LV

H.—2,

their entire satisfaction at the manner in which the secretary, Mr. E. W. Kane, and the reporter, Mr. W. H. Russell, have carried out their duties. Herewith we return to your Excellency the Commissipn, together with this Report and the evidence appended thereto. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals, this thirty-first day of May, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-five. Certain formal verbal amendments were made therein on the suggestion of the Chairman. On the motion of Mr. Mackenzie, Resolved, To insert the following paragraph on page 6, after paragraph 2, as printed : — " Matches, wax vestas : Evidence has been given by the match-makers and importers to which attention is directed. Taking all the circumstances into consideration, your Commissioners do not think the industry of sufficient importance to the colony to justify the large loss of revenue which will follow its development, and they have, therefore, decided to recommend the reduction of the duties at present in force." Mr. Mackenzie asked if, in considering the report, it was competent for him to move a motion which would amount to a reversal of decisions already determined by the Commissioners. The Chairman ruled No, on the ground that the several items had been agreed to, and, even if it were not so, one Commissioner (Mr. Hutchison) had gone away, and therefore on this ground also it could not be agreed to. Mr. Tanner moved to insert the following new paragraph after subsection (2) of paragraph 5 : —■ " From evidence given before the Commission, they would suggest that, as the present system of distribution is clearly inimical to the interests of the community, the Government should take measures to control the distribution of coal from the West Coast mines to the public, a step which would be of great service to the population of the colony." On the question being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow:— . Aye.—Mr. Tanner. Noes. —Hon. Major Steward, Mr. Stevens, Mr. McGowan, Mr. Mackenzie. So the motion was negatived. On the motion of Mr. Tanner, Resolved, To insert, after subsection (7) of paragraph 5, the following new paragraph : —• "Your Commissioners have received numerous requests from manufacturers and others for the free admission of a number of chemicals applied to various uses, and which are now for the most part subject to 15 per cent, duty, and as these articles are of indispensable importance to certain industries, and yield but a trifling amount of duty, they have decided to recommend that the requests be acceded to. " Some of the articles placed in the exemption list have been previously treated as free by Commissioners' decisions, but it has been thought advisable to mention them specifically, as well as those now for the first time recommended to be free." On the motion of Mr. Tanner, Resolved, To transpose the third and fourth printed paragraphs. On the motion of Mr. Stevens, Resolved, To insert the word " substantial " before the word " duty " in line 23 of paragraph 2 ; and after the word " duty," in the same line, to insert the word " which," and to strike out the word " now." In the following line, to strike out the words "viz., 75 per cent." In the next paragraph (3), to strike out the words "the duty proposed in this case is 50 per cent." Mr. Mackenzie moved to strike out the word " neither," in line 2, paragraph 4, with a view to inserting other words. A division being called for, the names were taken down as follow :— Aye. —Mr. Mackenzie. Noes. —Mr. McGowan, Mr. Tanner, Mr. Stevens, Hon. Major Steward. So it passed in the negative. Mr. Mackenzie moved to strike out " nor from that of free-traders, but," in line 3, paragraph 4, and to insert " although not " in lieu thereof. The motion was negatived, Mr. Mackenzie dissenting. On the motion of Mr. Mackenzie, Resolved, To strike out the words " by this it is not intended to convey that the officers have in any way exceeded their duty," in line 13, paragraph 4. On the motion of the Chairman, the following words were inserted after the word " subjected,'" inline 19: " leaving the importer to use his legal remedy of appealing to the Commissioner of Customs against such action." On the motion of the Chairman, Resolved, To strike out, in line 21, the words " the onus of deciding points of this kind," and to insert, in lieu thereof, the words " the occasion for such dispute and appeals from local decisions." On the motion of Mr. Mackenzie, Resolved, To strike out the words " conceive this to be a political question upon which they are not called upon in the present report to express an opinion, but they think it right to inform your Excellency of the representations made to them," in paragraph 8, and to insert, in lieu thereof, the words, " without expressing an opinion on the proposed treaty to which allusion has been made, considering that the advantages to be derived from intercolonial free-trade are sufficient to outweigh the local considerations which have been presented." On the motion of Mr. Stevens, Resolved, To strike out the word "free-trade," and to insert the word " reciprocity," Mr. Mackenzie dissenting. On the motion of Mr. Mackenzie, Resolved, To insert, after the word " permitted," in line 20, the words " subject to the licensing-law."