H.—l7.

APPENDIX 11. EEPORT OF PRODUCE COMMISSIONER, LONDON. Sir, — Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, London, S.W., 9th June, 1906. I have the honour to forward herewith the annual report of Mr. H. C. Cameron, Produce Commissioner, dealing with the work of the Department with which he is connected. In doing so I beg to direct your attention to the reference made therein to the increase in work now performed, to the weekly cabled market reports, and to the advertisement by lectures. Concerning the latter I may state that, while this work has been voluntarily undertaken by Mr. Cameron, and has of course as a rule to be performed out of office hours, I have received many letters expressing appreciation of the lectures and thanking me for the opportunity given by such means of obtaining information concerning the colony. I am forwarding Mr. Cameron's report in advance of that which will come to you later on the work of my Department, as, knowing that it is required for inclusion in the annual report of the Industries and Commerce Department, I am desirous that it should reach that Department in good time. I have, &c, The Right Hon. the Premier, Wellington, New Zealand. W. P. Reeves. Sir,— Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, London, S.W., 18th April, 1906. I have the honour to submit a report of the work done by my Department, dealing generally with the produce-markets here, for the year ending the 31st March, and in doing so I beg respectfully to direct your attention to the steady increase in the duties attached to it. During the period under review the ordinary work with which I had formerly been associated was added to by the inclusion, under my supervision, of the New Zealand representation at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, which was held at the Crystal Palace during the summer of 1905. As in the previous year, advantage was taken of the opportunity afforded at the Colonial Exhibition at Liverpool of making a good display and advertisement of New Zealand products there. The work occasioned in assisting with the arrangements made on account of the New Zealand International Exhibition, to be held at Christchurch, generally, and of the British Manufacturers' section specially, has been considerable. In accordance with instructions I visited the International Exhibition at Lisge, for the purpose of interesting exhibitors there in that to be held in the colony. The cables sent to Wellington each week, giving quotations and particulars concerning various lines of New Zealand produce, have been despatched regularly as in former years. These, however, have been considerably amplified during the year. They have really almost become full weekly market reports. Naturally the attsntion necessary in watching the various markets, so as to be able to cable accurate and reliable information, has been constant, and it is highly gratifying to be able to report that on several occasions congratulations have been received on the accuracy of the information contained in the cables despatched to the colony. Reports—fifty-six in number —have been made to you and forwarded to Wellington on matters generally affecting the produce trade in the colony. As showing the variety of subjects dealt with the following list of them may be interesting : Dairy-produce, butter-adulteration, borax preservative in butter, frozen meat, fraudulent meat-sales, lamb-sales, chilled-beef shipments, frozen-meat exhibits, Smithfield by=-laws, poultry-shipments, feather-sales, wool, hemp, hemp-grading, fraudulent hempsales, kauri-gum, apple-shipments, hops, honey, seal-skins; Colonial Exhibition, Crystal Palace Colonial Exhibition, Liverpool: Permanent New Zealand Court, Crystal Palace ; advertising by lectures ; advertising by small country exhibitions ; West Coast shipments. The ordinary work of my Department has been conducted on lines similar to those of former years. The services of my assistant having been required elsewhere during the greater part of the year—in attendance at the Colonial Exhibition at the Crystal Palace, in emigration work, &c. —the clerical work has been carried on by temporary clerks, which has naturally kept me somewhat closely confined to the office. Advertisement by Lectures. In my annual report last year I referred to the success attending lectures as a means of advertising the colony, and of creating interest in it and in its productions throughout this country. I then stated that I thought it advisable to develop the lecturing branch of this Department. Finding that I could undertake this important work without interference with my ordinary duties (the lectures usually being delivered in the evenings or on Saturdays in my private time) I have given considerable attention to this work. During the winter months I delivered ten lectures, all, with the exception of two, without loss of time as stated. On every occasion I had large and appreciative audiences. As far as I can gather, the lectures have been highly successful, and as an advertisement for the colony have been undoubtedly advantageous. Dairy-produce. Butter. At the opening of the official year, the market for New Zealand butter was in a very satisfactory condition. The price then being realised for choicest quality was, on average, 106s. per cwt., with a quiet steady'denaand. season in this country at thatjtime was, however, mild and open, with the result, consequently, that English and Irish supplies rapidly grew, so that steadily week by week

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