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me 50 per cent, or GO per cent, more than what it costs Lieutenant James at Home, The price in England is 3s. or 4s. a pound, and here I pay 9s. or 10s. a pound. I have inquired about the manufacture of pots, and cannot get them nearly so cheap as at Home. This remark applies to bottles also. I have only got certificates of the success of my rheumatic-balsam for publication. This has helped the sale. My horse-medicines do not need such certificates, my reputation is well-known. The only way in which I could be assisted would be by imposing a duty of 75 per cent, or 100 per cent, on the imported article. If that were done, James's blister, for instance, would not be sold for a higher price than it is now; but he would not send so much. He would only supply orders ;he would not send out consignments. Dealers would keep it and supply it to those who inquired for it. I should then have a chance to sell my preparations. 134. By the Chairman;"] The imported ingredients of my preparations are only the smallest part, but much the dearest. I cannot tell without preparation the value of the whole quantity of drugs and other materials that I import in a year. My business varies, and is only in its infancy. If the duty on the crude materials were abolished and the duty of 25 per cent, left on the manufactured import, that would be all I could expect. It would amount to the same thing as raising the duty on the manufactured article. If the duty were raised to 100 per cent., I do not think I should raise the price of my preparations. I should look for my advantage to an extended sale. I think the tins which I use cost me more here than the pots cost Lieutenant James at Home. It would pay me to import the pots, got up properly, if I had a large-enough business to enable me to get a large quantity at once.

No. 95. Mr. James Neil, Medical Botanist, to the Chairman of the Local Industries Commission. G-entlemen, — Dunedin, 20th May, 1880. I am very sorry that I did not meet with you, at your kind invitation, while sitting at Dunedin. The matter which I wish to bring to your notice has no doubt been presented to you before this —namely, that colonial manufacturers of medicine have to pay the same rate of duty on their raw materials as on manufactured goods: thus I have to pay 15 per cent, on dry herbs and other ingredients used in the manufacture of my various preparations. I have now five hands employed in the sale and manufacture of pills, dandelion-coffee, and other preparations. I hope, gentlemen, that you will see your way to recommend the abolition of duty on raw material, and, if necessary, add to the manufactured goods. I have, &c, James Neil.

FISHEEIES, ETC. No. 96. Mr. E. Scollay to the Chairman of the Commission on Local Industries. Sib,— Bluff, 12th April, 1880. I have the honor to inform you, in answer to your communication referring to local industries, that —Ist, there are three saw-mills in active work at Stewart Island; 2nd, there are fourteen fishing-cutters as well employed. Owing to steam-communication between the Bluff and Dunedin being less frequent and more uncertain lately, fish and oysters —the latter more particularly —have to be sent by railway ; but this mode of transit is very expensive, being at least three times the cost of carriage by sea —namely, fish and oysters, per sack to Dunedin from Bluff, Is. 6d. by sea, ss. by rail. The effect of this charge is depressing to the fish trade here, and, unless it is remedied, will operate against a large centre of population like Dunedin being supplied with fish, unless at rates so high as to limit materially the quantity consumed. I have, &c, E. Scollat. « ,—.

4 ' No. 97. Mr. Thomas Thomson to the Chairman of the Eoyal Commission on Local Industries. Sib,— Bluff Harbour, 13th April, 1880. I have not a very intimate acquaintance with some of the industries which are and may be carried on in this part of the colony, but trust that my remarks may be of some use to the Commission. Mshing, in its various branches, deserves attention. Whaling, —TFor carrying on this pursuit, there are few places so well situated, both for proximity to the grounds, and there being safe harbours in nearly every direction, in which the vessels can run for shelter or to cut in their whales. The sperm whale is very plentiful off the south-west end of the Island, and whaling vessels from all quartera frequent these grounds, generally carrying off good catches. This industry has from time to time been carried on from this port, and lately an enterprising firm (Messrs. Nichol and Tucker) had one vessel out, which was very successful; but, in consequence of the fall in the price of oil, they have been obliged, for the present, to abandon it. In consequence of the heavy outlay in fitting out a whaling vessel, and the great loss if unsuccessful, the risk is rather too great for one small firm ; but I think that a company with several vessels should make it pay well. It has been suggested to protect the fishing near the coasts, but I do not think this would be a wise step, because the other colonies might retaliate, and shut our vessels out from their grounds. Oysters and MsJi. —There is a large trade carried on in these, but the carriage by rail to the northern places militates very much against its development. lam of opinion that an exceptionally low rate should be levied on all such very perishable goods, and, as formerly, a train started from the Bluff every morning, to reach Dunedin the same day. Fresh fish could then be delivered all along the line in good condition. Paua-shells. —There has of late sprung up a consider-