194 TEA AND SILK FARMING IN NEW ZEALAND. 



land, 15th May 1880. — Sir, I have the honour to inform you 

 that I have received a letter from a gentleman in Scotland, who 

 has an idea that New Zealand is a suitable place for carrying on 

 the silk industry. The writer states that competent authorities 

 are of opinion that, unless some effectual remedy is discovered 

 soon, the silkworms of Europe and part of Asia run a risk of 

 early extinction. It will be to new countries, therefore, like 

 Australia and New Zealand that the silk-brokers, merchants, 

 and spinners of the future will have to look for supplies. The 

 letter also contains a query — namely, ' Will the Government 

 give any encouragement to persons willing to embark in this 

 industry ; and, if so, in what direction would such encourage- 

 ment tend ? ' From the above you will understand that this 

 colony is attracting the attention of silk-growers ; and one reason 

 at least is advanced why the question should receive some con- 

 sideration. In and around the city of Auckland there are many 

 mulberry trees, and if it were thought advisable, from these 

 trees could be made the nucleus of a grove sufhcient to try ex- 

 periments in silk raising. The white mulberry grows readily 

 from cuttings, and thrives well in this district. I have raised 

 several hundred plants myself during the last few years. In 

 1870 the Government published valuable detailed information, 

 collected by a Eoyal Commission specially appointed to inquire 

 into the subject. Thus it will only be necessary to make a 

 practical use of the important data already on hand. To bring 

 the matter formally before the Commission, I would ask, on 

 behalf of this part of the colony, which seems so well suited to 

 the silk industry, if it is the intention of the Commission now 

 sitting to recommend that encouragement be given to persons 

 willing to take up this important industry ? Would the Govern- 

 ment be willino^ to revive the bonuses offered on similar condi- 

 tions to those in force a few years back ? — Signed, Pdchard 

 Dignan." 



In the body of the Eeport the Commissioners state that " there 

 is little doubt that mulberry cultivation for silkworms could be 

 pursued with advantage in some parts of New Zealand ;" and 

 they again direct public attention to the papers which they had 

 already published on this industry, which in their " opinion 

 could be pursued profitably even by cottagers, and without any 

 costly appliances." For the encouragement of the silk-industry, 

 the Commission also recommend that the bonus should be revived 

 which was ofl'ered in 1871, namely, *' A bonus of 50 per cent, on 

 the value realised is offered for the production of the first one 

 thousand pounds worth of the cocoons of the silkworm, or eggs 

 of the silkworm, produced in the colony, to be paid on quanti- 

 ties of not less value than fifty, or more than one hundred pounds 

 produced by any one person." The tea industry is not alluded 



