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of their shareholders resident in Taranaki; and, at the request of Mr. E. M. Smith, upon whose representations the Company had been established, the directors placed the furnace in his hands in September, 1876, Mr. Smith stating that he could prove that the iron-sand could be smelted at a profit. The furnace was charged at 10 a.m. on the 21st September, 1876, and was kept in full blast until 11.45 p.m. on the 25th September, during which time the following materials were used : 1,176 bushels charcoal at 2s. per bushel, £117 125.; 6 tons 19 cwt. coke at £7 per ton, £48 135.; 103| bushels lime at 2s. per bushel, £10 7s. ; 4J cords wood at 265. per cord, £5 12s. Bd. ; 5 tons 19 cwt. compound at 18s. 9d. per ton, £5 11s. 7d.: £187 16s. 3d.; the cost of labour and charges, £260: total, £447 16s. 3d. The result in product being 2 tons 18 cwt. of iron, worth in the English market about £6 per ton, but which cost per ton £154 Bs. 4d. While the Company are of opinion that the cost per ton in the experimental smelting as above is no index of what it would be were the works in full swring and the industry fairly established, they are firmly of opinion that the cost of production will always far exceed the value of the manufactured article; and that if it will ever pay to smelt the iron-sand of Taranaki, which they very much doubt, it will only be done by manufacturing it in a kind of bloomery furnace of an inexpensive character, such as is in use on the River Moisie, in Canada, and which is referred to on page 131 of Phillips's " Elements of Metallurgy." The Company have at present suspended operations in consequence of the shareholders deciding that no more capital must be expended until the Government have done the Company the justice of issuing to it the Crown grant for 5,000 acres of land in the Moa Block, in the Provincial District of Taranaki, on the faith of obtaining which the capital of the Company was formed. T. Kennedy Maodonald.

No. 111. The Hon. J. Macandbew to Mr. Commissioner Murray. Sir,— Wellington, 19th July, 1880. I do not know if the Commission has had its attention specially or at all directed to the importance of the Taranaki iron-sand. I venture to suggest that this is a subject which is well deserving the notice of the Commissioners. lam disposed to think that the difficulties in the way of turning this material to practical account are greatly magnified, and that there are few industries in New Zealand which promise better results were the necessary capital brought to bear upon them. I believe that the whole of our railway wagon and carriage wheels might be cast from Taranaki ironsand pigs. The United States railways use little else but cast-iron wheels, their material being much inferior to ours. Perhaps you might turn over this matter in your mind. J. Macandeew.

JEWELLERY TRADE. No. 112. Mr. A. Reynolds and Others, Jewellers, to Mr. Commissioner Tinne. Sib,— Auckland, 24th March, 1880. I beg most respectfully to bring to your notice the following facts in connection with my trade as lapidary, and with the trade of manufacturing jewellers. I commenced business in Auckland thirteen years ago as lapidary, for the purpose of manufacturing the greenstone of New Zealand into articles of jewellery; for some years it kept many men employed by the manufacturing jewellers, who used every exertion to meet the increasing demand, and with success. About three years ago a certain merchant's house in Dunedin sent to England a block of greenstone in the rough, where it was cut and mounted and returned to this country; and this led to the complete ruin of the trade here —so much so that none of the trade are now able to employ a single hand, and several have been compelled to relinquish business and leave the place. I place the foregoing facts before you in the hope that the lioyal Commission may be induced to take into consideration the present state of the manufacturing jewellery trade and the means best calculated to effect an improvement. If I might be permitted to offer a suggestion, I would say that the case would be met by the imposition of such a duty as would prove prohibitive to the importation of manufactured greenstone articles. Ido not think that a duty of less than 100 per cent, would be of any use in bringing about the result we desire. lam the more bold to make this suggestion, as I feel that the imposition of any amount of dut} r on articles of such manufacture will fall only upon those who are in a good position to pay it. Any further k 'information you may require I shall be most happy to supply. I have, &c, Alp. Reynolds. Herman Penzhalz. John Ayres. C. Goodwin. J. Edwards. D. Gamier. Henry Petry. David Keans. Seymour Wells. F. G. Singleton. J. P. Nuiletz.

No. 113. Mr. A. Reynolds and Otters, Jewellers, to the Chairman of the Local Industries Commission. Sib,— Auckland, 14th April, 1880. We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your circular of 10th inst., through T. E. S. Tinne, Esq., in answer to which we beg to enclose a copy of a communication sent to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, and beg to offer the following information and suggestions: "We would ask for