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eagerly taken advantage of by persons' who are above the lower class of colonists, and who, through adverse circumstances, cannot descend to humbler pursuits. The loom is made of wood, and is easy of construction. I would import two. The cost would bo about £9 each with geers, slays, &c, all complete. Make the looms in the colony from the samples imported. Slays, geers, shuttles, reels, spools, &c, would form a small item to furnish many looms. The next and principal thing is to supply the weaver with the material suitable for the production of the article to be worn —chain and shute, or warp and rift, which is all the goods are composed of, except a little size. A spinning-frame, managed by two hands, would produce a large quantity of yarns, a room 15 feet square would be sufficient for the frames—a single horse turning the gear outside, the same as a threshing machine, bark-mill, or other similar process. The same would apply to the making material for tweeds ; according to the local demand for yarns se the number of spinning-frames could be increased. The weaver, if not otherwise provided, makes his own warp, according to the class of goods he intends producing, narrow or wide, fine or coarse, in fact, quality. The competition between spinners and weavers would insure a fair price and a good article, the same as rules the rope-making now in the provinces. Spinning and weaving upon this sure and simple plan, once introduced, would only be an introduction to carpetweaving. The worsted for hearth and fender rugs is produced from the same spinning-frames, with the addition of a doubling-machine for the threads, and looms equally simple are in the houses of the workmen. With the introduction of the loom and spinning-frames, the weavers and spinners could be brought out as emigrants. For the country to wait for a large and costly plant, with the manifold demands upon it, and that located at a certain place, to become of any practical value, is, as I have before stated, very uncertain. By the introduction of the two-frame spinning-jenny and cottage handloom weaving it would spread through the colony at once, is open to persons of any grade and very limited means, and would be eagerly taken advantage of by nearly all families in country districts, and also by those in towns, as there is always a ready market for such manufacture. The hand-loom at a moment's notice relieving the demands upon the individual or family—and, as a consequence, the market kept well supplied with home-made produce, "of itself it would insure protection," and would not fail to become at once what it must be the object of the Government to encourage and foster, " the growth of colonial manufacture from colonial produce." Having been a Brussels carpetmanufacturer, and practically acquainted with the hand-loom and materials required for the manufacture of the articles referred to (including the dyeing of all worsted yarn), I can with confidence assert that it would attain the object sought. As regards Brussels carpets, the machines referred to would spin the worsted, a loom for which complete would not cost more than £25. The refuse of our wools here in quality, except for light colouring, would make a superior article to any imported, as all carpets are made of coarse wools, the quality would be finer, the colours softer. The cost of hand-loom-made best fine-frame Brussels carpet in England is about 3s. 6d. per yard wholesale, sold in the colonies at about 7s. to Bs. per yard, Brussels carpet reduced in quality, as the manufacturers are compelled to reduce to meet the market, is shown in the qualities and prices sold at. The plant for the manufacture of the goods referred to above would not cost more than £500 to £600. I have, &c., AIBEET POTTEE.

3STo. 141. Evidence of Mr. Isaac Wilson, Chairman of the Kaiapoi Woollen Factory Company, before Mr. Commissioner A. .1. Burns. Kaiapoi, 20th April, 1880. My name is Isaac Wilson. I reside in Kaiapoi. lam at present Chairman of the Kaiapoi Woollen Factory Company (Limited). This Company has been in existence about one year and nine months; we employ about eighty hands; the paid-up capital is £15,000. The mill is being run long hours, the wages paid are not extravagant, being not so high per day as those being paid to agricultural labourers. Great care has been taken in stock-taking and striking balances, these being now taken quarterly; and, although every economy has been exercised in the management, a very small profit remains to shareholders. I think the cause of this is that we are not able, with the fine wools we are obliged to use, to compete with the British article, which, iii many cases, is not made out of pure wool. The goods turned out are principally flannels, blankets, and yarns, although a few tweeds are being made. I am quite convinced that these goods cannot be turned out with profit to the shareholders unless more duty is put upon the imported article. There cannot be a doubt but that the public get better value for their money by purchasing the colonial-made article. The difficulty is to induce the public to give the higher price. Isaac Wilson, Chairman, Kaiapoi Woollen Company.

No. 142. Joint Letter from the Managees of the Mosgiel, Roslyn, and Kaikoeai Woollen Factoeies to the Commissioners on Local Industries. Sibs,— Dunedin, 16th April, 1880. In reply to your communication under date, Wellington, 17th ultimo, addressed to us, and requesting information regarding local industries or manufactures, together with any suggestions that may occur to us in connection with the same, we, as representing the woollen factories in the Otago District, beg respectfully to submit for your consideration as follows :— Ist. We do not advocate any addition to the existing rate of Customs duty—viz., 15 per cent. ad valorem —upon woollen goods, as we consider this a fair enough set-off against—(l) The high rate of colonial interest; (2) the high rate of colonial wages; (3) the cost of bringing out to the colony the necessary machinery, dye stuffs, and other articles necessary in carrying on the business of a woollen factory.