THE COLONIAL INDUSTRIES COMMITTEE.

13

H.-No. 7.

120. In what parts of the Province ?—ln the northern part, I believe. My knowledge on that point is second-hand, but I understand from Mr. M'Glashan that there is an unlimited quantity of that material. Dr. Hector in attendance and examined. 121. The Chairman.] Has your attention been directed to the question of the manufacture of paper ?—Yes, I have collected a good deal of information upon the subject. Some of it is embodied in my evidence on the subject last year, and also in the report of the New Zealand Exhibition of 1865, at page 435. (Dr. Hector read extracts from his evidence before the Committee last year.) I will only say, in addition to that, that flax waste is a material for paper making that promises to be very valuable, and it possesses peculiar qualities. 122. Has anything, so far as you are aware, been tried with it'—"We have two samples of paper which were sent out from home manufactured from New Zealand flax, and they have very singular qualities, being transparent, as tough as parchment, and very fine and smooth in the grain. They are in the Museum. I have seen the grass used by Mr. M'Glashan. It is known in Otago as snow grass, but the correct name of it is danthonia. Its seed is like an oat. It is a brown grass, and grows upon the tops of hills and upon poor wet clay soil. It is all over the Mataura plains, and over the tops of the hills in Otago, and grows sometimes about four feet high. The term snow grass is sometimes applied to a small red rush that grows in large patches when the snow lies late during the spring. The snow grass that Mr. M'Glashan used, and which I experimented upon also in Otago, is almost the same as Esparto grass, which is worth from £7 to £10 a ton in London, and of which large quantities are imported into England from Spain. The supply, however, has fallen off, and enquiries have been made as to whether there is any other grass available. 123. What is your impression as to the quantity of snow grass that is available?—lt grows rery rapidly, but it is a sparse crop in the ground. 124. As to other materials besides flax and snow grass, are you aware whether the tussock has been tried I —l think the only difference would be in the quantity to be obtained off the land. I don't think there would be any essential difference in the quality, as the common tussock or any grass will make pulp. It is a question of quantity. 125. Then how is it there is a scarcity of material at home?—-The grass there is much more valuable for feeding purposes, and besides they have no such thing as our tussock grass—it is peculiar to the sub-alpine districts of the Southern Hemisphere, and is abundant, I believe, on the Auckland Islands. 126. Colonel Russell.] Is the tussock grass of which you speak as being in the Middle Island the same as that found in the Taupo country ?—I have seen a little of it in the desert, but it is not the general tussock grass. 127. Would it be available for paper making?—lt would be liable to the same objection as the common tussock grass of the Canterbury Plains ; it is exceedingly short, and comparatively slow growing, and you would have to go over such an enormous area of land to get any quantity. 128. Are there not places in the North Island in which tussock grass is to be found in great profusion I —Only in the country south-east of Euapeka and the Kaimanawa Range, and not in very great quantities even there. 129. Would the short tussock grass in the North Island be available for paper making?—lt would not pay. I think the material is suitable for the purpose, but I don't think it is equal to the coarser grasses. I don't think it has been tried. 130. Mr. Jfolmes.] Do you think a bonus of £5,000 would be sufficient inducement to capitalists to enter into the manufacture of paper extensively, irrespective of the duty?—l have considered the subject, but have not arrived at anything definite. The papers on the subject have been before the Committee, including the entire cost of the machinery required. I think the Government did not propose a bonus because they could not determine the proportion the bonus should bear to the capital required to establish the industry. My own impression is that £5,000 to one person would be needlessly large. 131. Mr. Acland.] Do you think, from the way you have seen the snow grass growing, that the cost and labor of collecting it and taking it to the manufactory would be an objection ?—I don't think there would be much difficulty in collecting it in a place like the Mataiira Plains, where it is in very considerable quantities ; still I do not know that it would do to establish a manufacture and depend wholly upon that. Ido not think it would be safe unless with several other sources of raw material in prospect. 132. Are you aware whether it is a fact that snow grass is being destroyed in many parts of the country ?—-It is very easily exterminated by fire, and it does not recover, like many other grasses. In crossing the mountains lately from the West Coast I noticed places where snow grass had disappeared, and where very fair pasture had grown in its place, since my previous visit in 18G4, and the change was solely owing to the successive burnings. 133. Captain M'Pherson.] In flax making there is always a large quantity of refuse dust. Could that be utilised for paper making I —lt is not of such a nature as could be used ; in fact, there would be a great objection to use the refuse from flax mills, owing to the present mode of preparing the fibre. If the broken ends of the flax were to be used, it would be necessaiy to take measures to prevent that dust and refuse being mixed with the tow. 134. Supposing it were well washed and cleaned up, what would the manufacturer be able to give for it ?—lt would be worth £6 or £7 a ton in London at the lowest. 135. Mr. Chamberlain.] Do you know whether the nikau would be available for paper making?— It is too rare, and only grows in quantities in inaccessible places. 136. What in your opinion would be the best means of encouraging the industry—-a bonus or a protective duty ?—A bonus. I don't think the imposition of a duty -would have a direct action. 4