H.—44.

The committee works in close co-operation with the Unemployment Board and acts as an inquiry committee on all proposals for financial assistance for industrial development received by the Board. It also acts in close co-operation with the Executive Commission of Agriculture in matters which come before it relating to the agricultural industries. Portions of the committee's work will be dealt with by sub-committees set up to deal with specific industries, and in this connection three sub-committees have been appointed. One is the Fisheries Sub-committee, which is composed of representatives of the industry, the Chief Inspector of Fisheries, and an officer of the Department of Industries and Commerce. This sub-committee recently held its first meeting, and has made some important and far-reaching recommendations to the Development of Industries Committee. Further extensive inquiries regarding equipment, organization, and present trading methods employed in the fishing industry are being made by the Department for the committee's assistance. A Citrus Fruits Sub-committee has also been appointed to explore all possible avenues of placing this industry in a better position both as regards production and marketing. Another sub-committee is one dealing with the flax industry. The attention of this sub-committee will be directed mainly to selection of greater fibre-producing varieties, the present methods of decortication, and an examination of improved mechanical and other methods of treating the green leaf. The sub-committee is also dealing with several applications for financial assistance from persons and firms experimenting in improved methods of flax treatment. The committee will also encourage the formation of research associations in any industry that expresses a wish to have such an association to deal with special problems arising in that particular industry. Some of the matters dealt with and on which recommendations have been made regarding financial assistance are as under :— Manufacture of basic slag. Wool-packs made from Phormium tenax. Canning of eels ; eel products. Manufacture of mercury. Guaranteed price to growers on trial shipment of tobacco-leaf to United Kingdom. Manufacture of electric petrol-pumps. Ivauri-gum refining. Establishment of packing and grading shed for citrus fruits. Benzol from coal. Manufacture of synthetic enamels. Proposal to establish a rubber-tyre factory in New Zealand. Canning of asparagus and fruit. A number of applications dealing with improved methods of treating New Zealand Phormium. Fish reduction plant, &c. TIMBER. The production of the main varieties of timber in the Dominion for the past ten years (ending31st March) is given in the following table : —

Included in. the table above under other species not specified are Pinus insignis and beech. The production of these species for the past five years is as under : — Pinus Insignis. Beech. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. 1930 .. .. 10,381,585 10,225,255 1931 .. .. 12,739,925 7,680,913 1932 . .. •• 13,404,700 5,756,868 1933 . .. .. 14,676,010 5,781,441 1934 . 21,494,382 6,972,717

3 —H. 44.

17

y, 6 i I Tvr nde i d Total. Kauri. Rimu. White-pine. Matai. Totara. Others. 31st March, Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. 1925 .. 344,094,874 22,891,535 195,572,705 65,572,439 23,947,707 18,509,551 17,600,937 1926 .. 353,224,196 22,765,877 195,451,758 75,634,869 26,141,027 14,109,576 19,121,089 1927 .. 305,675,258 18,474,981 170,498,282 65,490,059 19,380,469 14,179,462 17,652,005 1928 .. 269,783,000 15,874,000 156,314,000 53,736,000 15,207,000 15,728,000 17,924,000 1929 .. 270,214,420 10,742,967 156,239,992 56,790,306 15,752,744 8,610,639 22,077,772 1930 .. 282,405,173 10,471,297 163,293,288 58,505,364 17,972,243 9,046,159 23,116,822 1931 .. 229,468,022 8,943,480 124,998,825 49,009,109 13,917,187 9,467,697 23,131,724 1932 .. 154,192,510 6,891,352 71,082,074 43,161,299 7,474,867 5,344,100 20,238,818 1933 .. 166,269,410 5,410,390 76,192,513 47,997,700 8,160,873 6,346,942 22,160,992 1934 .. 197,654,900 4,945,843 96,125,000 47,949,396 10,759,556 7,197,389 30,677,716