H.—44.

28

and their organization has been improved with commendable enterprise. The increase in the value of property and plant is clearly indicated in the following table compiled from the official statistics of industrial manufacture :— Value of Property Year. and Plant. 1896 .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,796,017 1901 .. .. .. .. .. .. 8,408,564 1906 .. .. .. .. .. .. 12,509,286 1911 .. .. .. .. .. .. 16,731,359 1916 .. .. .. .. .. .. 21,951,576 1920 .. .. .. .. .. .. 33,436,130 ft is true that much of the development has occurred in the manufacturing side of the dairy industry, ivhich has made remarkable progress. Apart, however, from consideration of such branches of production as the dairy industry, a remarkable development has taken place in manufactures generally. It may be added that the official statistics are inclined to understate the progress of the industries, for the reason that the value of property and plant is based on the book values, which are in most instances far below the selling-values of the assets concerned. Woollen Goods. One of the most important industries is the manufacture of woollen goods. Adverting to Chapter VI, it will be seen that increasing amounts of capital have been invested in this branch of production ; and yet only a very small percentage of the wool produced in New Zealand is made up locally, while at the same time New Zealand manufacturers supply only a small proportion of the people's requirements in woollen clothing. Nevertheless the locally made rugs, blankets, and woollen clothing are admittedly among the best articles of this kind produced in the world. It is noteworthy that a New Zealand woollen-manufacturer secured the world's Grand Prize for woollen goods at the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition, San Francisco, 1913. The leading products of woollen-mills (with figures for the year 1919-20) are : — Tweed and clothing .. .. .. .. 1,444,955 yards. Flannel .. .. .. .. .. .. 845,968 yards. Blankets .. .. .. .. .. .. 74,877 pairs. Rugs .. .. .. .. .. .. 24,351 rugs. Hosiery .. .. .. .. .. .. 110,170 dozen pairs. Yarn .. .. .. .. .. .. 366,104 Ib. Although the woollen-manufacturing industry has had its greatest development in Canterbury and Otago, mills are now well distributed throughout the Dominion, and are in operation at Invercargill, Milton, Mosgiel, Dunedin, Timaru, Ashburton, Kaiapoi, Petone, Napier, and Onehunga, while new mills will be established at Wanganui and Balclutha. This is one of the oldest industries in the Dominion, and in view of its importance to the country it is satisfactory to know that its progress has been sure and steady. The following return shows the position of this industry: —

Woollen-mills.

Tanning Industry. In the official statistics of industrial manufacture the tanning, wool-scouring, and fellmongery industries are combined, and it is difficult to say whether any progress has been due mainly to tanning or mainly to one of the other branches of production. The following table will indicate the general development of these industries between 1896 and 1920. There is still a great scope for additional tanning operations in New Zealand, but the local industry has had a somewhat chequered career owing to the severity of Australian competition.

Census Year. Number of Establishments. Number of Employees. Amount paid in Wages. Cost of Materials used. Value of Output. 1895-96 1900-01 1905-06 1910-11 1915-16 1918-19 1919-20 9 10 10 11 10 10 11 1,416 1,693 1,549 1,410 1,897 1,862 2,025 £ 91,619 112,001 105,036 137,161 187,736 224,988 287,109 £ 139,317 196,081 206,847 248,187 411,632 564 075 591,257 £ 302,423 359,382 397,348 377,713 717,638 956,434 1,143,265