1.-12.

76

lA. OCKENBEN.

To Mr. Graigie.] We collect old tins and reduce them to oxide. There are only four hands employed, but with proper support we could double the number. We could not run the place if we had to pay a big price for current. To the Chairman.] Our chief request is that the Government should support our output. The Government should give us their whole-hearted support. Two years ago the Government had samples. That has given them plenty of time to make a test of the paint. M. P. Murray, representing the Textile Bag and Sack Company (Limited), examined. Our head office is in Christchurch. We also have factories in Dunedin and Auckland, and are opening a factory in Wellington next month. The goods we are selling are being made in India, and many of them could be made in New Zealand. They are made in Australia, and used to be made here. The duty, however, was removed on the last revision of the tariff. At present all hessian and jute goods are admitted free; all other bags are dutiable. We are doing the business, however :we buy I hem made in India. A little protection is wanted—say, 10 or 15 per cent. —to allow all the bags, hessian and jute, to be made in New Zealand. We do not ask for corn-sacks or wool-sacks to be taxed. We could not compete with India; besides, they are too heavy for girls here to handle. To the Chairman.] We want 10 or 15 per cent, on cement-bags, lime-bags, manure-bags, potato-bags, and onion-bags. That about covers the lot. If the bags now imported were made up in New Zealand it would mean an expenditure of £10,000 in wages. Besides the hands it would employ it would mean work to others, such as the printing on the bags. To Mr. Graigie.] We make flour-bags, and there is protection on them at present. If a duty of 10 or 15 per cent, were allowed we would open two or three other factories, and other people would no doubt come into the business. To the Chairman.] The duty might mean a slight increase in the price, but it is a problematical question. There would be competition, and in (lie long-run the companies would not, pay more for their bags. To Mr. Forbes.] The 10 or 15 per cent, would be warranted to pay for the labour. It might %dd that much to the cost of the article. To Mr. Graigie.] We have thirty-five or forty hands in Christchurch, thirty or thirty-five in Dunedin, and fifteen or twenty in Auckland. If we got protection we would double the number. We have no difficulty in getting labour. We have twenty-five girls and ten or twelve men in Christchurch. To Mr. Sidey.] The State ought to have power to regulate the prices. We also make beefwraps, which are free but ought to be protected. The company is a New Zealand one. The. principal shareholders are Australians who are interested in factories there. A. Joyce, Manager of the Canterbury Petroleum Prospecting Company (Limited), examined. We are putting down a well at Chertsey. The company has a nominal capital of £30,000. The well is now down 1,870 ft., and we have good indications of both oil and gas. We are now in a position geographically similar to the position of practically the whole of the other oilfields of the world—that is, we are on a plane parallel with the mountain-range. 1" consider that our prospects of obtaining oil in payable quantity are extremely good. The company has alreadyspent about £12,000, and we have applied to the Government for a subsidy. Our prospects are sufficiently good to justify our going on as far as we can, and also sufficiently good, considering what the company as a private company has expended on what will be a national benefit, for the Government to give us some support. To Mr. Poland.] Mr. Morgan, Director of Geological Survey, has been there, and I think lahas reported. The Hon. Mr. Mac Donald, Minister of Mines, said he had had a favourable report from Mr. Morgan. The ground is saturated with oil, and there is gas in the pumpings that we bring up. We, asked for a Government subsidy of £1,000, and our request, was declined. Afterwards we had an interview with Mr. Mac Donald, who was favourable. We have, not had any further reply, but Mr. Morgan was at the works at the beginning of last week. To Mr. Forbes.] At present we are down to a layer of clay. We can put the pipes down to 2,000 ft. or 2,500 ft, Even if we get broken strata we can do down to 2,000 ft. With a subsidy of £1,000 from the Government I could depend on getting down to 2,500 ft. lam more than hopeful: lam sanguine. If we are successful it will mean that other wells will be put down on the plains between Temuka and Rangiora. If we could have put down ten or twelve wells the plains would have had a good test. S. M. Mole, representing the Christchurch Mechanical Works, examined. 1 want to bring before the Committee the main point in regard to which we specialize in our industry. We specialize in spraying-machines. Spraying is a necessity in New Zealand. In 1914 we took up the manufacture of hand and bucket spray-pumps, and we manufactured for that year 116 pumps. In 1905 we were approached by the local hardware merchants to manufacture the American-pattern pump. We turned out our pump " C.M.W. No. 6," and it has earned a name from Auckland to the Bluff. In 1914 we launched this pump against the American and English imported article, and in 1915 we turned out 455, and in the next year our output increased very considerably. Then the Government refused to help us to get tubes from abroad, and we gave up making No. 6; so we sold off our stocks, which were 327. and we decided to close down until after the war, and then get capital into the industry and specialize in No. 6 pump. Orders are on the way for plant and material from Home. I estimate that under special conditions, when we start, we shall have an output of about six thousand pumps. We have had