8.-6

XXII

Since this treaty was concluded the position of political parties in the Commonwealth has materially changed, and it is not possible for the New Zealand Government to take any further action in the matter until the policy of the new Commonwealth Administration in reference thereto is disclosed. CUSTOMS TARIFF. For the reason just given the usual practice of bringing down the proposed new Customs tariff with the Financial Statement will not be followed upon this occasion. The piecemeal introduction of measures affecting the tariff would have a most disturbing and unsettling effect upon trade generally ; and, as the general tariff proposals and the reciprocal trade treaty are complementary to one another, the Government deems it advisable to hold over the proposed legislation dealing with this subject until later in the session. CUSTOMS LAW. There has been comparatively little or no alteration in the principles of the Customs Law Act since the year 1882. This most important Act has become to a great extent out of date. The anomalies which are inseparable from such a measure have created a great deal of hardship, and the difficulties of administering the Act have been largely due to the hard-and-fast conditions imposed upon the administrative officers of the Department by the inelasticity of the existing law. With a view to effecting a remedy for this condition of affairs, a consolidating Customs Law Bill will be introduced this session. This measure will contain many new proposals which it is hoped will make our Customs law more modern, more equitable, and in its administration more elastic. The proposed measure should enable our commercial community to be freed from many of the harassing restrictions under which they have been labouring for so long. MINING. Owing to labour troubles which existed for many months at Waihi and Reefton, and which stopped the mines, the output of gold for the past year does not compare favourably with, that of the previous year ; but, despite these difficulties, it is encouraging to note that the output amounted to £3,035,510, as against £3,492,362 for 1911-12, and there seems to be little doubt that the output for the current year will be quite up to the average. The coal-mining industry continues to prosper. The output of coal for 1912-13 amounted to 2,177,615 tons, as against 2,066,073 tons in 1911-12, being an increase of 111,542 tons. STATE COAL-MINES. Mention was made in last year's Financial Statement of the revaluation of the assets of the State Coal-mines Account, which was then in progress. The revaluation showed, as was expected, that the assets were not in all cases worth their book value, and the Under-Secretary of the Mines Department in his report on the ma tter —parliamentary paper C.-3A, 1912 —recommended additional writings-off as under: — £ Point Elizabeth No. 1 Colliery . . . . .. 25,000 Seddonville .. .. .. .. .. 1.0,000 Briquette-works .. .. .. . . .. 6,000 Wellington Depot .. .. .. .. ... 600 Dunedin Depot . . .. .. .. .. 400 Charming Creek prospecting .. .. .. 2,966 Total.. .. .. .. .. £44,966