Collins, William, Sons and Co., Ltd., Printers, Publishers, etc., Glasgow; Collins Bros., Ltd., Sydney and Auckland. This is the largest stationery and publishing firm in the world, and its history is exceedingly interesting. In the early years of this century a wave of commercial energy swept over the whole of Scotland, and, centring its force in Glasgow, gave rise to a series of manufacturing and trading enterprises which have since become the admiration of the commercial world, and justified that city's claim to be the commercial metropolis of North Britain. It may be assumed that the far-seeing Scot, watching the Clyde flowing smoothly to the ocean, conceived that the whole world lay within its legitimate sphere of commercial activity, and thereupon determined that, in return for his skill and energy, that world should yield to Scotland some of the untold wealth of which all men were then dreaming. The array of masts and funnels now riding on the Clyde testifies to the success which has crowned his efforts. One of the men of those days was Mr. William Collins, a printer, whose name the largest stationery and publishing firm in the world is still proud to place at its head. To write the history of this business, from Mr. William Collins's modest start, with its wonderful growth until it was floated as a company under the style of William Collins, Sons, and Company, Limited, having branches in almost every centre of population where the English language is spoken, would, in a measure, be to write the social and industrial history of Glasgow. The business was started in 1819, and in those old days trade was hampered by many unwise restrictions and monopolies, amongst which was a monopoly of publishing the Bible; but in 1839 this was withdrawn, and the firm at once entered largely into printing the Scriptures, bringing out a great variety of different styles, both of binding and type, and at such reduced prices that the sale became enormous. Although millions have since been spent in the gratuitous circulation of the Bible, possibly no combination of philanthropists has done more to bring about the desired result than this firm, instigated principally by commercial motives; which shows that well directed commercial enterprise often results in more real benefit to humanity than efforts prompted by the purest philanthropy. Another important advance was made when the firm began to print and publish dictionaries, atlases, and a series of well-written school books; which have from time to time been revised and kept in every sense up to date, so that they have continued to hold a foremost position amongst this class of publications. About fifty years ago the firm decided to add a still more important branch, namely, manufactured stationery, to its growing trade. From that time the business advanced by leaps and bounds, and every advance has been held, until at present there is scarcely a commercial stationer in Great Britain or the Colonies that does not stock Collins's manufactured stationery, from the finest Russia imperial ledgers down to the grocer's page 405 modest “penny memo.” A later development, rendered necessary by the growing requirements of commerce and luxury, has been the diary. This line of manufactured stationery has assumed enormous proportions, and Messrs Collins's two series of English and Colonial editions run into endless variety—from the smallest and most elegant volume for a lady's pocket to the large every-day article in use in every business house. This perfection in the production of the thousands of articles comprised in the term “Manufactured stationery” has not been brought about without the firm making a careful study of, and adopting every fresh improvement in machinery, as it has from time to time been brought to the notice of the trade. In this matter the company has had special advantages, from the fact that its present managing director, Mr. William Collins, has been a machinist of the first rank, and as far back as 1868 invented the automatic gumming and folding envelope machines. The company's magnificent Herriot Hill works at Glasgow constitute a typical factory, where the most delicate appliances, producing the most marvellous results, are in use, and the thoughtful observer realises the source whence springs Britain's commercial greatness. Then the workers form a community of themselves, with their dining rooms, reading rooms, billiard rooms and library; their sick nursing ambulance, music classes and concert rooms; in fact, everything required for their comfort, and likely to tend to their intellectual and physical advancement. In managing its colonial trade, the firm has always adopted wise and conciliatory methods, and in many respects its policy bears a striking resemblance to the later system used by Great Britain in governing her Colonial possessions. Having selected tried and able men to establish and work Colonial branches, the management not only encourages them to assume the responsibility of the position, but requires known as the Remuera Rifles. It was in the them to do so. So far from trying to monopolise the manufacture of goods in Glasgow, each branch is encouraged to start local factories or the production of goods specially required in its markets, and which circumstances permit of being produced at reasonable prices. By this means considerable labour is employed and money circulated in the district where the local branch does its trade; and as Messrs Collins Bros. are thus local producers, and become important factors in the growth of New Zealand industries, they deserve the best consideration of the Government and the good wishes of the Colony. Some years back the Auckland factory started with making school exercise books and the smaller kinds of account books, etc. At the present time the factory—equipped with the latest machinery, and manned by skilled workmen—is in a position to turn out all kinds of account books and manufactured stationery, not only at prices to compete with the parent factory, but with a completeness of finish and style to satisfy all the demands of the trade. Every circumstance points, therefore, to Messrs Collins Bros. becoming as historical in the Colonial commercial world as Messrs William Collins, Sons, and Company, Ltd., have in the Old Country, and to their enjoying corresponding confidence and respect.