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riages, they should have a carriage and place it before the tenderers, who should be invited to tender for a certain number of that description, first- or second-class, as the case may be. They should supply the tenderers with the total cost of that carriage as placed on the rails—with everything connected with it complete—all charges and expenses, as packing, freight, &c, added. In that case lam perfectly certain that the carriages would be tendered for in the colony at a less price than they could be imported for. 108. The ironwork to be built in the colony, as well as the woodwork?—lt_ does not necessarily follow. With the imported carriage the charges are considerable—freight and insurance cost a good deal. In addition, we could place a carriage on the rails in better condition, because, as you know, the imported carriage must get knocked about in transit. 109. Do you think that native timber, if used, would be quite suitable ?—ln certain parts it would, but not for the whole. For certain other parts, however, hickory and ash must be used. In certain parts we would use kauri and pine.

COAL. No. 71. Mr. Andeew Pollock to Mr. G-eorge Grant, Secretary of the National Industrial Association of Dunedin. Sib,— Green Island, 29th March, 1880, Referring to your notification that the Commission on Native Industries intend visiting Dunedin at an early date, I beg respectfully to submit to the Commission the great desirability of the Government encouraging the prospecting of coal in a more systematic manner than now exists. At present only the outcrops, laid bare by the elements, are worked. In the Kaikori Valley, in many parts of the Taieri Plain, and other places contiguous to the main south railway-line, I am confident, if bored the necessary depth, there would be found valuable seams of coal, which, from want of capital and enterprise, are now lying dormant, manufacturers and others being compelled to send to other colonies for a better article than is now produced in the Colony of New Zealand. For instance, in prospecting recently in Preservation Inlet, I found a superior specimen of coal underneath the seam from which I had taken a cargo of coal to Dunedin, and traced the seam to some distance beneath the water ; from which I concluded, if gone into to a good depth, an article would be found which would drive foreign coal out of the colonial market. It is far from creditable that nearly £250,000 go out of the colony annually for an article the equal of which could be found in the colony if the Government were to give sufficient encouragement for its development. Having been extensively engaged developing our coal resources for the last eighteen years, I know well that we are only groping on the surface; therefore I shall be glad to appear before the Commission, and give verbal evidence in these matters. I have, &c, Akdeew Pollock.

No. 72. Evidence of Mr. John Mabshall, taken by Mr. Commissioner A. J. Burns at Collingwood, 7fch April, 1880. My name is John Marshall. I have been connected with coal-mining forty-two years: out of this I have been thirteen years coal-mining in New Zealand and six years in Newcastle, N.S.W. 1 have been connected with and managing the Collingwood coal mine for ten years. The coal-seams in this district are from 2 feet 6 inches to 3 feet in thickness. The coal is bituminous and of good quality. At present I pay from Bs. to 10s. per ton for delivery of the coal at the mine-mouth, and Is. per ton delivered alongside the ship on the jetty at Ferntown. I have only two men employed at present; therefore can only average two tojis per day output delivered on the wharf. I can sell it readily at 20s. per ton, and cannot supply the demand, as I* am hampered from want of labour and capital. A very small sum —say £1,400 —would enable me to fully develop the mine and turn out 150 tons per day on the wharf; although £200 would enable me to put out 30 tons per day on to the wharf. But to fully develop the coal trade it would be necessary to erect a properly-constructed wharf at Timatie Point, where 20 feet can be obtained at low water. This wharf would require to run out about 1,200 feet from high-water mark ; but any large ship could then load coal at any state of the tide. Besides this wharf about three miles of tramway would require to be constructed as an extension of the present tramway ; but, as the ground is nearly level, this tramway would not be very expensive to erect, particularly as timber is plentiful in the near neighbourhood ; and, as there is an unlimited supply of good timber for sawing, this wharf could be profitably used for its shipment. Besides, there are oilier coal seams at Pakawau that, when worked, would be shipped from this wharf, as the wharf would be about halt-way between the1 two coal-seams. The Pakawau coal is of the same quality as the coal lam now working, and could be easily and cheaply developed, as it crops out near to high-water mark. I am of opinion that if this wharf was built all the steamers running on the coast would call here for coal, as it would only take them about ten miles out of their direct course ; but, by having a deep-water wharf to enable large ships to load, coal could be delivered in Nelson or Wellington very much cheaper than at present —say, 225. to 255. per ton. This would equally apply to steam-colliers carrying large cargoes. I have no fear of not.having a quick and ready sale for every ton of coal that could be produced in this district, if the wharf and tramway were constructed into deep water. It would be a great boon to the coal industry of this district if the Commissioners could recommend the construction of this wharf and tramway. I think capital would be found to develop the mines once it was understood that these works would be constructed, John Maeshall.