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such system as is adopted in Sydney, where the type is provided for keeping them standing. I donot know of any other comparison I could make except as regards ballot-papers : they afford an illustration. For instance, the ballot-papers for the whole colony are printed at various private offices, at an average cost of about 2s. 3d. per hundred. The number usually printed for each electoral district is about fifteen hundred. These, according to our scale, are charged at lOd. per hundred. 347. Have you any data about bookwork, such as, for instance, Dr. Hector's works and the work on orange-culture ?—I do not think I can cite any illustration. Works of that description I generally give out to the piece-hands, and consequently the men get paid by results. As the price paid to them is not greater than that paid in private establishments, the profit, if any, must go to the Government. 348. The Chairman.] I understand you to say the New South Wales rolls are printed in the Government Printing Office. Then, is there no difficulty in regard to proofs and revision ?—I do not see what difficulty there can be if the copy is carefully prepared. 349. As to supplementary rolls, they must be printed hurriedly ? —Necessarily. With regard to the electoral rolls and their accuracy, I certainly, after looking at some of them, think they could be printed more accurately at the Government Office than at private offices. Some of the rolls I have seen bristle with printer's errors. 350. Mr. Cadman.] What do the electoral rolls cost in Wellington?—l think they are very cheaply done here. I think the price was 10s. 6d. per page; but in some of the offices in other parts of the colony £1 10s. is demanded. 351. Mr. J. B. Whyte.] Do you know why the railway work is done privately ?—Principally because I was unable to do it. I did it for over two or three years, but, owing to want of accommodation, I could not continue it, especially during session. It was not on account of our prices being high that it was discontinued. 352. Mr. Dargaville.] How do the prices compare?—l am not quite sure what they pay at present. The tenders do not pass through my hands. It is many years since I did the work, and the forms have been entirely changed since then. I do not think a comparison could be made, except, perhaps, in one or two isolated cases. 353. Mr. J. B. Whyte] Then the accommodation will not permit of any increase of work?— No. We want more accommodation and more machinery. 354. Mr. Cadman.] You say you do not check the railway printing?—No. 355. I understand you check the most of the advertising ? —I do not individually, but it is done by the clerks in my office. 356. Mr. J. B. Whyte.] Have you sufficient stock work to keep up an efficient staff during the recess? —I should not without having extra work, such as that on orange-culture, &c, to fall back upon. It is necessary that many of the casual hands should be kept about the place; otherwise a number of them would leave Wellington, and would not be available when required. 357. Hitherto there has been sufficient stock work to keep them going?—Yes; a moderate number. 358. The Chairman.] Is it not as necessary in a large printing office to keep up an efficient staff as in any other large establishment ?—Just as necessary. I take on a great many additional hands during the session ; but very few are qualified to go into the time-room. They are principally newspaper hands, and I would only employ them at piece-work. Good jobbing hands are very scarce ; and when I have a good staff, it would be a great pity to disperse it. 359. To give the Committee an idea of the comparative merits of the compositors, would you state as near as you can how many of your Hansard men are competent to set up tables like those in the Begistrar-General's reports?—l suppose that out of the thirty hands in the piece-room there are not more than two or three good table-hands among them. Most of those capable of sotting tabular matter, as I say, I draft off into the time-room. 360. Then if the staff of men who are kept for setting this work were dispersed, it would be difficult to get them together again?—Decidedly so. I found some difficulty this session in filling up the time-rooms. 361. Mr. Cadman.] How many men do you keep in Mr. Costall's and Mr. Burns's room ? — About twenty-six men. 362. The Chairman.] The Bs. per page which you say is the cost of printing the rolls in the office —that means in tabulated form?—Yes. 363. Can the matter be compressed ? —Yes. I suggested a plan in my report of 1882, whereby the tabular shape should be dispensed with, and that the matter should be printed in double column, in smaller type. 364. Mr. J. B. Whyte.] In estimating the cost on the plan you suggested, did you consider just the money paid out, or did you include wear and tear? —I allowed for all expenses—management, depreciation, wear and tear, and interest upon capital. 365. The Chairman.] What was the cost of printing the rolls in 1881-82, and in 1884?—In 1881-82 they cost about £2,150, and in 1884 about £1,600. 366. Now wo come to the question affecting the real gist of the inquiry. Do you think any portion of the printing could be given out with advantage? —Only in some cases —when we are very much pressed during the session. I have occasionally to give out some parliamentary papers and work of that description, which are wanted very urgently in the House. Ido not think it is a monetary advantage to give it out. It is not given out from economical considerations, but simply because it is wanted in a hurry, and must be done in a certain time. In other respects Ido not think any advantage is to be gained by giving work out to private contract. 367. Mr. Cadman.] What test have you had besides the electoral rolls to prove how much cheaper you do the work than private offices ? —Well, I can only cite the cost of the Provincial Government printing. That used to be done in the provinces by contract; and the prices charged