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It is very difficult to suggest any remedy for the heavy expenditure for printing. It runs through all departments. Hansard is involved in it; but members appear to resist any attempt at reform. For example, the attention of the Committee was drawn to the expense of correcting the Hansard proofs, amounting for last session to £375, and certain to be very much more this session; and, with the view of being able to suggest some improvement, the Committee were anxious to examine some of the proofs, taken indiscriminately, with the authors' corrections. But, seeing that the House refused the Committee such inspection, the Committee being thus precluded from making any suggestions, further remark on this point is unnecessary. Considering the price paid for paper, the stationery supplied to the House of Representativesand the Library is hardly of so good a quality as members have a right to expect, and contrasts somewhat unfavourably with that used by the Legislative Council, which, the Committee were astonished to learn, is not supplied from or printed at the Government Printing Office, but is ordered direct from Home, and paid for presumably out of the Legislative vote. This Committee consider it specially objectionable that this printing, or Government printing of any kind, should be executed out of the colony. Wages of Compositoes on Piece. Some friction having arisen between the Printer and the employes on piecework, the question came before the Committee, by the request of the Minister in charge, and they have taken a largeamount of evidence on the nature of the work and the prices paid for it; and in reference theretothe Committee have to recommend, in regard to the composition of " The Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute," the " Law Reports," and similar technical work, that an. increase of 2d. per thousand be paid for the same, or, as an alternative, that the work be executed. on time at the usual rate of wages. 7th October, 1892. William Hutchison, Chairman.

b-epobt tβ transposing of eooms occupied by compositobs and bookbindees, goyeenment Pbinting Office, Wellington. Sib, — Public Works Department, Wellington, 3rd October, 1892. It is proposed that the most satisfactory solution of the difficulty of providing proper and sufficient lighting for compositors would be to exchange their present accommodation on first floor for the rooms now occupied by the bookbinding branch on top floor. If this exchange were made, each of the departments would have exactly the same floor space that they now occupy, but the compositors would have the most perfect light for their work—namely, an overhead light by means, of roof-skylights placed on southern slopes of roofs, avoiding glare of sun, and securing steady light and immunity from shadows or shade for every man in the room, not possible to be obtained by the ordinary side windows, whatever size they may be. Every man, too, would have equal advantages as regards light—an important matter with piece-workers. To accomplish this transposition would mean the removal and re-erection of a few wood partitions, the construction of roof-skylights and wells for light in ceilings, and the removal and re-erection of the lavatory and water-closet for females, all of which work could be done at a cost of £400. In addition to these alterations to the building, the shafting and the several machines driven therefrom in the bookbinders' department would be removed without difficulty by means of the lift,, and re-erected in similar manner on floor beneath. The lift worked by this shafting could remain as it is, with exception of alteration to belting, so as to work it from the shafting removed to floor beneath by means of a vertical belt, instead of existing horizontal one. The lever and gear for working the belting of this lift would also be transferred to floor beneath. This lift is used chiefly by the bookbinding department, so that if the transposition were accomplished it would only requireto work through one floor instead of two as at present time. The vertical shaft which conveys the power from ground-floor to top-floor horizontal shafting could be reduced in length, so as to work the shafting removed to first-floor. There is a small steam-engine which works a short shaft in the stitchers' room which could with little difficulty be removed, with the shafting and the which it works. The stereotyping and electrotyping department would also be transferred to floor below, which I believe would be an advantage, in respect of the noise produced therein being a nuisance to the readers in composing department at present beneath. Chemicals are used by the above departments, but ventilating flues can bo carried up through the floor above to carry off any fumes which might be hurtful to those working above if these departments were transferred to the floor below. The same provision would be made for carrying off the steam and smells from the glue-pots used in the binding department. The work entailed in altering and transferring of shafting, machines, &c, would not be very great or costly; an expert machinist alone could give an estimate with any degree of accuracy, but the work is not of any magnitude, and could be accomplished in a very short time. It might be pointed out that the floor of the bookbinding department is heavily loaded compared to that of the compositors' department, and that the walls of the former are not so thick and strong as those of the latter, so that the transposition of departments proposed would be better forthe building from a construction point of view, putting the heavy department on the floor best able, to bear it. I have, &c, William H. Hales, The Chairman, Government Printing Office Committee. Engineer-in-Chief. Api>ro'.ci))ui te Coat of Paper. —Preparation, nil; printing (3,160 copies), £1 6s

By Authority: Geohoe Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB92. Price 3d.]