REPORT OE COMMITTEE

F.—No. 1

IV

influence upon the future of the Colony), the coal found at the Grey and Buller Bivers is the best adapted for general requirements, being superior even to that introduced from Newcastle, N.S.W., and that great facilities for its economical working exist. It appears to your Committee that were these mines efficiently worked, the Colony would speedily become independent of all foreign supplies. Dr. Hector's evidence in reference to the coal fields of New Zealand is eminently interesting and suggestive. 7. That it is desirable, with a view to encouraging the planting of timber in the treeless regions of the Middle Island, that persons planting timber trees upon unsold Crown Lands should, upon terms to be fixed by the Government, be secured in the freehold of the country so planted out, either by preemptive right of purchase or by free gift. The strong winds prevailing over many parts of New Zealand greatly tend to check the operations of agriculture, while the open and shelterless state of the country causes the soil to become much more readily dried and parched up than would otherwise be the case. If land occupiers could be induced annually to plough up and sow with the Tasmanian black wattle a few acres of land, the shelter so much desired would be obtained at a cost comparatively trifling, a supply of good fuel would speedily be provided, and a valuable article, now much required by our tanners, and at present imported from a distance, would be procured on the spot. 8. That special assistance should be granted to Mr. Batchelor, in the prosecution of his interesting experiments in sericulture. That this assistance should be £50 per acre for first five acres of land planted with mulberries, and kept two years under good cultivation. The interesting papers laid upon the tables of Parliament upon this subject render any further comment unnecessary. Tour Committee would only observe, that where private assistance is afforded by the State in the manner now proposed, it is of the utmost importance to confine it to those who have taken up a subject enthusiastic-ally, and made it, as it were, their speciality. 9. That to promote the general introduction of sericulture, premiums not exceeding in tho whole £500 per annum should be granted to persons planting out mulberry plantations, upon obtaining therefrom not less than a hundredweight of silk cocoons, or eggs to the value of not less than £50. The experience of California, as set forth in the interesting paper upon the subject by Mr. Baldwin, sufficiently shows with what great advantage to a country assistance such as that indicated may at times be afforded by the State. 10. That there are many industrial pursuits peculiarly adapted to the Colony which might he introduced with advantage, and would become sources of wealth to the Colony if adequately protected during the period of infancy. That the present position of the brewing and malting branches is stated by the witnesses to be due to the protection they have thus received, wdiich has raised them to such a state of efficiency that in a short time protection will probably cease to be necessary. That an indiscriminate system of protective duties is undesirable, and would be injurious to the Colony ; but that a temporary protection to certain specified articles would develop many manufactures, peculiarly adapted to the Colony, and which, once thoroughly established, would bo self-supporting and cease to require the fostering aid of protective duties. Amongst these the Committee would especially mention Tweeds, cloths, and coarse woollen goods, Starch, Bope and cordage, Leather, Soap, Malt. 11. That the development of some other industrial pursuits would often be best promoted by the offer of a bonus upon production. They would mention the following articles as deserving this particular encouragement: —Common Glass Bottles, fast becoming scarce and 'too bulky to be imported to advantage —a bonus of, say, Is. per dozen upon manufacture of first 10,000 dozeu; Paper, printing or packing, a bonus of 10s. per ream upon manufacture of first 500 reams of packing, and 20s. per ream upon first 500 reams of printing paper; Woolpacks, Is. 6d. each for first 0,000; Cornsacks, 6d. each upon first 20,000 ; Scrim Cloth, Od. per yard upon first 10,000 yards; sugar or syrup produced from beetroots the produce of the Colony, a bonus of £10 per ton upon first 100 tons of sugar, and £5 per ton upon first 50 tons of syrup. 12. With a view to developing the manufacture of fine flannels and cloths, still extensively followed by small farmers in Wales and Yorkshire, the Committee suggest that it may be desirable to encourage the introduction of small colonies of Welshmen and Yorkshireinen acquainted with these processes', the Colony paying their passages, and afterwards granting them farms in fee-simple, subject only to their manufacturing certain specified quantities of flannel or cloth. 13. That, with a view to facilitating the operations of commerce, and to enable repairs to be effected upon steamers and other vessels plying in these waters or frequenting this Colony, and thus saving the great cost of money and loss of time attendant upon their proceeding to the other colonies, the Government might with advantage grant its assistance, either by a grant in aid or a guaranteed loan, towards the erection of a dock sufficiently large to contain the largest ships of the navy or of the mercantile marine. 14. The Committee recommend that all regulations affecting the introduction of stock into the Colony, or their passage from Province to Province, should proceed from the General Government alone, and that the scab-laws of the Colony should be enacted by the General Assembly. The evidence given before the Committee upon this subject sufficiently shows the undesirableness of the existing regulations upon this subject. 15. That it is highly important to provide means for affording to the youth of the Colony the opportunity of obtaining technical education. As it appears the services of the existing Geological Staff may, without much additional cost, be rendered available for this purpose, the Committee recommend —■ 1. That an addition be made to the existing Institute building, adapted to the purposes of a lecture room. 2. That suitable apparatus be obtained from Europe. 3. That scholarships, of £30 a year each, be established, and placed at the disposal of the various Superintendents of the Provinces, so as to provide means for the gratuitous education in technical science of lads who are desirous and show themselves qualified to benefit thereby.