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No. 135. Mr. Gr. Thokniceopt to the Chairman of the Royal Commission on Local Industries. Sir,— Dunedin, 17th May, 1880. lam a stove and range maker. I came to this country about eight years ago, and, finding no one in my line of business, I had to get work as best I could, until I hurt myself and got discharged. Two years after my arrival I set to work doing any little job 1 could get, repairing and buying broken pots and fenders, locks and any cheap hardware. I took a little shop to work in, and sold my mended wares. I engaged a man to cast some range-metal and grates from my pattern, which he did, using my pattern and my knowledge for his own purposes. Of course I could not compete with him, as he had a foundry, so I set my mind on a foundry for the purpose of making up work under my own supervision. I will not trouble you with the amount of labour, anxiety, and care it has cost me —and I say it with all humility, that nothing but a striving and determined spirit, and the blessing of God on my efforts, has enabled me to get on so far in my work —but my impression is that neither free-trade nor protection will ever make work for the men at present unemployed, and I am quite sure that no man can make any articles in the iron trade and pay the present rate of wages, and give the retailer a profit for selling. I have at present four men and four lads; I have to manage my own business, keep my books, and sell my goods, and then do a good share of labour very often when the men aro resting. These are not great inducements for men to start in business ; and I have thought if the Government was to lend us little men a hand, they would be doing us a good turn. Only the thought of this being a Commission seems to give me encouragement. Perhaps the Eailvvay Managers could give us an order for the grates for the stations, or any little job. lam not able to take large jobs, and never shall be unless I get some help. I have thought of another way in which the Government can help us and do themselves a great good: to give each manufacturer (say men with good characters) a piece of land by the side of a railway-line for ten years, with the option of purchase at a nominal price. If I was to start a place on, say, twenty to fifty acres, all the men could live on the place; I should get better men and save the rent; and the railway-fare for materials and wares would more than pay the interest on the land, to say nothing of the novel way to open up the country. There is no doubt that this is a splendid country, and of all people and nations we ought to have thankful hearts. There is one thing we need as a people —that is, iron. 1 know we are very poor, but if a small bonus could be spared to prospect for this useful metal, I think it would not be wasted or thrown away. In conclusion I may say, if you can spare a few minutes in Cumberland Street, I shall be most happy to see you and answer any questions you think proper to ask. Wishing you every success and blessing, I have, &c, George Thornicboft.

No. 136. "Evidence of a Deputation from the Dunedin National Industrial Association before the Commission, at Dimedin, 18th May, 1880. Present: Mr. E. Wakefield (in the chair), Mr. E. C. J. Stevens, and Mr. J. W. Bain. Mr. A. Burt said: Mr. Wakefield, as Vice-President of the National Industries Association, I may mention that we are here to-day to lay before you a statement with regard to the working of the tariff and the various matters connected with it; and the different delegates now present will be able to explain to you how the tariff affects their own various trades. Before sitting down, I would first like to explain to you a little grievance connected with our own trade. I may say, first of all, that the alteration made in the tariff last year met with the approval of our trade in Dimedin, with the exception of the exemptions. We find that the largest consumers of our class of manufactures are exempted. As I said before, we are perfectly satisfied with the tariff as it stands, if the exemptions are wiped away, and corporate bodies are placed on the same footing as private individuals. Ido not see why that should not be so. Another matter is this : A lot of these exemptions are classified in such a way that, as you are no doubt aware, many complications have occurred throughout the colony. In our experience we have found that certain articles have been passed in free in some places, while in other places they have been treated as dutiable. . Eor instance, service-cocks, which, I have just mentioned, are brought in under that class of goods specially imported as manufactured and as intended for the erection of gas and water-works; and, being brought in under that head, they were admitted free In Wellington, I know for a fact that private importers were getting them in free like this, whilst down here we were paying duty on them, until our representative, who travels over the colony, found out what was being done; and after that we immediately followed suit. As to these exemptions, I may say, for myself and other colleagues in the trade, that we desire that a lot of them should be wiped off. We think, by doing so matters would be simplified a great deal. Por instance, if a bell is imported for a place of public worship it comes in free, while if a bell is wanted for fire or other public purposes duty has to be paid on it. We think they should all be dutiable alike. Then there are " brass service-cocks for gas or water." It is only within the last twelve months that these appear distinctly amongst the exemptions. They were previously passed in under the cloak of " things required for the construction and erection of gas and water-works." Then there are copper boilers for cloth factories; but anybody else using copper boilers—for instance, a brewer, or even a washing copper in a private house—has to pay duty. Then there are gaseliers for places of public worship, which are admitted free. We in the trade, and we as private individuals, do not see why we should have to pay 15 per cent, for gaseliers, whilst anybody else gets them in free. Wo think that this exemption should be wiped off. As a rule, most gaseliers required for places of public worship are made to suit the design of the building—l do not think one in a hundred is imported; therefore, I think if you knocked off this exemption it would be better. Then there aro pumps, which we now make very largely, and other apparatus for raising water, which are also exempt. We have been able for some considerable time to compete with the importers of pumps. We can sell our manufactured pumps as cheap as the importer can sell his. Our firm has thirty lathes at work making this class of brass goods, which means employment to thirty-

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