EL—2

50

(2.) No New Zealand brand has, by its excellence, created a demand outside of New Zealand. But, on the other hand, the two principal imported brands are sold in all parts of the world; and in every country where sheep-dip is used their sales far exceed the combined sales of all other brands added together. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and since the last so-called public trial the New Zealand farmers have, in spite of it, so far shown their preference for the imported dips that the sales of Little's sheep-dip have since that date increased more than tenfold, and I believe other imported brands can show a somewhat similar increase. Little's sheepdip obtained the gold medal at the New Zealand Exhibition of 1881, and holds twenty-five gold and other medals in various parts of the world. A public department is maintained in New Zealand for the special purpose of keeping the sheep in the colony free from parasites. For this purpose a sheep rate is struck, which amounted in 1894 to £20,231, and a staff of thirty-three Sheep Inspectors is maintained, whose joint salaries and travelling-allowances amounted to £7,475. In the face of this, it would be monstrous to impose a duty on sheep-dip. (3.) Feedeeick Teent examined. Witness : I presume these proceedings are private. The Chairman: Yes. You will understand, of course, that we are bound to submit our report and evidence to the Crown, and that in due time it will come before Parliament. Witness : My reason for asking the question is that from time to time I have been in correspondence with the Government, notably with Sir Harry Atkinson, and there may be certain details mentioned which it may not be advisable to publish at present. The Chairman: You will understand clearly the arrangement under which you speak now— that the report will have to be presented, together with your evidence, by-and-by. In the meantime there will be no publication of anything more than the fact that evidence has been given in respect to the coffee and chicory industry. Witness : There are other matters I wish to touch on. I might preface my remarks by saying I am a manufacturer of coffee, chicory, and spice, and an importer of general merchandise, and the sole partner in the firm of Trent Brothers. 43. The Chairman.] How many years' experience have you had in the colony, Mr. Trent?—l have been thirty-six years in the colony, and personally in this business about twenty-two years. We started in 1863. I wish first of all to put in this letter from the Colonial Treasurer, in reply to one I addressed to him :— " Deae Sib, — " Postmaster-General's Office, Wellington, Ist August, 1894. "I am in receipt of your letter of the 7th ultimo, referring to the importation of coffeeessence, and will give the matter my best attention. As you will probably have observed from the newspapers, a Tariff Committee has been set up this session, to which all matters of this kind are being referred, and I will see that the facts contained in your letter are placed before them. " Yours faithfully, " Frederick Trent, Esq., Trent Bros., Christchurch." "J. G. Wabd. My firm claim to have spent in wages and materials since 1863 the sum of £1,000,000 sterling in connection with the manufacture of coffee, chicory, pepper, and spices. For some time we paid £5,000 a year in wages alone, and we estimate that the coffee, chicory, and spice business has given steady employment, say, to f ,000 men throughout the colony. That is up to about four years ago, and before the advent of the imported coffee-essence. 44. When was that introduced ?—lt is only within the last three years that it has come into consumption to any extent, and if in the near future the Government cannot see their way to put on a more substantial duty on imported coffee-essence I have no hesitation in saying that coffee will be a thing of the past, In connection with this industry, there is also to be considered the agricultural labour employed in producing the chicory, the tin trade in the making of the canisters, the making of the wooden cases, the printing of all descriptions of labels, and the labour actually employed in the factory. 45. To what extent has this labour been reduced during the last three years ?—Where we used to sell 1 ton of coffee we probably do not sell scwt.—l am speaking of my own case. 46. Has the amount of labour employed been reduced by 50 per cent. ?—Yes, in my case ; and I might, refer to my letter to the Colonial Treasurer, in which I state that " during the past twelve months I am credibly informed that between 5,000 and 6,000 cases of coffee-essence were imported into the colony, and when I remind you that the duty on the raw coffee-bean is 3d. per pound, and it loses a quarter to a fifth, according to the quality of the coffee-beans, you will at once see the gravity of our position as manufacturers." During last session a petition was presented to the House from all the coffee-roasters in New Zealand, and attached to the petition was a report from Mr. Allan, analyst, of Dunedin, which stated that the imported coffee-essence did not contain more than 10 per cent, of the constituents of coffee or chicory. That is what we complain of; and I think the Commission will find that people are using a spurious article, and our position is a very grave one. Unless the Government put on a more prohibitive duty the coffee industry is at an end. The present duty on coffee-essence is 15 per cent. I have not a copy of Mr. Allan's analysis. A copy was sent to me, but I forwarded it to the Colonial Treasurer. 47. What amount of duty do you think it would be necessary to impose to effect what you desire?—lt is not a question of self-interest with me, but one rather as to whether this coffeeessence ought to be allowed to come into the colony. The constituents are grape-sugar, saccharine, and water. I think there should be a duty at the very least of 30 per cent. 48. What is the retail value of the coffee-essence ?—I think, Is. 2d. per small bottle, including duty, but I do not think the 30 per cent, would exclude it. 49. Would a duty of 100 per cent, absolutely prohibit the consumption?—l think so; the agents invoice it to the merchants here at lis. 7d. per dozen, less 2t per cent.