cross Hotel, London, 15th June 1871. " I havo at length obtained samples of New Zealand wools, such as those for which you asked when I had the pleasure of seeing you in Leeds; and I have to-day forwarded them to your address, per Great Northern Railway.