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782. What is the value per ton ?—The wholesale price per hundredweight is about £1. 783. What is the value of the steam-gauges imported during the year ?—Twelve and sixpence is the price of this one [produced], and I would import six or twelve in the course of the year. They have to be imported, because they are not made in the colony, and are not likely to be. The amount of duty on plumbago crucibles would not be a revenue question at all. 784. I suppose the engine-governors are used in the manufacture of engines ? —About half a dozen firms use them, and perhaps fifty governors would be enough for the whole colony for a year. The average price is £10 each. Engine-builders in the Old Country, where there is no Protection, find it to their advantage to send their orders to the special shops where these articles are made. The firm which builds an engine will not make a governor. We have the more need to send to the same place, and to get them free. 785. Have you considered what amount of boiler material is imported into the colony ?—This is all used for high-class boilers. We put up a number of, them while the freezing industry was being developed, but they are not now much required. 786. Do you use it in connection with creameries? —The only items used would be steamgauges, and engine-governors, and to take off the duty on these would not affect the revenue in any appreciable degree. Boilers for freezing companies are free ; but, if I received an order to make a boiler and sent Home for these articles as manufactured articles, they would have to pay duty in the first case, and then I should receive a rebate on the boiler being built. 787. Boilers imported for creameries and used for agricultural purposes come in free; but if you import parts of these boilers and put them together here, what duty do you pay on the parts ? —I used to get a rebate on the freezing company boilers because we could prove they were for agricultural purposes; but if I ordered twelve governors I could not say I ordered them for a special purpose. Therefore I have to compete with an engine that comes in free, and pay duty on the governor. 788. Would the boiler-tubes and mountings be a revenue question ?—No; nor the boilerflanges. 789. Mr. Tanner.] Could not they be made in the colony ?—Oh, no. These, being welded in special gas-furnaces, cannot be made with advantage in the colony. 790. Can engineers' tools be made in the colony ? —No. They are free ; but if I order a blower, to blow a smith's fire, I have to pay 20 per cent. They cannot be made here with advantage. 791. Do you draw any line of distinction between a tool and an appliance?— No. 792. Do you know the distinction drawn by the Customs authorities ?—I know engineers' tools are free, and I have to pay on the appliances. A pair of bellows would be free, but if I import a fan with a circular motion instead of the bellows I have to pay 20 per cent. 793. Mr. Hutchison.] None of these things can be made in the colony?— Not with any advantage. There are no special manufacturers here of these things, and people in the same line of business as I am in at Home go to these special shops for their supplies. 794. But we want to get something made in this country if we can ?—I shall be very happy to take orders; but at present there is nothing doing. 795. When are we likely to have local industry employed in these particular things ?—We shall be very far from here before there is any sufficient demand for them. There is no probability for the next fifty years at least. 796. Mr. McGoivan.] Cannot the screwing of these tubes be done in the colony ?—Yes, but not with anything like the advantage you can buy them ready made, with or without duty. 797. Mr. Tanner.] Did I understand you to say that stay-tubes are dutiable ?—Yes, if screwed. That is a point that is not settled even amongst the Customs. Some officers make them free, and others make you pay duty. 798. The Chairman.] Would the mere fact of the screw being put on make them dutiable ?— The Customs say so. 799. Mr. McGowan.] Because you can screw them here ?—They cannot be screwed to advantage. It would cost as much to screw one as to import a dozen. 800. Mr. Tanner.] I notice you do not mention the iron and steel rivets used in boilers ? —They come in free at present. 801. Would you prefer them to continue to come in free ?—Most decidedly. 802. Is there any probability of their being made in the colony?—lt is done by some foundries in Government bridge-work. They have had to make them because it was in the specifications. 803. Has any attempt been made locally to make them for the trade generally?— No. 804. Is it a fact that boilermakers, when out of work, and at their wits' end as to what to do, have offered to make them ?—I have never heard of such a thing ; besides, it is machine-work. 805. If made in the colony, such work would not afford much labour ? —No; the only advantage would be that if these articles were allowed in free we could quote lower prices than we are able to do now. 806. Mr. Glasgow.] Could Mr. Cable define the word "appliance"?—l should say, for instance, that a set of chain-blocks would be an engineers' appliance for lifting weights. You cannot call it a tool. 808. The Chairman.] Would you consider an anvil an appliance ?—I should say that was a tool. 809. There is a difficulty in this matter as to distinguishing between what are engineers' appliances and what are engineer's machine-tools, and we want to know what an appliance is ?—lf both were made free it would not matter.