I.—lo.

1881. NEW ZEALAND.

COLONIAL INDUSTRIES AND TARIFF COMMITTEE (FINAL REPORT OF, TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS AND EVIDENCE).

Brought up sth September, 1881, and ordered to be printed.

ORDERS OF REFERENCE. Extracts from the Journals of the Souse of Representatives. Thuesday, the Vth day op July, 1881. Ordered, " That a Committee be appointed to consider how, by arrangement of the tariff or otherwise, manufactures and industries may be encouraged. The Committee to consist of the Hon. Major Atkinson, Captain Colbeck, Mr. Ballance, Mr. Hutchison, Mr. Lundon, Mr. Macandrew, Mr. Wright, Mr. Wakefield, and the Mover, with power to call for persons and papers, and to report in a month; three to be a quorum." — {Mr. Murray)

Tuesday, the 2nd day op August, 1881. Ordered, " That the Colonial Industries Committee have leave to postpone the bringing up of their report for fourteen days."— {Mr. Murray.)

Tuesday, the 16th day op August, 1881. Ordered, " That the report of the Colonial Industries and Tariff Committee upon subject of olive-culture be referred back to the Committee for further consideration."

INTERIM REPORT. No. 348. —Petition of William Cbowthee. Your Committee, having considered the petition of Mr. William Crowther, cab-proprietor, of Auckland, asking for remission of duty on cabs and. carriages imported into the colony, see no reason to recommend the remission of the duty. Wm. Archibald Murray, Chairman.

FINAL REPORT. With the limited time and opportunities at the disposal of your Committee for an exhaustive investigation of the numerous and important subjects which their inquiries opened up, your Committee decided to consider only such questions of public interest as it appeared likely they could deal with during the present session of Parliament, aud have the honor herewith to submit the report of the resolutions to which they agreed from time to time, upon the various subjects as stated: — Maize {Duty upon). —Tour Committee recommend that, with the exception of imports from Fiji, the same duty should be imposed upon maize as is imposed upon other cereals. Tobacco {Culture and, Manufacture of). —That in order to encourage the growth and manufacture of tobacco in New Zealand, your Committee recommend that the duty on tobacco grown within the colony should be reduced to Is. per lb., for a period of not less than five years. Olive Culture. —That the proposed Department of Science and Industries should, with the view to the establishment of olive-culture, import by plants, seeds, or truncheons, as may be found best, the most suitable varieties of the olive-tree, for distribution by the department, upon such terms and in such parts of the colony as the department shall consider best. And that, as an inducement to the planting of olive-trees, twice the amount of land should be given for each acre planted in olive-trees as is granted under the laws and regulations for the encouragement of the planting of forest trees. Kauri Cum. —That, in the opinion of your Committee, the practice of leasing considerable areas of kauri-gum lands to individuals, with the exclusive right to dig for gum, should forthwith be discontinued, and that licenses to dig gum on Crown lands should be issued to the people engaged in that industry upon payment of a reasonable fee, under a similar system to that which prevails on gold fields ; and your Committee would further recommend that the Minister of Lands do take the necessarv steps to give immediate effect to the foregoing proposals. Sorghum-sugar Production.- —That the Government should, as soon as possible, import sorghum seed for distribution, and should also import the machinery required for the manufacture of sugar from sorghum, the cost of which your Committee has in evidence will not exceed £70; that a bonus of I—l. 10.