I.—lo.

16. Will you explain what you consider would be an effective tariff? Give us the figures in your particular case which bear upon the class of goods you manufacture. Take a bar of iron.—The duty must be absolutely prohibitive in such a case, say 50 per cent. 17. Otherwise you think it would be unworkable? —Yes; and also because of the prejudice .against things made in the colony. It is only the manufacturer who knows of that prejudice. 18. Do you think that prejudice is founded on good reason —that the imported material is better material?—No, I do not think it is. 19. You say there is an unfounded, prejudice, that the imported article is generally of better quality ?—I think often the prejudice is unfounded, but still you cannot get past it. 20. What is your opinion of the duty on raw material—bolts and bars; and what would be the effect of imposing, say, a 25 per cent, duty? What would be the effect upon the manufacturing industries of the colony?— Well, the effect would be of course that it would improve Auckland, because the works are there. 21. Ido not mean the ironfounders; I mean the people who work up iron—the implement makers. What effect would it have on that trade ?—lt would cost more for the raw material. 22. Unless an equivalent duty were placed on the manufactured article, it would not stop the manufactured ? —There are always certain industries that will go on in spite of the tariff. It is a harassing business this tinkering with the tariff. 23. Hon. Sir J. Hall.] Would it be necessary, in order to maintain industries, that an equivalent duty should be placed on iron manufactures? —It is a very wide question. 24. Yes, it is a very important question?— There are so many things made at Home, that are patent. 25. Well, take agricultural implements?—l do not understand it. I refer to water-engines. 26. The Chairman.] It is not manufactured here ?—Yes, they are made in Dunedin by A. and T. Burt, and Anderson and Morrison. I imported a Eamsbottom engine, and there is a duty of 20 per cent, on that engine. It cannot be made in the colony; but the duty does not improve the selling of the locally-made article. " 27. Hon. Sir J. Hall."] Take the case of agricultural implements, they are now free of duty, and the raw material is also free of duty. If a2O per cent, duty is put on the raw material, would not that also necessitate a duty of 20 per cent, on agricultural implements?— Yes, certainly. 28. And if that were not imposed, what would be the result to the agricultural implement makers? —All the agricultural implements would be imported. 29. And the locally-made implements would be shut out?— Yes. 30. You have cast some doubt on the quality of the iron? —It is equal to that made at Home. [Specimens of sheet-plates made from iron-sand at the Onehunga Ironworks produced.] 31. The Chairman.] What do you think of that material?— This is very good iron ; there is no mistake about that. Every little speck on galvanised sheet-iron, such as I see on this iron, would condemn it out here ; but, would not be noticed if on imported iron. 32. You have seen the products made from iron-sand; do you think they bear favourable comparison with anything that is imported from Home? —Certainly ; from the samples produced. The question of price is the difficulty. 33. You say you have been engaged in the galvanising trade?— Yes. 34. In what way could it be assisted by the Government so as to enable it to become vigorous, and a paying industry m the colony ?—As far as I am concerned, I have been so disgusted with it, so much so that Ido not intend to do any more of it. i put up the building and land for sale yesterday, which I built for the galvanising works, and the best offer was not equal to the price I paid for the land. 35. To what do you attribute that? —To the enormous cost of the acids to start with. 36. Is there a duty on acids?—No ; there is the freight, which is very high on acids ; and the carboys that the acid is packed in are of no use out here. 37. What acids?— Sulphuric and muriatic acids. They can be bought for half-a-crowii a ton at Home. It is almost a refuse at Home. Then we have all the waste products, the ashes from the bath and the hard spelter. We have no method of working this stuff up; it has all to go Home. All that the people at Home have to do is to take it next door and get good stuff for it. There is everything against these industries in the colony. 38. Is there any other material used in the manufacture?— Spelter is not a product of New Zealand. Before I started galvanising I used to sell my old zinc at 4s. 6d. a Irundredweight, and when I got into the galvanising trade I had to give Chinamen as much as 14s. to be able to keep going. I could not get enough; I had to import the raw material from Home. I have had iron from the Onehunga works, and I like it very well; but the price is against it, especially for Wellington, on account of the freight, wharfage, and other expenses. 39/ What is the freight from Auckland to Wellington?—l2s. 6d. a ton. 40. What is the freight from Home?— Just now it is about £10s. 6d. a ton. [Vide also evidence of Mr. T. Thompson, page 11.]

LEATHER INDUSTEY. Feiday, 19th August, 1892. —(E. O'Conoe, Esq., Chairman.) Mr. McWhieteb, resident at Petone, examined. Witness : The question has been long asked throughout the colony, " What is the cause of so much stagnation in the leather trade?" and a meeting was held at Kaiwara in the early part of this year to consider the matter as it relates to tanning and currying. I was deputed by the meeting to travel through the whole of the colony and make investigations at every yard. In every instance the employers told me that it was impossible for them to work full time in their yards and to sell at a

24