501

H.—lB

EXHIBIT No. 17. Sir, — Public Works Department, Sydney, 28th September, 1911. I have the honour to furnish replies to the questions contained in your letter of the Ist instant, with regard to the recent establishment of brickworks by the Government of this State : — (1.) Q. The average price of bricks per 1,000 prior to the State works being established.— A. 425. per 1,000 at kiln. (2.) Q. The price of bricks per 1,000 turned out by theJState works.— A. 255. per 1,000 at kiln. (3.) Q. What profit, if any, the State works is making- on its present charges per 1,000. — A. Bricks are supplied to the Department at cost price. (4.) Q. Is there any probability of the existing State price being further reduced. — A. Yes ; price will be reduced to under 20s. per 1,000. (5.) Q. The wages paid to men employed at private-owned works, and that paid to men engaged at the State works. — A. Union rates of wages in both cases. For your information I also enclose a copy of a paragraph recently published in the local daily Press, respecting the quality of the bricks produced. I have, &c, W. J. Hanna, Under-Secretary. Mr. W. T. Young, Secretary, Federated Seamen's Union, Wellington, New Zealand.

EXHIBIT No. 18. State Brickworks. Professional Officer's Opinion as to the Quality of the Bricks manufactured. In June last the Minister for Public Works announced that the first order had been placed to supply bricks for a Government work, the job in question being the Newtown-Marrickville stormwater channel. This order was for 100,000 bricks. It has now been completed, and Mr. Griffith has received a report from the engineer in charge of the work. The report states that the bricks were of first-class quality, well burnt, and very regular in size. They were far superior to any the officer had used for years past, and owing to their uniformity the bricklayers were able to lay a considerable number more bricks per day than would otherwise have been the case. Commenting on the satisfactory nature of this report, Mr. Griffith explained that it was not contemplated the works would be in a position to supply bricks until the permanent kilns were completed and the whole plant installed, at about the end of the year. It having been found, however, that the plant was turning out more than could be immediately used in erecting kilns, &c, arrangements were made to supply such orders as were possible. The manager expects to be in a position to light the first permanent Hoffman kiln by the end of next week, and immediately afterwards to commence providing public departments with a large regular weekly supply.

EXHIBIT No. 19. When the " Lusitania " is under steam she consumes 70 tons of coal per hour, a quantity equal to 1 ton 3 cwt. 37 lb. per minute, or 1,680 tons per day of twenty-four hours. The stokehold crew consists of 120 trimmers, 192 firemen, and 21 greasers—a total of 333 men. Royalty is a payment exacted by the landlord from the producers of coal, and ranges from 4d. per ton to 3s. 6d. per ton. The highest wages paid out of Liverpool to seamen has never exceeded £4 10s. per month for trimmers, equal to 3s. per day ; for firemen, £5, equal to 3s. 4d. per day ; greasers, £5 10s. per month, equal to 3s. Bd. per day. Royalty on the best Welsh coal amounts to Is. 3d. per ton, so that on a consumption of 1,680 tons the landowner (who does no work whatsoever) pockets £105 per day. How does that amount compare with the daily wages of the entire stokehold crew ?—l2O trimmers at 3s. per day, £18 ; 190 firemen at 3s. 4d. per day, £32 ; 21 greasers at 3s. Bd. per day, £3 17s. : total wages for 333 labouring-men per day, £53 17s. The royalty on coal consumed in one day amounts to £105, which is £51 3s. more than the total wages paid to 333 men. The rate of wages work out at ljd. per hour for the labourer, and the royalty at £4 7s. 6d. an hour for landowner. The passage, from Liverpool to New York occupies five days ; allowing an equal period for returning, the, round trip will occupy ten days, and the coal-consumption amounts to 16,800 tons. Royalty on the coal consumed (16,800 tons) at Is. 3d. per ton amounts to £1,050. Wages on the round trip — 120 trimmers, £180 ; 192 firemen, £320 ; 21 greasers, £38 10s. : total wages paid to 333 men, £538 10s.