9

A.—7.

P AET 11. No. 1. Messrs. C. E. Howden and Co. to the Hon. the Commissioner of Customs. Gentlemen, — Dunedin, 16th November, 1868. In terms of the Distillation Act lately passed, we beg to apply for liberty to erect the necessary premises and machinery capable of turning out 100,000 gallons of spirit yearly. We will send the necessary specifications required by the Act as soon as they can be procured. We make this application at the suggestion of the Collector of Customs here. We have, &c., The Hon. the Commissioner of Customs, Wellington. C. E. Howden and Co.

No. 2. Mr. Seed to Messrs. C. E. Howden and Co. Office of the Commissioner of Customs, Gentlemen, —■ Wellington, 14th November, 1868. I have been directed by the Hon. the Commissionerjof Customs to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th instant, in which you apply for liberty to erect the necessary premises and machinery for carrying on a licensed distillery, and in reply to inform you that your application will be considered as soon as the plan of the premises, as required by section 4 of " The Distillation Act, 1868," has been received. 1 am further directed to state that in the event of your undertaking the business of distilling, and a reduction being hereafter made in the present import duty on spirits, you must not reckon on such a reduction of the excise duty as the Act quoted above now allows. I have, &c, Messrs. C. E. Howden and Co., Dunedin. William Seed.

No. 3. Mr. E. M. Eobebtson to the Chief Inspector of Distilleries. Sic,— Dunedin, 27th November, 1872. We have the honor to submit for your perusal plans and memorandum by Mr. McGregor, engineer, for alterations which we contemplate proceeding with immediately we receive your sanction. The alterations consist of the substitution of a new wash still, to contain about 1,750 gallons, for the old one, which is to be converted into a low wine still, in addition to the one now in use. The waterstill at present on the premises is to be removed altogether. To effect these alterations, we will require to remove a portion of the brick wall of the still-room and re-erect it twelve feet back. We will require also to construct a new worm tank. To make room for these alterations, the present cooperage and bottle-washings buildings will have to be removed back a distance of forty to fifty feet and re-erected. These alterations are all shown on the accompanying plan. The position of the present receivers, chargers, spirits of wine still, and safes in'the still-room, will also require to be altered, a supplementary plan of which will be forwarded for your information and approval, when the new wash-still is placed in the most convenient position in the new building to be added. These expensive and unwelcome alterations have been forced upon us by the infirmity of the present wash-still, which was originally constructed of too thin material, and is now constantly entailing loss and trouble through leakage. We have the honor to request that you may be pleased to grant us the necessary permission to make these alterations as early as convenient to you, so that we may proceed with the preliminary works at once, and thus save time when we commence the important alterations, which we contemplate doing at the beginning of the new year. We have, &c, It. M. Robertson, Director, The Chief Inspector of Distilleries, Wellington. The New Zealand Distillery Company.

No. 4. The Acting Seceetaet of Customs to the Collectoe of Customs, Dunedin. Telegram to Collector, Dunedin, 2nd December, 1872. Be New Zealand Distillery. —Preliminary works mentioned in your letter of the 27th November may be proceeded with under Mr. Glasgow's supervision. J. Hackwoeth, pro Secretary.

No. 5. The Collectoe of Customs, Dunedin, to the Chief Inspectoe of Distilleeies. Dunedin, 3rd January, 1873. Be letter sixteen, distillers wish to commence taking down rectifying still and removing pipes and vessels next wall. Thomas Hill. 2—A. 7.