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50

the tree, the Board say that they grow on almost any soil, but their growth is most rapid on loose, sandy patches, or where the surface has been broken up for agricultural or other purposes. Where the soil is hard or firm it is recommended that plough-furrows should be made at regular intervals, of, say, five to six feet apart, into which the seeds are to be dropped. Water of a little less than boiling temperature should be poured on the seeds, and they may then be allowed to soak in the water until soft before planting. As the seeds are small, and ought to be sown near the surface, a very little sprinkling of earth will suffice. It is sufficient to drop them at distances of a foot apart along the furrows. The seed is inexpensive, and can be purchased for Bs. or 10s. per pound. There are 30,000 of the Acacia pycnantlia and 40,000 of the Acacia decurrens to the pound. The seedlings can be thinned out at discretion. On loose, sandy soils it can be sown broadcast. Planting Forest Trees. The following are the regulations under the Forest Trees Planting Encouragement Acts, 1871 and 1872:— 1. The planting in respect of which a grant of land under the Act is claimed need not be in one block, but may be in several blocks on the same property. 2. The land planted must be securely fenced, and must have been devoted to planting for at least two years. 3. The trees must be in a vigorous and healthy state when the grant of land is applied for. 4. The trees may be of any description, and the number planted must be at the rate of not less than 500 per acre. 5. The trees must be of an average height of two feet, except in the case of gum, wattle, poplar, or willow, which must be of an average height of four feet. 6. As soon as the land is fenced and the trees planted, a report must be sent to the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the provincial district in which the lands are situate, who will cause inspection of the same to be made, from the date of which, if duly certified, the two years will be calculated. 7. The amount of the land-order to be issued under the authority of section 4 of " The Forest Trees Planting Encouragement Act, 1872," in respect of every acre of land planted, shall be £4. 8. The fulfilment of the conditions above pi^scribed shall be ascertained and shall be certified in the form annexed by an officer appointed by the Governor, who shall forward the same to the Secretary for Crown Lands. Upon the receipt of such certificate the Governor may either issue his own certificate to the Waste Lands Board, or may, if he think fit, cause further inquiry to be made into the facts of the case. 9. No person shall be entitled to receive a land-order under " The Forest Trees Planting Encouragement Act Amendment Act, 1872," unless he shall, at the time he makes a claim therefor, produce to and deposit with the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the provincial district in which the lands are situate a plan of the land planted with trees in respect of which, he claims such land-order, showing the marks or numbers by which such land is known on the record-maps in the Crown Lands Office of the land district. The applicant shall also produce and leave with such other office a statutory declaration made by him that, to the best of his belief, the boundaries and dimensions of such land are correctly delineated on such plan, and that no land-order has been previously granted to any person in respect of the planting of the land described in such plans with trees.

BOOKBINDING AND PKINTING. No. 45. Eecommendations by Messrs. Fergttsson and Mitchell, Manufacturing Stationers, Dunedin, to the Commissioners on Local Industries. 18th May, 1880. Tabiit might be safely altered to allow the size known as foolscap, instead of demy, in writing and printing papers, uncut edges, free. The importer, to avoid the duty, orders the paper large or doublefoolscap size, to save paying the charges, while the revenue does not get anything, only causing the importers to ship in larger cases. While coacbbuilders' leather is exempt, we plead for the bookbinder the same privilege. Envelopes, plain, until they can be made in the colony, also blotting-paper, we submit ought to be free. Bank stationery—bankers' cheques, drafts, bills of exchange, headed paper, printed forms, slips, &c. —Only two banks in the colony, Bank of New Zealand and Colonial Bank, get their supplies locally from Auckland and Dunedin ; the only parties who are benefited being the Home manufacturers, the public and shareholders deriving no gain by the banks importing their stationery. Were increased duty resorted to, the local firms could successfully compete—if 5 per cent, to 10 per cent, extra duty was passed —which would give employment to a good many. Government might distribute some of their work outside of Wellington, so as to encourage tradesmen to settle down in such cities as they may have selected when leaving the Old Country.

No. 46. Mr. "William Lets to the Members of the Commission on Local Industries. Sies,— "Wyndham Street, Auckland, 11th May, 1880. In furtherance of your desire to obtain full information with reference to the industries already established, and which might be promoted in this colony, I desire to lay before you the present con. dition of my own trade, and will endeavour to show what it might become were it protected for a few years by a judicious tariff. My trade is that of a bookbinder, paper-ruler, and account-book maun.