[J. DUNCAN.

18

1.—9.

and Sons, of Newark-on-Trent, supply an 8 it, by 24 in. roller for £18 55., delivered at mam stations within 200 miles. P. and D. Duncan deliver an 8 ft. by 24 in. roller at mam ports or any station on the Hurunui-Blufi section for £18 155., the average railage or freight paid being £1 10s The colonial article is three quarters heavier, and more railage and freight is paid; moreover, the raw materials are all imported—the cast iron from England and the frame timber from Australia. That is a comparison between the English and colonial implements that we are asking for a duty upon, and it shows, I think, that though we have never up to now asked for protection on any of this class of implements, and have always had the competition of the English machines against us. we have held our own ; but we are afraid that if these machines are allowed to come in from America duty-free, it will be a serious handicap to us. I have a list here ot the machines that manufacturers have stopped manufacturing -during the last few years. As to reapers-and-binders, Reid and Gray dropped the manufacture of reapers-and-bmders some years ago A small amount of protection or assistance at that time would have insured an important industry being secured to New Zealand, whereas it is now apparently permanently extinct. With respect to drills, Messrs. Reid and Gray and Booth and Macdonald dropped the manufacture of drills and took to importing, owing to the trend of legislation offering more inducement to the importation of finished goods than of raw material. With Messrs. Cooper and Duncan, the difference in wages paid between last year and the present year—since the trust has become aggressive —is about £.'5,000. Booth, Macdonald, and Co.'s output will average about £10,000 per year less With Messrs. P. and D. Duncan the difference has not been calculated yet, but we certainly think there has been a considerable difference; last year there certainly was. The exhibit (J) concludes with this statement: " The manufactures particularly jeopardized by the trust are those in schedule, which covers all that is really worth making. Other lines except those not troubled by trust would not sustain taxes, except at enormously increased cost to consumers." [Exhibits handed in.] William Dawe, Chief Accountant to Reid and Gray, Dunedin, made a statement. (No. 11.) Witness: Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, —My points are mostly in connection with figures. The capital employed in Cliristchurch in connection with the implement industry is £151,149. The capita] employed in New Zealan-d —the total capital for the whole colony—is £303,149. The output of the various factories is approximately £300,000, and the wages paid are approximately £84.580 per annum. The number of hands employed in factories is 928, while the number of hands and dependants—which it is very hard to get at—is 3,248 -that is, reckoning the dependants to employed at 3 J to 1. These figures are close, but they are really approximate only. Now, dealing with' the capital employed, £303,000, 1 think I am safe in saying that that capital has barely paid 5 per cent, for some years. With this additional contingency in front of us it is necessary' that something further should be done to enable us to get a fair return on the capital invested. The output of the factories, £300,000, might be considerably increased. Messrs. Reid and Gray's output last year was some £8,000 less than that of the preceding year. What it will be next, year with this trust business in front of us it is hard to say. This £84,000 paid in wages is a very large sum. If the men were thrown out of employment, and that £84,000 was not to circulate in" New Zealand, but was taken right away, it would be a serious thing for the colony. This money circulates throughout all classes of trades, and 1 think it is very necessary that something should be done, and that immediately, to foster this industry. The number of hands affected is certainly nearly a thousand. 9. Bight Hon. R. J. Seddon.] That £84,000 is simply wages paid? — Wages and salaries. 10. What about the material that you use?—l have not taken any note of that. We always carry fifty thousand pounds' worth of stock ourselves. We are always importing, from all places. What we really ask is that something be done and done at once, because if it is not done shortly it means that the country will be flooded with the American and Canadian manufactures. Canada is really the place where they manufacture the goods. Chicago was the place, but they stepped over the border and now manufacture in Canada, and therefore say that they manufacture under the British flag. Of course, the Canadian door is shut to us. The position now is that we have made an offer to reduce the prices of our goods so that the farming community can have no just reason for saying that we would increase our prices, and we ask that you will put on a duty of four times the"amount that we take off— that is, if we take £4 off the price of a machine, we ask that you will put a duty of £16 on that machine ; if we reduce the price by £5, we ask that you will put £20 on. That means that the farmers are going to benefit in every direction. There are a great many lines that could come in free; what we manufacture here is all that we want protected. As to the total importations of raw material, I have not got that information, but I can supply it if necessary. I think, however, that these figures are very considerable, and warrant your consideration. I lay the exhibit on the table. [Exhibit handed in.] Thomas Danks examined. (No. 12.) 11. The Chairman.] What are you? —A manufacturer of windmills, spray-pumps, and small machinery generally. 12. In Christchurch? —Yes. 13. You wish to give evidence with regard to this special line of machinery?— Yes. Seeing last Saturday morning that evidence was to be taken regarding argicultural implements and suchlike manufactures, I at once wrote to you and said that I would like to give evidence respecting the manufactures in which I am engaged. Windmills are allowed to come in duty-free for the farmers. Spray-pumps are as necessary to the production of a crop now, almost, as the plough, and they are allowed to come in duty-free. I desire that the Committee should recommend that the rawmaterial for the manufacture of these articles should be put on the free-list also. As the