1£.—22

128

Leak Obe. No. 174. Evidence of Mr. Joseph C. Williams before Mr. Commissioner Burns, at Grahamstown, 13th May, 1880. My name is Joseph O. Williams. I have been about seventeen years in New Zealand. I have discovered a vein of lead ore in the Auckland Provincial District. Sixty-eight bags of this ore were sent to London. I hand in a copy of the analysis. What I should like is that the Government Analyst should give an idea of the cost of separating these various ores per ton. We would forward to Wellington, as samples, any quantity of ore that might be required. Before a company could be formed to work this ore it would be necessary to procure a lease for a long term of years, other than a gold-mining lease. I hope the Commission will bring this under the notice of the Government, as there are many minerals other than gold that could be profitably worked if the law was altered. The ground referred to is within the limits of a proclaimed gold field. Joseph Cobnwall Williams.

Certificate of Analysis. Messrs. John B. Watt and Co. London, 4th June, 1879. We have carefully analyzed the sample mineral, marked as under, and find the following to be the proportion in every 100 parts (mark of sample, "68 bags, ex 'Garonne':" —Lead, 1796 per cent.; zinc, 1570; iron, 418; copper, 160 ; sulphur, 14 20 ; silica, 42 22 ; alumina, 268 ; magnesia, traces ; manganese, traces ; gold, silver, oxygen, and loss, 086; moisture, 060 : total, 100. Gold, 1-150 oz.; silver, 1515 oz. per ton of 2,2401b. Johnson, Matthet and Co., Assayers and Molters to the Bank of England, Her Majesty's Mint, &c.

No. 175. Bottle MANTJTACTTrBE. Mr. J. B. Bkadshaw to the Members of the Royal Commission on Local Industries. Gentlemen, — Temple Chambers, 99, Princes Street, Dunedin, 18th May, 1880. As you have invited all to approach you that have anything to say in reference to local industries, I venture to present to you the views of a constituent of mine who takes much interest in these matters. lam also very much concerned in these matters, for my future prospects depend very much upon the success of the profitable development of our natural products. My constituent is very anxious to start a new and profitable industry, provided a fair amount of encouragement is given to it by the State: the industry is the manufacture of bottles of every description on a large scale. The material for the making of bottles is very abundant, and easily obtainable : it is in many respects of no utility, it lies waste. Now the manufacture of bottles will cause the sands which now lie as waste material to become of utility and of considerable value to the community by employing a number of persons who are now out of work, and keeping in the colony large sums of money that are sent away for the payment of imported bottles. "What I wish for my constituent is to secure the market for him. For your favourable consideration of this venture I must show you the disadvantage a producer has to contend with. For example, bottles can be imported at Is. per dozen ;my constituent cannot manufacture bottles of the like quality for loss than Is. Gd. per dozen. It is therefore evident that this important industry would have a short life under such unfavourable conditions. Now, what my constituent suggests for favourable consideration is— 1. That the State levy a duty of 7d. per dozen on the imported article, in order that the projected new industry may grow and prosper. If no duty be levied the sands must remain of comparative little value, and many willing hands must remain out of work. If this mode of encouraging a valuable industry is objectionable, the State might— 2. Levy a tax, say, an amount equal to 7d. from the public for every dozen of bottles manufactured, and give the tax as a bonus to my constituent. I must confess my predilection for the second mode of encouragement. "It appears to me more just, more economical, and more honourable: more just, because if society desires to give largesses 'to some of its numbers all should contribute; more economical, because it would save much expense in collecting, and get us rid of many restrictions ; more honourable, because the public would then see clearly the nature of the operation and act accordingly." I have, &c, J. B. Beabshaw. P.S. —If I have not been explicit enough I would be most happy and willing to call on you and more fully give you my constituent's views.—J. B. B.

itOPE-MAKING. No. 176. Evidence of Mr. De Buck before the Commissioners on Local Industries, at Dunedin, 18th May,-1880. lam the agent of the South Dunedin Bopeworks, of which Mr. Donnghy is the proprietor. It is a branch of an establishment at Geelong. It was established about two years since. There is a capital invested in it —in lands, buildings, and machinery—of about £7,000. The great drawback of the business is the competition with imports from the sister colonies, even with the works of the same pro-