The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 162, 5 February 1878, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5.

We often hear persons complaining of the dulness of the times ; " there is no business doing," say they, and " money is tight." Business transactions, like everything else in commerce, are regulated by the supply and demand, If the supply be in excess of the demand, then stocks of articles for which there is no sale, represent so much locked-up money, " business is dull and money tight." This is one way of accounting for the dulness of the times. But there is another. It may be that Nature has been very bountiful in her gifts, but the inhabitants are apathetic, that they do not develop the resources at their disposal. So long as they exist they are satisfied, caring nothing for engaging in pursuits, which, if continuously followed out, would yield a golden harvest. This apathy is another cause for the want of business and the tightness of money. A third cause of the tightness of money is, when the inhabitants of a country send their money to a distant land to purchase an article which they could make equally well and cheaply themselves, at the same time getting no reciprocity in the trade from the land to which that money is sent.

And now to apply these principles. Mr Montgomery, when speaking at the dinner of the Banks Peninsula Pastoral Association, whilst noticing favorably the quality of the cheese exhibited, expressed his regret that there was not a greater competition, for nothing tended so much to improve the quality of an article as a keen competition in its manufacture. We perfectly agree with the member for Akaroa, but, we go ftuther, and express our regret that there was not greater competition, because it would have been an indication of the extension of an industry of a very money-making character. The Peninsula is peculiarly adapted for dairy farming, its cheese, when of prime quality, always meets with a ready sale, and commands a good figure in the market. Why should not an'effort be made to extend this industry ? If this were done, it would lessen the tightness of money, because every extra ton of cheese manufactured represents so much hard cash. Some time since, we pointed out the advantages which would accrue from the founding of a large bacon-curing establishment on the Peninsula ; we again allude to the subject, because we are satisfied that such a factory would not only turn in a good amount, but would give employment to many hands, and thus more business would be done. We will now point to another industry, which, if established, wculd, we are convinced, yield a lucrative return. Let any person visit the grocers' shops in Christchurch, and enquire for jam ; he will be shewn the products of Victoria and Tasmania, but none of New Zealand manufacture. Before this imported jam reaches the consumer in this colony, it is chargeable with at least three profits, viz., the manufacturer's, the importer's and the retailer's, besides the charges for freight, carriage and customs' dues. And yet we are content to pay all these, and to send our hard cash to lands which take none of our produce, when we could make as good, if not a better article ourselves, and thus keep the money in the country. The truth is, we are an exceedingly apathetic people, we do not seek to develop the rich resources which are within our grasp, but, on the contrary, are content to vegetate upon the earth, sit down and complain of the dulness of the times, and the tightness of money.— Proh pudor .'