GOVERNMENT PRINTING DEPARTMENT (REPORT ON) FOR 1883.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1884 Session II, H-07

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Sess. 11.—1884. NEW ZEALAND.

GOVERNMENT PRINTING DEPARTMENT (REPORT ON) FOR 1883.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

■ Sib, — Government Printing Office, Wellington, 12th August, 1884. I have the honour to submit the following report on the operations of the Printing and ' Stationery Department for the year 1883. DEPARTMENTAL RETURNS. The following returns will be found appended to this report: (1) Balance-sheet of the department for the year 1883; (2) return of the printing and binding executed; (3) the number and classification of the employes; (4) the quantity and value of paper and parchment consumed; (5) the number and value of printers' accounts examined; (6) the value of printing and binding executed at the Lyttelton Gaol. The balance-sheet is given in detail, and affords full information under the respective heads of expenditure. It shows a satisfactory balance of £6,041 11s. 7d. to the credit of the department. The receipts from Gazette advertisements and subscriptions, and from sale of Government publications, amounted to £2,297 18s. 7d. The return of employes shows the number engaged in the department during each month in the year. It will be seen that the number fluctuates considerably, the highest being 156 in August, . and the lowest 97 in December last. The average per month was 130, as .compared with 113 for the previous year. PUBLICATION OF HANSARD. Since the number of free copies placed at the disposal of members has been increased, the subscribers to Hansard have gradually diminished. In 1831 there were 261 subscribers; in 1882, 258; in 1883, 161 ; and in 1884, 109. Members were formerly supplied with only two free copies, the number being afterwards increased to eight, then to twelve, and in July, 1883, to twenty. Even with that number many of the members complain that they are unable to supply all the demands made upon them by their constituents. The rate of subscription at present is 10s. per session. I am, however, inclined to think that greater facilities should be offered to induce the public generally to take in Hansard, and that, if the subscription were reduced to 3s. for the session—that is, about Is. per month —and the free issue to members discontinued, hundreds of people would be induced to subscribe. All Postmasters throughout the colony could be made agents for receiving subscriptions and forwarding the names and addresses to the Printing Office, while every opportunity should be embraced for making the fact publicly known and widely circulated. The number of bi-weekly parts into which Hansard is divided is of course regulated by the length of the session; the average for the past four years has been 30 ; therefore the price above named is at the rate of 1-J-d. per number, and would about pay the cost of the paper on which Hansard is printed; but even that is better than no return at all, which present indications point to as the ultimate result. THE STEREOTYPE BRANCH. The manufacture of rubber stamps has been carried on for the past two years in connection with the stereotype branch, and the department is now prepared to supply all requirements of the public service in the shape of seals or departmental or autograph stamps. The number supplied to the various departments during the past year was 455. The order for the new series of beer-duty stamps was completed last year. They were entirely of local manufacture, and both in design and execution were alike creditable to those engaged in their production. The number of railway tickets printed and issued under the supervision of the stereotyper was 2,470,975, which were distributed to 503 separate stations. THE EXAMINATION OF PRINTERS' ACCOUNTS. The department is charged with the duty of examining all accounts for printing and advertising before being passed by the Audit. The number examined for the past year was 5,195, representing a total value of £19,284 os. lid., from which deductions to the amount of £133 14s. lid. were made, being at the rate of 6d. off each account, or about 13s. 9d. per cent. During the two previous I—H. 7.

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years the numbers examined were—in 1881, 4,480, and in 1882, 4,790; the average deductions, being Bd. and 7fd. respectively; so that the much lower average of 6d. during the past year shows an improvement as regards charges and accuracy of computations. MACHINERY. Some important additions to the plant, in the shape of machinery, have been made during the past year, the most noticeable being one of Dawson and Son's four-feeder "Wharfdale " printing machines, imported originally for the Christchurch Telegraph, but which was never unpacked or used. Hearing that it was for sale, I offered £450 for it on behalf of the Government, and, as it Cost £850 landed in Lyttelton, an undoubted bargain was thus secured. A shed was erected for its • accommodation adjoining the one built for the electric light, steam power being obtained from the electric-light engine. The machine will print a sheet 44 inches by 32 inches, and can work at the rate of 5,000 per hour. In the binding branch, one of Brehmer's wire-sewing machines has recently been introduced for sewing stationery and account-books, &c. It is worked by steam power, and the results obtained from it are very satisfactory. It is, I believe, the first of its kind introduced into this colony. A new backing machine has also been added to the binding plant. One of the celebrated American double-ruling machines, made expressly to order, by W. O. Hickok, of Pennsylvania, has recently been erected, and is now in full working order. It is worked by steam power, and not only rules both sides of the paper at one operation, but performs mechanically what formerly required two or three operations by the ordinary ruling machines. It also possesses the advantage of requiring a less number of hands to work it, one man and a boy being all that is necessary. THE NEW PRINTING OFFICE. The site secured for the new printing office on the reclaimed land, immediately opposite the present building, is in every respect a most suitable one for the purpose. The plans have been prepared by Mr. C. E. Beatson, Architect of the Public Works Department, and provide ample accommodation for present and future requirements. The building is to consist of three stories, to . be built of brick, and heated throughout by steam-pipes. The proposal to dispense with fireplaces, combined with the isolated position of the proposed new office, will greatly lessen the danger from fire. The absence of staircases within the building is a noticeable feature, access being obtained to the different floors by means of two circular iron stairs at each end of the courtyard, while a couple of lifts are provided for raising and lowering heavy goods. The boiler-room and furnace is placed outside of the main building. The front elevation, with principal entrance, will be to TJiorndon Quay, having a frontage of 185 feet; and the side elevation to Bunny Street, with a frontage of 144 feet. The following block plan shows the size and shape of the ground, and the portion to be taken up by the new office :—

BLOCK PLAN OF NEW GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

Tiiokndon Quay. THE PRESENT BUILDING. I am glad to be able to report that the unsafe condition of the present building, caused by the annually-increasing weight of the printing and lithographic plants, has received attention, and after inspection by the architect, has been strengthened where found necessary. The employes are, however, looking forward to the time—which I trust is not far distant—when the present dark,

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damp, and over-crowded rooms will be replaced by more commodious and healthy premises. In the machine, press, cutting, and engine rooms gas lights have to be kept almost continually burning to enable the men to perform their duties, while the damp arising from the springs in the bank at the rear of the stationery store is a source of annoyance and damage to the stock. The freedom hitherto experienced from accidents by fire is remarkable, considering the construction of the building, the number of fireplaces in use, and the various operations carried on within it which necessitate the constant use of gas. The risk incurred by allowing the building and plant to remain totally uninsured should not be lost sight of, and I trust that prudential considerations will lead to steps being taken to effect an insurance without delay. The valuable machinery and printing material comprised in the plants of the printing and lithographic offices, and the extensive stock of stationery and printing papers stored on the premises, would cost many thousands of pounds to replace; and I think the risk incurred is too great without being partially, atleast, covered by insurance so long as the present premises are occupied. THE STATIONERY DEPARTMENT. The operations of the stationery store have been satisfactorily carried on during the past year. The number of requisitions received show an increase of 725, and the number of items dealt with 7,938, over those of last year, being 10,860 against 10,135, and 51,196 against 43,258, respectively. The receipts from the sale of Government publications amounted to £1,489 15s. lid., or about £10 under the estimate. The quantity of waste paper exported shows a slight decrease, 36 tons having been shipped against 40f tons last year. Arrangements have lately been made for disposing of most of the waste paper to the Otago paper-mills, instead of exporting it to England as hitherto. The wrapping papers manufactured at Dunedin and Mataura mills are gradually being introduced, and will in time almost entirely supersede the imported article. I have likewise much pleasure in reporting favourably on the Dunedin manufactured parchment. The, specimens submitted for inspection were of good even quality, free from spots, and quite equal to the parchment usually supplied under contract from England. When the manufacturers are prepared to turn out a regular supply, I propose to exclude the item from the annual order sent Home. The parchment is offered at a slight reduction on English contract prices, which is also a recommendation in its favour. It costs about £500 to meet the annual requirements of the Government for this article. Messrs. Bowron Bros., of Christchurch, have also submitted some very fair samples of binding and upholstering leathers, which are offered at slightly below English prices. The overseer of the binding branch, who at my request reported on these leathers, remarks : " Nearly all the skins are cut away at the shoulder; and, consequently, when used for bookbinding, cut to waste. An average skin of roan or skiver should furnish six octavo covers, whereas most of these only cut five ; hence a loss. This, I think, is the fault of bad butchering. In the operation of glazing, the skins are scratched, and in one instance cut. The colour and grain are good, and quite equal to the imported article, except the 'hard grain' samples, which, are not suitable for bookbinding. The prices per dozen average about the same as English." The supply of twine is still obtained from the manufactory of Mr. E. Gould, of Christchurch, and that item is entirely omitted in the Home order. Eeference was made in my report last year to the fact that a substantial saving could be effected by purchasing stationery direct from some respectable house, instead of submitting the same to competition through the Agent-General's Office in London. I have obtained price-lists, accompanied by samples, from three or four firms of high standing, and was struck with the favourable character they bore as compared with prices paid under contract. In a memorandum dated the 11th February last I submitted a schedule of these offers to the Government, and recommended the acceptance of one which appeared to be the most favourable, and under which, in the first division of the order-^for printing and writing papers, &c.—the prices are about 18 per cent, lower than the present contract, or, in other words, would effect a saving of about £986 on. the annual order. The order, accompanied by the memorandum referred to, was sent to the Agent-General to be dealt with at his discretion; and on the 19th April he reported as follows : " With regard to Mr. Didsbury's suggestion that the first division of the stationery order should be obtained from Messrs. James Spicer and Sons, I think it will be well to give it a trial. Indeed, I am disposed to think that in the matter of stationery it will always be best to procure that part of your annual supplies by direct order, and without a contract. The system of tenders, whether by invitation to certain firms or by public notice, is not, in my opinion, suited to stationery; and, as Mr. Didsbury is not only satisfied with the samples submitted to him by Messrs. Spicer, but is of opinion that a saving of 18 per cent, over the present contract prices can be made, I see no reason why that firm should not get the order." The Agent-General has therefore decided to dispense with the usual inspection Qn that side, and retain 10 per cent, of the invoice price pending the receipt from the Government of a report certifying that the papers supplied are in accordance with samples submitted, and not injured by improper packing; and concludes his report by hoping that this shipment of stationery may prove successful in its results, as in that case it would favour the adoption of a system under which the expense and trouble of an inspection on that side could be entirely dispensed with, and the responsibility of executing orders to the satisfaction of the department in the colony could be thrown upon the contractors, who, of course, under such a system, must-be firms of tried reputation. The value of the last annual "order sent to England for stationery, &c, was £8,685, being £2,283 less than for the preceding year. I have, &c, George Didsbury, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Government Printer.

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Table No. 1. Balance-sheet of the Government Printing Office for the Year ending 31st December, 1883.

Dr. 'hinting Branch :— Permanent Staff —Wages „ Overtime .. Supernumerary Staff —Time-hands .. „ Piece-hands .. ,,' Overtime & s. a. 5,111 2 9 446 6 10 & s. a. 5,557 9 7 i £ s. d. Cr. Printing Branch :— Value of work, as per detailed statement .. Cash Receipts, — Advertisements Gazette subscriptions Miscellaneous Sale of official publications by the Stationery Storekeeper Land Transfer advertisements Gold-mining lease advertisements Value of repairs, &c, by office engineer Value of rubber stamps, electros, &c, for other departments & s. d. 461 13 1 105 19 4 21 1 0 £ s. d. 16,896 2 5 £ s. d, 3,617 15 2 1,994 18 8 364 12 5 5,977 6 3 i Additions to stock Working expenses Fuel Gas Moiety of ground-rent 4,082 6 2 474 12 10 49 15 0 295 8 8 100 0 0 1,489 15 11 156 15 0 62 14 3 51 19 0 5,602 2 8 ' i 125 1 4 17,136 18 6 1,474 18 11 Iinding Branch :— Permanent Staff —Wages „ Overtime 1,442 8 6 35 17 0 Binding Branch :— Value of work, as per detailed statement Supernumerary Staff —Wages ,, Overtime 1,478 14 4 13 14 10 -Lj-±JO O U 7,062 8 1,492 9 2 • ■ Additions to stock Working expenses Fuel .. j .. Gas Moiety of ground-rent 0 16 0 73 6 1 12 8 7 147 14 3 50 0 0 U I !54 19 7 Balance 20,391 18 1 6,041 11 7 1 £26,433 9 £26,433 9 8

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Table No. 2. Return of the Value of Printing and Binding executed in the Government Printing Department during the Year ending 31st December, 1883.

Table No. 3. Return of the Number and Classification of the Employes in the Government Printing Office for each Month during the Year ended 31st December, 1883.

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Printing. Department Totals. ■vt n-n, Authors' No-ofPa«es- Corrections. Binding. No. of Copies. Value. Hours. £ s. d. 84 3 0 14 13 6 £ s. d. 36 12 9 0 8 2 £ s. d. 120 15 9 15 1 8 Audit Colonial Architect Colonial Secretary— Gazette Stock Miscellaneous Constabulary Customs Marine Crown Lands Crown Law Defence Education General Assembly— House of Representatives— Order Paper Papers Journals Miscellaneous Legislative Council— Order Paper Journals and Papers Miscellaneous Joint Account Bills Hansard Statutes Geological Gold Fields Governor's Establishment Insuranco Justice Land Transfer Lunatic Asylums and Hospitals .. Miscellaneous Native Post and Telegraph Money Order and Savings Banks Printing Property-Tax Public Trustee Public Works Railways Registrar-General Stamp Stationery Store 18,733 2,618 713,118 76,040 53,636 62,844 152,590 55,186 112,502 785 83,821 168,843 45,346 237,578 275 27,685 31,562 6,607 2,191 154,379 102,800 106,520 48,510 6,350 19,733 2,675 54,800 238,694 77,917 110,309 47,053 235,662 3,499,163 1,242,710 44,722 772,245 69,850 73,631 159,480 171,740 165,074 92,583 33,320 882,994 303 33 1,820 17 147 248 66 149 717 143 205 253 499 2,807 385 206 106 287 21 192 1,391 2,071 696 303 45 26 57 239 45 83 381 293 1,102 245 31 165 88 402 126 430 46 30 21 259 821 10 12 84 33 42 64 36 1,000 164 45 17 111 17 3,159 1,823 2,723 16 3 30 12 3 02 15 9 391 19 6 77 12 6 90 5 6 534 15 6 65 3 6 123 17 9 173 5 3 336 19 6 3,457 2 9 282 16 0 64 2 0 80 1 6 203 15 2 7 16 0 84 1 6 1,116 5 10 1,838 13 6 467 4 9 123 18 6 31 1 0 6 4 6 39 7 6 196 16 0 67 7 0 66 2 3 217 17 9 285 2 6 • 1,400 12 9 326 11 9 20 4 0 224 8 0 57 8 0 256 9 0 110 13 3 698 13 0 64 16 6 37 17 3 21 13 3 330 19 11 738 16 0 22 12 6 64 0 1 44 17 3 105 14 9 47 13 0 110 9 8 14 11 5 131 10 0 71 18 8 24 18 2 583 16 7 30 8 3 19 8 9 S 9 8 28 14 10 5 18 7 212 15 3 92 2 9 808 15 2 357 17 5 60 8 0 7 17 0 16 13 8 15 5 0 179 15 0 113 17 6 55 18 6 237 2 1 64 15 0 528 14 6 203 5 3 8 9 0 368 6 3 23 3 6 70 7 10 253 18 5 168 1 8 22 14 3 682 5 3 83 19 3 340 9 3 3,462 12 3 53 4 9 126 15 10 436 16 9 183 7 3 137 18 6 645 5 2 79 14 11 255 7 9 244 18 11 361 17 8 4,040 19 4 313 1 3 83 10 9 83 11 2 232 10 0 13 14 7 296 16 9 1,208 8 7 2,647 8 ' 8 825 2 2 184 6 6 38 18 0 22 18 2 54 12 6 376 11 0 181 4 6 122 0 9 454 19 10 349 18 0 1,929 7 3 529 17 0 28 13 0 592 14 3 80 11 6 326 16 10 364 11 8 866 14 8 87 10 9 720 2 6 105 12 6 671 9 2 62 2 24 3 190 41 25 2 21 17 133 5 81 4 Survey Treasury 7 Totals 10,204,934 17,179 8,715 16,896 2 5 7,062 8 4 23,958 10 9

% a 4 I q 3 g Pi a s 1-5 I o I a CO CD ,Q O C 9 | i s Q O a )verseors loaders Jompositors .. rlachinists, pressmen, paperwetters, cutters, and engineer .. 5ookbinders, including one overseer i'emales in Binding Branch — .. ipprcnticcs, machine and errandboys issistants .. - .. ;., .. itereotypers .. .. " 3 2 34 3 2 33 . 3 2 34 3 2 35 3 3 44 3 4 53 3 5 62 3 5 65 3 5 53 i 3 4 44 3 2 18 3 2 14 9 9 9 9 7 7 7 7 r 7 7 6 10 17 10 22 10 21 10 21 11 22 11 20 12 18 12 18 12 j 18 12 18 11 18 12 18 37 3 2 £2 3 2 40 3 2 41 3 2 41 3 2 43 3 2 41 3 2 41 3 2 41 3 I 2 40 3 2 37 3 2 36 4 2 Totals ■;■.-- 117 126 124 126 136 146 153 156 144 133 101 97

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Table No. 4. Return showing Value and Quantity of Printing Paper, &c., consumed in the Government Printing Office during the Year 1883.

Table No. 5. Summary of Vouchers examined, Deductions made, and Total Value, during 1883.

Table No. 6. Return of the Value of Printing and Binding executed at the Lyttelton Gaol during the Year ending 31st December, 1883.

By Authority: George Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBBl.

Juantity. Description. Amount. Quantity. Description. Amount. Beams. 213 181| 320f 125J 10 1,441 76 17 53J 34J 5 9 30 39 iii 15 Demy— Yellow wove, printing Hand-made Toned, double Buff Imitation hand-made Royal— Yellow wove, printing Coloured Hand-made Superfine, hand-made „ imitation hand-made Medium, hand-made Imperial „ Cartridge— Imperial Double demy, glazed Imperial brown Blotting, demy Cards — Double large „ small Large post— Cheque Hand-made Double, cream wove.. „ for money-orders 8vo. cream laid Foolscap— Cream laid, 151b. 181b. .. „ hand-made Turkey mill Double, buff „ bank £ s. d. 162 8 3 272 12 6 112 12 9 62 17 7 10 0 0 655 9 2 52 5 0 49 14 6 186 16 6 62 19 3 11 10 0 42 15 0 36 15 0 39 0 0 14 19 0 10 10 0 Reams. 4 3,957 1,790 29* 641" 76 266* 12" 17-1 84 39 i i 20 gross 119 rolls 37 rms. Foolscap— continued. Double, copying „ yellow wove, printing „ blue wove „ „ coloured blue „ „ yellow '„ cream wove Demy— Coloured Blue laid Imitation, hand-made Imperial, imitation hand-made Cartridge, royal Double orown, coloured „ royal for maps in colours Pasteboard Parchment Foolscap, double glazed buff £ a. d. 1 4 0 1,665 4 9 902 9 2 | 17 8 10 464 14 6 46 4 8 169 17 10 20 14 0 50 1 10 6 7 6 19 10 0 0 12 C 11 0 0 499 10 0 21 14 9 7,000 5,000 3 3 0 1 10 0 Envelopes— Cartridge, 15 x 10 14x5 13 x 6 13 x 6, lined Demy, cream laid Foolscap, cream laid Note, cream laid Large note Note, buff glazed Foolscap, buff glazed £5,918 12 10 i 25 53 62 21 12 0 36 5 0 53 0 0 37 4 0 3 3 0 700 2,300 200 250 43,000 238,000 442,500 55,000 15,000 71,000 17 3 2 11 9 0 4 9 0 16 3 25 19 7 95 4 0 94 0 7 31 12 6 3 3 9 28 8 0 5 6 23J 23 106 11 2 0 0 3 0 0 27 0 6 20 14 0 45 13 0 4 19 0 £6,202 1 3

Month. Number. Deductions. Total Value. "anuary February klarch kpril tlay une ruly Uigust September .. )otober November .. 3ecember .. 415 327 491 685 618 470 245 488 354 436 344 322 £ s. d. 2 15 8 2 10 2 46 6 8 6 18 6 22 4 3 11 4 8 6 7 10 18 0 6 3 7 6 5 15 6 5 17 3 2 1 & s. a; 1,220 10 5 1,181 9 0 2,777 5 10 2,291 1 10 3,036 17 5 1,992 16 1 667 1 6 1,637 0 11 1,309 8 3 1,208 2 11 1,055 2 <J 906 18 0 Totals 5,195 133 14 11 19,284 0 11

Department. Value. Eailway Department Government Printing Department .. Prisons Department w* £ s. d. 366 3 2 539 15 0 189 2 6 Total £1,095 0 8