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for Government printing in the various provincial districts were greatly in excess of the prices which I charge at present. The work was spun out to an enormous extent under the contract system. I have a volume here showing work done for the Provincial Government of Wellington. It occupies 360 pages; whereas if it had been done in the Government Printing Office it would not occupy more than two hundred pages. They were paid so much per page under the contract system, and of course it is the object of contractors to spin the work out as much as possible. 368. Is it not possible in a printing contract to draft specifications binding the contractors ?— There is nothing so elastic as a printing contract. It is astonishing how they can get outside even the most stringent specifications. For instance, in the electoral roll there is a specimen handed to the printers to guide them ; and yet, as I have pointed out, the rolls occupy sixty-eight pages more than they should have done. 369. I should think you would be able to say whether the work is done in accordance with agreement, and you would not pay more than had been agreed upon ? —Well, in the case of the electoral rolls sometimes the accounts are reduced ; but they are generally paid for at the time the work is done locally, and the accounts do not come to me for examination until after payment is made, and it is a very difficult thing to get money refunded. After the matter is set you can seldom take exception to it. If I said " You will have to compress or reset it," the printer would probably charge time for alterations. 370. Could you not tell him to reduce his account, instead of asking him to reduce the space ? —That is sometimes done. 371. Mr. J. B. Whyte.] Mr. Cadman means, could you not say before the printer sets the matter, " This will have to go into so many pages" ?—No. I could scarcely do that without very careful calculation, even if the copy passed through my hands, which it does not. It is handed to the printers by the local Bevising Officers. 372. The Chairman.] Would you give the Committee some general idea of the system upon which you work your office ?—There are a certain number of compositors employed on time at £3 per week, and the piece-hands are paid by results. 373. Do your piece-hands earn more than those in private offices?—No. They complain that they do not earn quite so much. 374. Mr. J. B. Whyte.] I understand you to say that, with the present accommodation, if the work increased you would have to put it out ?—Yes ; during the session, especially. 375. Mr. Cadman.] Do you consider the Government establishment is as fully equipped as other large offices in the colony ?—No ; we are very deficient in many respects. We want more labour-saving machinery; but I have not a single corner where I could put it. With regard to type, a great deal of expense might be saved if we had more of it; but it cannot be procured because, with more type we should require more chases, galleys, frames, &c, and other material in proportion, and our store-rooms and composing-rooms are too small to accommodate more material. 376. If additions were made to the accommodation, would it be advisable to discard the present machinery and procure new stock? —I would not discard all the machinery—only some of the old machinery. There is still a quantity in use which is fit for service in any office. 377. I have asked the question because I heard outside that the plant is out of date?—Well, of course, as I say, I want more modern labour-saving machinery, and would procure it if I had room for it. 378. Mr. Dargaville.] Did you furnish your schedule of prices to the Select Committee of the other House? —Yes, for the specimens of work they asked me to give the prices for. 379. The Chairman.] Other witnesses have referred to the guillotine cutting-machines. Could they not be improved upon ?—There are now self-clamping machines made, but I purchased those I have now in use before these improved machines were invented. Of course you cannot throw out machinery till it gets pretty well worn out; and I bought those now in use nine or ten years a ß°- . . .... 380. Could the clamp be added in any way ?—I do not think so ; and, even if it could, it might. not prove suitable for all classes of work. 381. Then you have some Wharfedales without flyers?—l have one. That is a machine I have had in the office for ten or twelve years. 382. Is that the worst of the machines ?—No. I have one which I purchased about eighteen years ago. It is nearly worn out. 383. I suppose there would be no sale for those machines: it is simply a question of continuing them or throwing them away ? —Yes ; they could not be sold except at a sacrifice, and I think it is not desirable to do that. 384. I suppose they are good enough for some classes of work ?—Yes : work that is not of a very particular kind can be done on them. I have been able to sell one old machine to make room for another. 385. Mr. J. B. Whyte.] Supposing you had plenty of room, would the additions and alterations to the plant run into much money ? —I should want something like three or four thousand pounds' worth of additional plant. 386. The Chairman.] I understand you to state that you have no means of comparing the work done in private offices and your office ?—Not beyond the instances I have given you—the printing of the rolls and ballot-papers and the printing done under the Brovincial Governments. 387. Mr. J. B. Whyte.] When the Brovincial Government printing was done, did you keep accounts, so that the work could be compared ? —Yes. 388. The Chairman.] Will you give us some information that will enable us to form an idea of the cost of management? —The cost of management is a little over £1,400. That includes the salaries of myself and four overseers. 389. Are your overseers to-day the same men who occupied the positions ten years ago ? —With