The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1886. A JAM FACTORY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1373, 18 October 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1886. A JAM FACTORY.

It is on all hands admitted that it is desirable to establish local industries of a sort suited to the colony, and to manufacture for ourselves, wherever possible, those articles of every day use which, if not locally produced, must be imported from beyond our shores. It scarcely needs to be pointed out that the advantages of so doing are two-fold, inasmuch as the extension of local manufactures means a corresponding extension of the demand for labor; while, also, instead of sending money out of the colony to enrich j others in distant lands, the capital is kept circulating among ourselves. This course has been followed out very successfully in the establishment of woollen mills at Nelson, Kaikorai, Roslyn, Mosgicl, Oamaru, Timaru, Ashburton, Kaiapoi, Wellington and Auckland, and while employment has been found for thousands of operatives a local demand for wool for manufacturing purposes has sprung up which has already proved beneficial, especially to the smaller class of flockowneis, and will, from year to year, prove increasingly so. Again in the establishment of Dairy Factories, or as they term them in America “ Creameries,” a great deal of good has been done, and although, owingto mismanagement, these factories have not been uniformly prosperous enterprises, yet a sufficient number have proved by the results attained that the manufacture of cheese and butter on the co-operative principle can be carried out profitably to shareholders and milk-suppliers alike. In the Wanganui district these factories have been a great success, and we are, therefore, pleased to note that, not discouraged by the first essay, in our own district the Flemington works are being reopened and think that there is every reason to anticipate that profiting by the lessons of experience its conductors will be able to show highly satisfactory resu’ts. But while we have the Woollen Mills going on prosperously and the Dairy Factory making a fresh start there is no reason why we should not endeavour to push on in other directions; indeed, it is absolutely necessary that we should do so if we really mean to help ourselves in these times of dulness. And it seems to us that there are several openings which present themselves, not the least promising of which is the establishment of a jam factory. We have every advantage in soil and climate for the production of fruits of every sort, indeed, as has frequently been demonstrated, the Ashburton district can hold its own with any part of the colony as regards the yield and quality of fruits of every sort. Already very large quantities of fruit are grown, much of which is suffered to go to waste, and the quantity produced could be almost indefinitely increased of only a ready market could be commanded. It is very surprising that, in view of these (acts, we should be content to go 0.1 from year to year without making the smallest effort in this direction, while at the same time a by no means inconsiderable aggregate sum is disbursed by the community for the purchase of imported jams, jellies and preserved fruits. These ought certainly to be manufactured locally and there is not the least reason why they should not. The plant for a factory would involve not at all a costly outlay, and if the matter were only heartily taken up, even in these times cf shortness of cash, ws believe the requisite capital could readily ' be raised. We observe that the Temuka people have recently been taking steps in this direction, and wpuld suggest that the fruitgrowers of the Ashburton district should follow suit. If only the matter were set about in earnest and business-like fashion a factory raigiit easily be in full swing during the. coming fruit season. 1