H.—22.

would be located on this line, of a class much required in the country —namely, consumers, who will at the same time supply the increasing demand for coal, and the various articles manufactured from these fireclay deposits. It must be also borne in mind that such a class of settlers will be largo consumers of produce that is now being exported to Britain and other countries; and the very fact of such a class of settlers being located in a district will be the means of. starting industries not yet thought of, and which never would be developed unless lines of railways are constructed for that purpose. It may not be out of place to state that the coal produced from the Glentumiel Mine and carried over the White Cliffs Railway has brought over £ 1,000 to the revenue of that railway during the past year, and that this traffic is increasing very rapidly. One great hindrance to the output of coal, and a grievance that has been felt very severely in the development of a market, has been the absurd regulations whereby I am prevented having one or two empty wagons kept at the siding in readiness to be filled. This has not only hurt my market, but has also kept revenue from the railway. In developing new industries I find enough of trouble and annoyance to disturb my mind without Government tying down the traffic on the railway with cast-iron rules that give, very often, great annoyance without producing any good results to the railway; and anything your Commission can do in remedying these evils will be a great boon to the district. James Aechtbalb Mclleaith.

DKAIN-PIPES, POTTEEY, ETC. No. 81. Mr. Thomas Buxton to the Chairman of the Local Industries Commission. Sic, — Steam Brick and Drain-pipe Works, Makarewa, 24th March, 1880. In reply to your request for information or suggestions re local industries, I beg to say that, in my opinion, about the best thing that could be done for promoting a large expenditure of money on reproductive works in Southland would be a Drainage Act, such as or similar to that brought forward by Mr. Murray last session of Parliament. It is a well-known fact that a very large portion of land in Southland is either swamp or too wet to cultivate without drainage; but the owners in many cases are unable to drain, either from the want of money or else outfall, which latter they have to obtain through adjoining lands, the owners of which are unable for want of money, or are unwilling, to commence operations. The money-lending and outfall clauses of Mr. Murray's Bill would remove these objections ; indeed, lam persuaded that farmers generally would gladly take advantage of such an Act. I have been engaged for the last ten years in the manufacture of drain-pipes, and during that time I have had ample opportunity of getting to know the minds of farmers on this subject, and I find but one opinion—viz., that they would be glad to drain every acre of wet land they have if they had the means of doing so. A very large portion of the working-classes of New Zealand are unsettled labour-ing-men, who could not be employed in manufactories, supposing their establishment to be possible ; and, as the expenditure on public works must necessarily decrease year by year till it finally ceases (if there is to be no more borrowing for three years), a large number of labouring-men will therefore be out of work, and of course labour will become very cheap—cheap enough for the farmers to employ it in improving their farms if they had the means. Such a measure Mr. Murray's Act would provide. .1 believe more good would be done in the way as indicated abovo than would result from attempts to force on manufactories by Government aids. Indeed, I have no faith in manufacture preceding a large population, except in an initiatory sense, in the way of training the rising generation; for population affords two great advantages to the manufacturer, viz. —local markets and cheap labour— without which no manufacture on an extensive scale could succeed in these days of rapid and cheap transit, except perhaps in some particular line where the resources of the colony afford special advantages —such as, for instance, something requiring a large consumption of coal, which is abundant and easily got at in New Zealand. We have experimented a little in Otagoin an endeavour to establish the manufacture of pottery by paying bonuses (£250) to people for trying to make porcelain out of brickclay ; but the ware would not hold water nor jam either, for if you put it in it came through the pores and stood in large drops outside. The^bove is my humble and candid opinion on the matter. I have, &c, Thomas Buxtom'.

No. 82. Mr. William Plant to Mr. Commissioner Tinne. Sib,— Thames, 25th March, 1880. Seeing that you are appointed a Commissioner re local industries to represent this province, I beg to request that you will not omit to recommend that some assistance he rendered to persons capable of undertaking the manufacture of earthenware. Erom my own knowledge of the material obtained in this province, I do not hesitate to predict that at no distant date the manufacture of potteryware will become one of the staple industries of this province. Unfortunately, practical men do not receive that support to which they are entitled. I would remind you that, if proper works were started, the large sum of money annually sent to foreign countries for insulators would be retained in New Zealand. I have myself made very fair samples without any of the usual appliances. I have made numerous experiments in this line at my own expense, and find the material, which is obtainable in largo quantities, well suited for the purpose. I do not know whether you are acquainted with Mr. Dowden's place in Auckland, but I can assure you that it is a sin to use the material for drain-pipes. We have also good material at the Thames. I would'not recommend further protective duties. You will perhaps remember me when I say I am the person who, in company with Mr. W. Dowden, showed you the insulator in November last. My only object in writing to you is to assist in devising means whereby the rising generation may find honest and profitable employment. I have, &c, W. Plant.

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