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tions could be undertaken by the State. There are 728,000,000 lons of that coal, and if it could be utilized in that way it would be of great benefit to the State. This is, 1 think, a most important subject for investigation. 114. Mr. Sidey.\ Will you give us a list of the subjects you intend to bring before us?— There is dolomite required for steel-manufacture. That has been discovered in the Collingwood district, and the sample of it which has been analysed is satisfactory. Dolomite is absolutely necessary in connection with the manufacture of steel by the basic process, and in Australia they have ha.d to bring it from Middlesborough, England, at a cost of £5 per ton. That would mean a saving of nearly £4 per ton if we could get it here. It was found many years ago in this country. 115. Mr. Sidey.] Ts there any prospect of the development of aluminium? —I am not aware that it has been found in commercial quantities in New Zealand. 116. As to asbestos? —It exists here, but not in payable quantity. 117. Molybdenite? —In minute, unprofitable quantities. 118. Platinum? —It exists in Southland, but has been sluiced away at the alluvial-gold claims up till recent years, because the price obtained was then too low. Now it is worth from £20 to £30 an ounce, but alluvial gold-mining in Southland has much declined. 119. The Have you any knowledge of the distillation of alcohol for industrial purposes? —No. Dr. Maclaurin is the authority on that. 120. Mr. Hornsby.] With regard to mica, I believe it exists in very large quantities in the Nelson District?—So far as I know, it does not occur in any size or quantity that is marketable. 121. You know where it was obtained? —1 believe, near the head of the Karamea and Baton (livers. 122. Do you think it is worth looking into? —T have heard nothing favourable about it. 123. You know there is no large deposit there?—l know only of samples, and have never heard it favourably reported upon. In New Zealand, as well as in other places, people claim to have found out all sorts of minerals and frequently exaggerate their value and extent.

Saturday, Bth February, 1919. Claude Heath Wood, Accountant, examined. (No. 11.) 1 represent Jackson and Co., paint-manufacturers, of Wellington. Mr. Jackson is unable to attend, but in his absence I wish to bring under the notice of this Committee that Jackson and Co., paint-manufacturers, have been making several lines of paint for a number of years. Many of the linos used in our trade are obtainable in New Zealand, but so far have been practically undeveloped. At Parapara there are ferric oxide, barium sulphate, chalk, and various other things. Some of these are found in abundance in the Nelson District, and they could be developed with the one plant if we could only get the support of the Government in regard to the purchasing of our products. There is almost enough paint used by the Public Works Department, the Railways Department, and other Departments to keep a factory going; but during the past year, for instance, the business done with the various Government Departments has been far from encouraging. The business with the Defence Department last year amounted to about £1,000, with the Public Works Department £191, with the Railways Department £13, with the Education Department £10, with the Prisons Department £5. and witli the Post and Telegraph Department 2s. 3d. There is enough oxide used by the Railway Department for trucks, stations, and bridges to keep a factory occupied, but the whole of the oxide sold to the Public Works Department last year was Bcwt., and to the Railway Department nothing, Putty is another line that we manufacture. The contractors of the new Parliamentary Buildings are using quantities of putty, and it is also being used extensively round the town. Yet the whole of our business in putty for the last ten months with the Public Works Department amounts to 4 cwt, As for mixed paints, we are manufacturers of mixed paints, and have been giving most of our attention to that work for the last two years, but so far we have not been able to get in with the Government Departments to supply them in any quantity. The Defence Department has certainly patronized our paint branch to some extent, but nothing like what it should be possible for us to get from them. The Public Works Department has taken practically nothing. In the past ten months we sold to that Department only lib. of mixed paint. The Richardson Shipping Company, of Napier, last year took 120 gallons for their ships. The Eastbourne Borough Council and other concerns, and farmers, also go in for paint extensively, but the Government Departments will not touch it. Flat varnish has been used a good deal, and we make it almost equal to anything on the market, but we are unable to get a. sale for it to any of the Government Departments or local bodies that ought to patronize local industry. There are many of the lines we manufacture in regard to which we ought to be protected by way of duties. Some of our lines we can turn out equally as good as imported lines, but we cannot get the necessary protection from the Government to give us the assistance we require. In March, 1918, we sent a letter to Mr. Montgomery, of the Customs Department, on the matter. I will forward to the Committee copies of this letter and copies of the reply we received. While mentioning the oxides and other New Zealand pigments I may say that Mr. Jackson has spent considerable time and money on them, and Professor Easterfield is still working on the Parapara oxide to obtain a brighter red. It is possible to obtain a nice shade, but it is not as bright a red as is called for in the painting of roofs. The oxide contains trie largest percentage of ferric oxide discovered so far. Chalk is another line which is found in the Nelson District. Excellent distemper can be manufactured from it. Barium sulphate, or barites, which is an adulterant for paint,' is to be found in large quantities in the West Coast district. Possibly there would be a market for some of these things in other countries. So far,