5

H.—44

machines are being installed to cheapen costs. The company has foundfit necessary to raise extra capital by issuing debentures. The anticipated production of the new plant is 11,000 tons per annum. |It is expected that the furnace will be blown in about the middle of August of this year, and that, pig iron equal to the best Scotch will be turned out. This company will be able to turn out the whole of the Dominion's requirements. Silk Hosiery.—ln the middle of 1924 there was 4 installed a silk-hosiery plant in Wellington. Over forty hands were employed at the commencement, and already extensions to the works are being made. Insulators.—The output of New Zealand Insulators (Limited), of g Temuka, doubled during the past year, and Government Departments and Power Boards are now recognizing the excellent quality of this New Zealand product. A laboratory has been established at the works, and a testiug plant is in operation at Addington, and the results obtained fully justify this expense. Tests show that the insulators supplied will stand a very much higher voltage than that declared. Competition from overseas is extremely keen, but increased demand and output is enabling the company to reduce costs of production, which helps considerably in meeting this competition. Cattle-cake and, Linseed-oil. —In the early part of the year the industry was sorely taxed by overseas competition, especially in linseed-oils. The outlook is now more promising, and business is increasing. The success of this industry depends largely upon the growing in the Dominion of ample supplies of linseed. The establishment of the industry in New Zealand has resulted in growers of linseed receiving prices above world's parity for their products. The company anticipates that within the next two years sufficient linseed will be grown in the Dominion to keep the mill fully supplied and independent of imported raw material.. Margarine.—This industry is finding it necessary to make large extensions to its buildings and plant, and has already spent considerable sums in erecting up-to-date buildings and installing new machinery and purifying plant. Glass-bottle Industry.—This industry, established in Auckland a few years ago, is progressing fairly satisfactorily. It is proposed to establish another glassmaking works in the South Island, near Mount Somers, where there are excellent deposits of the necessary raw materials. A company has already been formed for this object. Prospective Industries. Whale Products.—-The Department has, through the High Commissioner, been in touch with the whale-oil and whale by-products industries of Great Britain and the Continent, and has supplied valuable information to various Dominion interests who are directing attention towards the treatment of whales for by-products as well as for oil. Non-poisonous Wlvite-lead.—Interest has been taken by the Department in a venture that has originated in Hastings for the manufacture of non-poisonous white-lead. Samples have been obtained and passed on to appropriate Government Departments for testing. At present an experimental plant is being erected in Wellington in order to prove the genuineness of this article, which, in view of restrictions imposed for health reasons in this and other countries, will be of considerable importance. Canning of Oils. —A large plant is being erected at Miramar, Wellington, for the packing of benzine, &c., which is to be imported in bulk to the Dominion. This industry is expected to give constant employment to hundreds of people. The necessary containers will also be made at these works. Cutlery.—Preliminary negotiations have also been opened with prospective migrants who propose establishing a section of the cutlery industry, and reports as to trade prospects, costs of materials, &c., have been sent to England. General. Additional plants in existing industries are represented by the establishment of a large biscuit and confectionery factory at Timaru, a biscuit-factory at Wellington, and woollen-mills at Wanganui, all of which are now actively at work. Flax-milling.—The flax-milling industry is evidently recovering from the unsatisfactory position it occupied during the period 1919-23, and the total employees return for 1924 —viz., 954 —is considerably higher than the figures for any of the three immediately preceding periods. The value of the output also materially increased. There is, however, a. good deal of headway to be made up so far as this industry is concerned, but the prospects are decidedly brighter than they were. In 90 per cent, of the secondary industries there is a hopeful tone and the prospects are good. Competition from overseas supplies is, however, becoming more keen, and the return to gold standard with a reduction and stabilization of the excha.nges may appreciably affect the position, particularly so far as Australian competition is concerned. A brief examination of the imports during the pa,st twelve months indicates possibilities for extension of New Zeala.nd manufactures in the undermentioned classes of goods : the amount shown alongside the class gives in round figures the value imported during the last twelve months : Canned fish, £1.70,000; biscuits, £15,000; confectionery, £250,000; jams, £22,000; pickles and sauces, £22,000; apparel and ready-made clothing, £2,000,000 ; boots and shoes, £900,000 ; leather-cloth, £27,000 ; woollen piece-goods, £900,000 ; linseed-oil, £77,000 ; pig iron, £60,000 ; dairying machinery, £170,000 ; leather, £326,000 ; basketware, £18,000 ; earthenware and chinaware, £288,000 ; cement, £9,000; furniture, £51,000 ; tiles, £78,000 ; sulphur, £56,000 ; brush ware, £120,000 ; candles, £30,000 ; matches, £52,000 ; soap, £92,000 ; total, £5,733,000.