Note.

Since much misapprehension exists respecting the manufacturing industries of New Zealand as compared with those of Victoria, I append some tables to illustrate their position. The "Comparison of Manufactures and Imports" goes to show that we are proportionately, whatever the reason may be, less dependent on foreign countries than Victoria is. The table of "Manufactures and Corresponding Imports" gives some idea of the variety of our production and of their possible extension, supposing outside competition to be absent. The industries given are all those of which we have special statistics, except iron and brass, which I cannot compare owing to difficulty in deciding what is to be considered raw material, &c. Iron and brass manufactories produce to the value of £351,739, but the imports are considerably greater. Printing does not figure in the imports, because imported books cannot be said to come into competition with local printing to any appreciable extent. The value of earthenware imported is not included.