I.—lo

1894. NEW ZEALAND.

TARIFF AND INDUSTRIES COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE, TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF EVIDENCE ON A METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT OF IRONSAND).

Reports brotight up Session 1894, and ordered to be printed.

ORDERS OF REFERENCE. Extracts from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Tuesday, the 26th Day of June, 1894. Ordered, " That a Select Committee be appointed to consider how the manufactures and industries of the colony may be encouraged; three to be a quorum. The Committee to consist of Mr. Darnell, Mr. Crowther, Mr. Earnshaw, Mr. Graham, Mr. W. Hutchison, Hon. Mr. Mitchelson, Mr. R. McKenzie, Mr. E. M. Smith, Mr. G. J. Smith, and the mover.—(Hon. Mr. Wabd).

Tuesday, the 24th Day of July, 1894. Ordered, " That a Select Committee be appointed to take into consideration the existing duties of Customs and excise, with a view of ascertaining whether any changes are necessary or expedient; five to form a quorum. Th& Committee to consist of Mr. Allen, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Duthie, Mr. Graham, Mr. Hall-Jones, Mr. W. Hutchison, Mr. J. W. Kelly, Mr. Maslin, Hon. Mr. Mitchelson, Mr. Morrison, Mr. McGuire, Captain Russell, Mr. E. M. Smith, Mr. Tanner, and the mover. The Committee to report within one month.—(Hon. Mr. Ward.)

Thuksday, the 2nd Day of August, 1894. Ordered, " That the Manufactures and Industries and the Tariff Committees be amalgamated, and sit together as one Committee." —(Hon. Mr. Waed.)

• Tuesday, the 21st Day of August, 1894. Ordered, " That the Tariff and Industries Committee have leave to postpone bringing up their report for fourteen days."—(Mr. W. Hutchison.)

Thubsday, the 6th Day of September, 1894. Ordered, " That the Tariff and Industries Committee have leave to postpone bringing up their report for one week."—(Mr. W. Hutchison.)

Eepoet eelative to Teeatment of leonsand. I have the honour to report that, with reference to the evidence given before this Committee by Mr. E. Purser, of Blenheim, relative to his mode of treating New Zealand ironsand, this Committee is of opinion that the attached evidence should be referred to the Government, with a view to making a technical inquiry into the matter. William Hutchison, 10th August, 1894. Chairman.

Minutes of Evidence on a Method for the Teeatment of Ironsand.

Thursday, 26th June, 1894.—(Mr. W. Hutchison, Chairman.) Mr. B. Puesee, of Blenheim, examined. 1. The Chairman.'] Upon what branch of manufactures and industries do you wish to give evidence before the Committee ? You will be as brief as possible, as our time is valuable ?—I desire to give some information upon the magnetized process of treating ironsand. I first conceived the idea of separating the foreign matter from the ironsand by the magnetized process, feeling assured that it would be of great importance in producing iron from it. I accomplished the process in the first instance by passing the ironsand, in conjunction with magnetized drums, this plan [Exhibit A] shows the sections of the electric magnet. [Witness described the sections.] I find it necessary, to avoid titanium or other foreign matter, to be very careful in having the electric drums far apart, otherwise each grain of sand becomes a magnet itself, and the attraction, if too abrupt, would draw the foreign matter to the drums. [Witness exhibited a specimen of briquette made from the pure ironsand.] There is no difficulty in smelting the ironsand.