L—loa

1904. NEW ZEALAND.

EXTENSION OF COMMERCE COMMITTEE; CANDLE INDUSTRY OF NEW ZEALAND. REPORT, TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF EVIDENCE AND APPENDIX.

Brought up on the 4th November, 1904, and ordered to be printed.

ORDER OF REFERENCE, Mxtract from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Thursday, the 30th Day of June, 1904. Ordered, " That Standing Order No. 218 be suspended, and that a Committee be appointed, consisting of nineteen members, to inquire into and report as to the best means of promoting the commerce of the colony, and the sale of the colony's produce in markets other than those at present obtainable ; the Committee to have power to call for persons and papers ; three to be a quorum : the Committee to consist of Mr. Aitken, Mr. Barber, Mr. Bollard, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Duthie, Mr. Field, Mr. Hanan, Mr. Hardy, Mr. Harding, Mr. Hogg, Mr. Houston, Mr. Laurenson, Mr. T. Mackenzie, Mr. McNab, Mr. Millar, Sir W. R. Russell, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Witheford, and the mover."—(Hon. Sir J. G. Ward.)

REPOBT. Your Committee have the honour to report that, owing to the limited time at their disposal, they are unable to report this session on the state of the candle industry in New Zealand ; but recommend that they be permitted to resume the inquiry next session. A copy of the evidence taken thereon is attached herewith, and the Committee recommend the same to be printed. Thos. Mackenzie, Chairman. 4th November, 1904.

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE. Thursday, 27th October, 1904. Nicholas Reid, Merchant, Wellington, examined. 1. The Chairman.] Would you like to make a statement, Mr. Reid, with regard to the candle trade of the colony, or would you prefer to answers questions ? —I desire to say that I appear on behalf of the New Zealand Candle Company (Limited), but I also represent the other candle-manufacturers in New Zealand. I will put in a number of telegrams I have received from the various manufacturers on this subject. I might say that the candle industry is a very languishing one. The imports of candles for the years ended the 31st March, were —for 1900, 1,609,1211b., of the value of £30,658; 1901, 2,258,177 lb., value £41,947 ; 1902, 2,268,914 lb., value £40,758 ; 1903, 3,042,053 lb., value £56,488. The year 1903 shows an increase of about 79 per cent, over the year 1900. The value of imports from America for the four years ended the 31st December was—for 1900, £7 ; 1901, £732; 1902, £1,312 ; 1903, £14,482, which shows an enormous increase over previous years. The colonial candles sold for the five years ending the 30th June were—for 1900,3,317,409 lb.; 1901, 2,614,741 lb.; 1902,2,792,351 lb.; 1903, 2,746,647 lb.; 1904, 2,246,001 lb.; while the capital invested in the four companies doing business in the colony is about £70,000. The Wellington company's sales for the five years ended the 30th June were—l9oo, 29,459 boxes; 1901, 15,366 boxes; 1902, 15,124 boxes; 1903, 17,978 boxes; 1904,