SIR JULIUS VOGEL ON EXHIBITIONS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1622, 29 July 1887, Page 3

SIR JULIUS YOGEL ON EXHIBITIONS.

Daring an address at tbe ln<fn*trl&l oon veraazione at Christchuroh laet n : ght, S.r J. Vogelsaid: — "Now Zealand agriculturo ia represented at £10,830,000, manufacturer at £7,436,000, commoroo nt £13.431,000, and raaaport at £1,760,000. Agrloul me thus rep r eßontß 33 3 por cent, manufactures 22 3, commerce 40 1, and transport 5 3 per cent respectively. These figures show ft remarkably email pero ntage cf manufacturer, and en equally remarkably large proportion of commerce as compaaed with the similar relative figures In other parts of tho world. No one who studies the figures will have any difficulty m diagnosing the malady under which the co'ooy labore — too much oorntperco and too little manufacture ; or, m c mvertiblo terms, too much working for other countries, and too little working for Itself. It has to be borne In mind that there may be large industries m the eonntry withont reference to supplying other markets, and this seems to me to be the o 1 jfct which has most to be kept m vlevr. if the various countries of the world persist as they do m shutting oat foreign imports by heavy duties, it stands to reason that the largest fa notion open to new industries Is that of supplying onr own matket, and thus to avoid the nece slty of eendlog rrnney away to purchiee the commodities of other countries. NaTerthelesa, wo may hope to send our productions to nil partn of the world. There are countries where manufacturing makes no progroos, to which we might be able to B6i. d our surplus goods af.er sufficiently supplying tbe local demand. I do not think there is sufficient appteolaticn of the general praotico of export* ing commodities far below the price at which 'hey are supplied to local consumers. It may seem almostinoredible, but 1 believe it can be shown that it frequently pays the manufacturer to export goods for 60 per oent less than he supplies the home demand. The result is bronght about by reason of the cheapness with which, as a regular role, large quantities can be made of any article m comparison with the manufacture of a imaller number. There are two particu'ar industries to which I should like to call your attention. The Brit is sugar. I so firmly believe m the necessity of establishing local industries that I am strongly of opinion that tha present low rate of sugar should not stand In the way of Investigation being made as to whether or not it is possible, by produoing sugar m the colony, to save the immeoao sums which are raised by little better than slave labor. Tbe other industry to whioh I wish to call your attention is that of cotton manufacturing. There Is'not a cotton faatory m the whole of Australia or New Zealand, as far as I am aware. In Canada there are.aeventeon cotton factories. The results shown there are of an extraordinary nature. By increasing the rates of duty In 1878 the cotton produots rose from £230,000 to £880.600, and the wages paid from £65,000 to £189,000 ; being' an increase daring the short period of 230 per cent on the number of handa employed, 243 per cent an the amount of waged paid, and 2B2 per oent on the products. In oon elusion, let me Bay that I am inclined to modify the opinion which I held three years since, that it was desirable to hold yearly colonial exhibition of the industries of the colony m the various centres of population. I still think tho exhibition of 1885 answered a good purpose, and that it may be desirable occasslon»lly, after a term of yoars, to hold a similar Exhibition. But, knowing the oost^of the Exhibition, and steing what may be done by Individual efforta at various centres, I am inolined to think that it would be preferable, instead of an ambitious colonial Exhibition to encourage local Exhibitions of the present character m various pariß of tbe colony. In short, I incline to think there should be yearly exhibitions, under the charge tf industrial associations, of a character allied to the exhibitions of the agricultural and pastoral as* eociations, from which incontestably large benefits have amen. If annual exhibitions of this kind wero held, small prizes and other oncouragoment might bo given ; and the Government if it wero able to render assistance, would bo able to do bo at a much less cost than was entailed by the Industrial Exhibition of 1885. Whit I see to-night, and the experience gained at such exhibitions as have been held hore and m Auckland. Wanganui, and elsewhere, lead me to concludo that most attractive collections on be get together at a very small cost."