I.—lo.

kips, and levant cow ; kips (other than East India kips) ; cordovan, roans, coloured or dressed sheepskins, basils, levants, and lambskins. The Kauri Timber Industry. The evidence indicates that an export duty not exceeding 3s. per hundred superficial feet should be imposed upon baulk or round timber above 12in. x 12in., in order to counteract the Victorian tariff. The large timber companies are favourable to this suggestion ; and evidence advanced having gone in the direction of showing that a large number of mills not working now would start operations if this duty were imposed, thereby affording employment to many more men than are now engaged in the industry. Coal Industey. The information available has not been sufficient to enable all the circumstances connected with this important industry to be ascertained. The information submitted is offered as an instalment, in the hope that it may prove useful and lead to a more perfect study and elaboration of the question. New Zealand has been bountifully supplied with coal. The brown coal is found in many parts, and largely utilised for domestic purposes, and for local consumption upon the railways, and in various industries. The area of true coal known and being worked is practically limited to the west coast of the Middle Island, close to the seaboard, in the neighbourhood of Westport and Greymouth. This field has been estimated to contain 1,200,000,000 tons. The quality of the coal is excellent, that of Westport taking first place for steam and household purposes; while the Greymouth product excels for gas- and foundry-works. This will be best seen by the following table:—

Analyses of New Zealand and New South Wales (Newcastle) Coals.

The colony has expended upon the harbour at Westport £371,590, and upon the railway £256,255,' equal to £627,845; at Greymouth Harbour £325,353, railway £216,246, equal to £541,599 : total in both places, £1,166,444. The expenditure by private companies in both places is over half a million. The Westport Railway last year earned £7 6s. per cent, on its cost, that at Greymouth £5 15s. 6d. Nine hundred men are employed, supporting a population of four thousand, contributing largely to local taxation and to the consolidated revenue, and giving a large market for New Zealand food and other products. Thus it will be seen that, apart from the importance of the coal-supply as a necessity to the domestic and industrial life of the colony, it is an industry of primary importance and entitled to the greatest consideration, because of the great number of workers who are dependent upon it for employment, and the large amount of public and private capital invested. It is unsatisfactory to find that the development of the industry has not been such as the quality of the product and the expenditure should lead us to expect. The comparative table here given of the import and export trade of New Zealand and Newcastle (New South Wales) will give a clear understanding of the position,

3

Locality. Fixed Carbon. Sb£ i Water. i Ash. Analysed by New Zealand. Buller Coalfields — Waimangaroa (crushed) ■ Ngakawau Westport Company Plateau 76-90 74-68 61-75 66-12 59-88 66-34 55-43 50-78 65-29 63-80 16-20 21-31 34-20 28-82 32-57 29-91 38-38 33-18 27-87 26-20 0-80 2-61 2-53 4-25 6-66 2-78 4-67 4-63 4-40 5-80 6-10 1-20 1-54 0-81 0-89 0-97 1-52 2-41 2-44 4-20 Skey. ft // ■ * • it • • • Mokihinui, outcrop If it // a it a Greymouth Coalfields— Greymouth Coal Company Brunner Coal-pit Heath Blackball 53-03 53-50 59-38 52-23 50-12 41-95 41-28 35-48 43-72 42-83 0-99 1-41 1-05 2-02 4-62 3-98 3-81 4-09 2-03 4-43 tr tr tr a • • • it New South Wales. Newcastle Coalfields— Australian Agr. Company Minmi Glebe New Lambton Wallsend Waratah 57-52 56-49 59-16 59-56 57-22 55-82 33-60 33-87 33-36 30-62 34-17 36-70 2-20 2-59 2-14 2-61 2-75 2-21 1-33 1-44 4-76 6-72 4-64 4-15 Liver sidge. // tt