H.—lsa

1885. NEW ZEALAND,

DEVELOPMENT OF COLONIAL INDUSTRIES (FURTHER PAPERS RELATING TO THE).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

lI.—TEADE AND MANUFACTUBES.

COBEESPONDENCE.

No. 1. Sir Julius Vogel to the Agent-General. Sie,— Wellington, 16th December, 1884. I have the honour to ask your serious consideration to the question of whether it is in your power to do anything to promote the progress of manufacturing industries in the colony. As you are aware, without adopting any policy of protection as a matter of doctrine, the requirements of the country are such that a heavy revenue has to be raised through the Customs. As there is little prospect of the colony dispensing with heavy Customs duties for many years to come, and as there is not much disposition to have recourse to excise duties, manufacturers have the prospect of deriving considerable advantage from the tariff without any actual policy of protection being adopted. There is also a very essential aid to local manufacturers in the fact that New Zealand is situated so far from any other producing or manufacturing country. Again, there is every reason to believe that as New Zealand develops its manufactures it may find profitable markets for its productions in the islands of the South Seas, to say nothing of the probable extension to India in the future. Several manufactures are already being carried on in New Zealand with more or less profit. There has been a great disposition during recent years to manufacture woollen products, and a considerable amount of success has attended these efforts. These productions are very beautiful, the wool, which is raised in the colony, enabling them to be made without any admixture or adulteration. Other productions of the colony, as well as imported raw material, are being subjected to manufacturing processes. I have asked Dr. Hector to prepare a memorandum, giving you a general idea of the present condition of manufactures in New Zealand, and the directions in which he thinks enterprise may find profitable channels. I may, however, before concluding, refer to the vast sources of wealth that lie at the command of the colony in its prolific fisheries. For example, the sounds on the south side of Cook Strait are annually visited by enormous shoals of pilchards. I need scarcely remind you what a source of wealth these fish are to the residents on the southern coast of England. I believe most profitable occupation might be found in extending the commencement already made in the direction of curing and tinning fish. I shall be glad to obtain for you any information that you consider will be serviceable to you. I think it would be very desirable if you could place yourself in communication with some large supplying societies or firms, such as the Army and Navy or Civil Service Stores, or Whiteley's, with a view to ascertain whether there would be any disposition to offer directly for sale to the English public the products and manufactures of the colony, where these can be offered with due regard to economy. The frozen-meat industry is receiving so large an amount of attention that lam not aware whether you are able to render it any special assistance; but, if you can do so, I need scarcely say that it would be in the same direction of advancing the industries of the colony. I have, &c, The Agent-General, London. Julius Vogel.

No. %. COLONIAL INDUSTEIBS AND MANUFACTUEES. Memorandum by Dr. Hector for Hon. Sir Julius Vogel, K.C.M.G. The latest statistics bearing on this subject relate to 1880, and were obtained by the census of April, 1881. I—H. 15a.