REPORT ON LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2300, 17 August 1881, Page 3

REPORT ON LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

[PBEBS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM, "| WELLINGTON, August 16. The following report from the local industries committee was brought up and read to-day:—That with a view to the extension of the practical usefulness of the Geological Department, the name should be changed to that of the Department of Science and Industries, and that the department should be charged with the duty of. collecting information and reporting to the Government from time to time the best means of establishing and encouraging the agricultural, mining, and manufacturing industries of the colony, and that the Government be requested to place a sum of £IOOO upon the estimates towards giving effect to the above resolution. That the proposed department of science and industries should, with the view to the establishment of olive culture, import by plants, seeds, or truncheons, as may be found best, the most suitable varieties of the olive tree for distribution by the department upon such terms and in such parts cf the colony as the Government shall consider best; and that as an inducement to the planting of olives twice the amount should be given to each acre planted in olive trees than is granted under the laws and regulations for the encouragement of the planting of forest trees. Your committee having taken into consideration the aid to agriculture which local markets for cereals afford, and having considered that if spirits and liquors are to be used, think that these might not be more injurious if produced in the colony than if imported, while they would, if produced in New Zealand, save a large amount of money yearly. The annual import of spirits amounts to £212,409, of which £109,574 are for brandy, which is commonly reported to be largely composed of raw grain whisky imported into France from Great Britain, or manufactured from beetroot, and after manipulation is exported as brandy. It is found that grain, damaged for food, is still suitable for distillation, which would enable much grain that is now comparatively valueless to be utilised, and would prevent oats from ever falling to the extremely low rates which have prevailed of late years. The establishment cf distillation would also be useful in view of the hopeful prospect laid before your committee of the early manufacture of sugar in this cslony, an object which will be found treated of in another part of their report. The committee have, therefore, the honor to report, that in the opinion of this committee it is expedient in the interest of agricultural industry that distillation of spirits should be resumed in New Zealand, and that there should be a differential duty of six shillings per gallon in favor of the colonial manufacture, such differential duty to continue for at least five years.