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and for this purpose a bonus should likewise be given by the Government, for the making in New Zealand of, say, 500 tons of pig-iron and 100 tons of steel per annum, to last for five years, or longer, according to quantity made. All imported coals should remain as they are at present, free, until New Zealand coal of a superior quality to that now produced can bo obtained in sufficient quantity to supply the manufacturers. Then a small protective duty might be put on all imported coal. In connection with local industries being fostered, I beg to bring to your notice the difficulties and disadvantages under which I labour. I forward, attached, particulars of the protective duties that, in my estimation, would be sufficient to stimulate native industries, and make us a productive community. I also desire to state that America is allowed to send her manufactures in here free, and glut our markets, while, on the contrary, America charges a high protective duty on our goods. Another point is the fact that machinery of all classes is imported here free of duty, notwithstanding that the materials used here, such as coal, coke, iron, &c, along with our tradesmen's wages, are from three to five times greater than the same in America and England. We have likewise to contend against an ad valorem duty of 11 per cent., including packages, on the very articles we require and use here in the manufacturing of engines and machinery, and enumerated in our tariff under the head of " brass manufactures," such as cocks, gauges, valves, valve-boxes; "ironmongery," such as bolts, nuts, screws, hammers, and files; whilst at the same time engines complete in every respect are allowed to enter free with all these attachments. lam of opinion that a small protective duty on machinery would be of no service, and, in order that I should be placed on a fair footing, the import duty should be equal to that of competing countries, such as England and America. In England about one-third less wages are paid than in New Zealand ; and, by list attached, I recommend a duty of not less than 35 per cent, on machinery of all sorts. These rates are considerably less than those now ruling in America, whose manufacturers — with free ports here —are flooding our markets with all classes of machinery. From England, also, heavy stocks of machinery are consigned to this port, and admitted free, and are now crowding the already overstocked markets, to the detriment of our workshops and tradesmen, who are nearly wholly without employment, and a great number in a destitute condition, whilst thousands of pounds, which could be kept in the colony, thus affording employment to its population, are being sent away to enrich other countries. All descriptions of raw material must be allowed to come into the colony duty-free until they can be produced in the colony. I have, &c, 0. Hawkeswood.

List A, List of machinery, &c, which I can manufacture provided a protective duty of 35 per cent, be put on the .same goods imported. —Marine engines and boilers; horizontal engines and boilers; portable steam and gas engines; steam hoisting engines and boilers; ship steam-winches; all kinds of land engines; brick, pipe, and tile making machines; biscuit-making machines; flour-mill machinery; chaff-cutting machinery; turbine and water wheels ; saw-mill machinery; iron castings of all kinds; iron ornamental castings; iron grave fences; iron ornamental or plain columns; iron sewercastings of all kinds; iron street-lamps and posts; iron waterworks plant; iron gasworks plant; iron girders of all sizes; iron oven doors and frames; iron-bending machinery; iron kitchen ranges; iron ships' stoves ; iron register grates ; iron register sham fronts ; iron blocks; boring machinery; sawing machinery; brewing and distillery plant; carriage bolts and nuts, tie-bolts; iron hawse-pipes and shackle-holders; cheese-presses; copper boilers; earth-closets; forge backs and bellows; portable forges; hydraulic rams; hurdles; plates for lime-kilns; sheaves for blocks; shoes for piles; iron spouting (cast) ; urinals for public use ; candle-making machinery. List B. List of machinery, &c, which I can manufacture provided a protective duty of 35 per cent, be put on same goods imported, unless otherwise mentioned. —Crab-winches, cranes, capstans and windlasses of all kinds, iron bridges and all material which may be specially imported for the construction of bridges, wharves, jetties, or patent slips, should be 30 per cent.; planing, punching, screwing, and shearing machines, 35 per cent.; turning machinery,quartz-crushing mills and batteries, 30 per cent.; iron wool and hay pressing machinery, 35 per cent.; papips and other appliances for raising water, 40 per cent.; railway plant and all other material which may be specially imported for the construction of railways and tramways, 25 per cent.; axle arms and boxes, 35 per cent. ; artificers' tools, 40 per cent. ; buckets and tubs of iron, 30 per cent.; carriages, carts, and wagons, 25 per cent. ; carriage-wheels, 35 per cent. List G. List of machinery, 35 per cent, duty, unless otherwise mentioned.—Coffee-roasting ; confectionery ; constructing concrete houses; curving corrugated iron; cutting gas and water tubes; cutting and shaping coffee-tins; lead-pipe making; manufacturing boots and shoes; road-scraping; streetsweeping ; paper-cutting; mangles; naves for wheels; sausage-making machines; tinsmiths' machinery ; tin-stamping presses ; tube-rollers ; street direction-plates ; sashweights; water-barrows ; washing-machines and mangles by steam-power; wood-working for doors and sashes; iron woodclamps; gas-stoves (this is specially required), 40 per cent.; iron steam-ships, 300 tons upwards, 25 per cent. ; iron steam-ships, 50 to 300 tons, 30 per cent.; iron steam-yachts, sto 50 tons, 35 per cent.; iron ship-castings, tanks and boilers of all sizes, 35 per cent. ; agricultural machinery and implements, 35 per cent. ; edge-tools of all kinds, 35 per cent.; spades, shovels, picks, 35 per cent.; rough ironmongery, from 25 per cent, to 45 per cent. All descriptions of raw material to bo admitted duty-free until it can be produced in the colony. List D. Ironwork and ships' chandlery can be produced if import duty as under be imposed.—Galvanized wrought-iron hooks and thimbles, 40 per cent.; black wrought-iron hooks and thimbles, 25 per cent.; clip-hooks and thimbles, galvanized and black, 30 per cent.; anchor and chain shackles, 35 per cent. ;