H.—22.

No. 148. Evidence of Mr. T. G. Pascoe, Clothing-manufacturer, before the Commissioners on Local Industries, at Dunedin. Dunedin, 18th May, 1880. I wisii, gentlemen, to point out to you that every item —all trimming goods —required for the manufacture of clothing bears a duty of 15 per cent. The remission of the duty on someof the articles we require—on some of the leading lines—would be a considerable relief to us. A few of the leading lines on which it is necessary for carrying on the manufacture of clothing that the present duty ot 15 per cent, should be taken off altogether, or that it should be reduced to 5 per cent., are—(l) Italian cloths; (2) printed Silesias; (3) plain do.; (4) machine silks, thread, cotton; (5) buttons. I think I made the remark " that there is not a line used in the manufacture of clothing that is not taxed," to-day. The above goods are easily defined; and such an alteration as I suggest would be of great assistance to the manufacturers. I have also to remark that, if taking off the duty from the above goods will interfere with the amount calculated on, or is found to touch too largely on what is required for revenue purposes, a further 5 per cent, should be added to the 15 per cent, now charged on manufactured men's, boys', and youths' clothing. These views, I may add, express the views of the trade.

No. 149. Evidence of Mr. Absolon Smith, Tailor, before the Commissioners on Local Industries. Dunedin, 18th May, 1880. Mb. Absolon Smith, tailor, informed the Commission that Volunteer companies were allowed a rebate on uniform, and that they imported, instead of using the local manufacture. This prevents local tailors from tendering for Volunteer uniforms. The Volunteers would prefer ordering here if they had to pay the duty. As regards the tweed, the Government have decided that it should be scarlet for all corps. Suggests Government should call for tenders for the tweed, and supply it to the companies. Large firms could contract for the work and sub-let it, as is done in railway uniforms, shutting out all competition.

No. 150. Evidence of Messrs. Brown, Ewing, and Co. before Mr. Commissioner A. J. Burns. Dunedin, 26th May, 1880. Messrs. Brown, Ewing, and Co. state that they are drapers in Princes Street. They employ a number of females in their warerooms, and feel aggrieved at some of the provisions of the Employment of Females Act, and are of opinion that some of its provisions press unduly upon their business. 1. That they should be allowed to employ females on Saturday afternoons, for an hour or two, in cases of extreme pressure; that the Act be amended to give power to the Inspectors to grant this permission on application. They see no objection to the payment for overtime, and that two hours be the maximum time that may be granted. 2. That the Act be amended to repeal those clauses wherein the employer is compelled to pay wages for holidays, as it appears to them to be unjust and wrong in principle. 3. That we are large buyers of colonial and importers of foreign manufactured goods; and we are of opinion that the present tariff enables the colonial manufacturer to compete successfully with the imported article; and are further of opinion that no addition should be made to the amount of the present tariff-rates on soft goods. Brown, Ewing, and Co.

TECHNICAL EDUCATION. No. 151. Canterbur? College School or Agriculture.—Director, W. E. Ivey, M.E.A.C., F.C.S., P.I.C. The School of Agriculture has been established to afford students the opportunity of acquiring a thorough knowledge of the practice and science of agriculture. The institution is situated near Lincoln, about twelve miles from the City of Christchurch. The school-buildings comprise lecture-theatre, library and museum, chemical laboratory, dining-hall, separate bedrooms for twenty resident students, lavatories, bathrooms, &c, together with quarters for the director of the school. Students between the ages of fifteen and nineteen conforming to the regulations will be admitted to residence. The charge for each resident student is £50 per annum for board and lodging, and £9 9s. for tuition. Non-resident students can attend the lectures and receive instruction in practical farm-work by conforming to the regulations and paying the fee of £3 3s. per term or £9 9s. per annum. Scholarships. —There are six scholarships which entitle students to free board and residence and free tuition. The farm contains 500 acres of land of various qualities, from rich swamp pasture land to light comparatively thin soil overlying shingle. The farm buildings comprise stables, granary, cowhouses, dairy, piggeries, implement sheds, &c. The machinery and farm implements have been carefully selected, with the view of saving labour, and the dairy utensils include the improvements introduced in the most recent systems of butter and cheese-making. A portion of the farm is devoted to experimental purposes to test the value of different methods of cultivation, the effect of manures on various crops, the qualities of indigenous and exotic grasses, the suitability and comparative worth of new varieties of cereals, roots, fodder and other plants.

119