The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, AUGUST 26,1887. LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1646, 26 August 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 1887. LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

One of the chief sins of the present Gorernment, m the eyes of the Oppositionists, is the studious ignoring of the interests of importers, as shown m the rapid development of new sdurces of wealth and employment by the establishment of new industies. We venture to differ from the Oppositionists on this point. We are proud of the present Government as being the only one that has had the courage to ignore the iuterest of a wealthy and influential section of the community, m its efforts to promote the general welfare and prosperity of the whole. We venture to think that the Government are quite right m seeking to achieve the greatest good of the greatest number, even though m so doing they should interfere with what Freetraders seem to regard as the vested rights. of a certain class. There can be no question that their earnest effort to promote and foster colonial industries by means of protective Customs duties has alienated from the present Government very many of those largely interested m the importing trade, but a sincere desire on their part to do the best they can for the many precudes the possibility of trimming their sails to catch every favoring breeze. No, they have nailed the Protectionist colors to the mast and are willing to abide the issue. And they are quite right too. The people are beginning to see this, being forcibly reminded of it by the constant development, under the fostering care of the Government, of new industries; Only the other day we noticed that the Premier and the Colonial Treasurer, with some aoo guests were present at the formal opening of Messrs Smalhes' iron and steel works m the vicinity of Dunedin. Ws are informed that the plant is very large including a forge, mill furnaces, shears, and extensive apparatus for the manufacture of Beessemer steel rolling mills, and the largest •team hammer m the colony, striking a blow of 40 tons. The visitors witnessed the manufacture of scrap or waste from iron into bars or rails 14 to 15 feet long, which were cut by shears as easily as a bit of cloth, and rolled by the rolling mills into any desired shape. Mr Smallie informed the visitors that, with their plant they could produce a more reliable article, and at a less cost than that which had hitherto been imported. A feature m connection with this industry is that the " raw material " operated upon is waste — scrap iron, i This industry must prove beneficial to j thecolony if thefirm can makewaste products pay the wages of the hands employed, and leave a profit for the employers. This is another eloquent testimony m favor of Protection, foi under a Freetrade policy what possible opening could there be for the establishment of local industries of any kind. Tha. formal opening comes at a very opportune time too, on the eve of a general election, when every effort will be strained to secure a majority against the Government — a Government that has the interests of the people at heart as testified by our ever-increasing local industries.