The Evening Star TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2097, 25 January 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1870.

The great idea of many of our leading politicians is to establish manufactures in the Province, but thus far their efforts have not been successful. In fact, it very seldom happens that the direct action of the Government is successful in developing new industries. The efforts thus far have, in fact, been in doubtful directions. There was a bonus offered for so many yards of woollen cloth—a manufacture that will no doubt, at some time or other, be established, but we trust, for many years to come, the population of Otago will be in such a state of independence and comfort as not to have to submit to the low wages and long hours of work that would be required of them for successful competition with older communities. Then it was proposed to encourage the manufacture of beetroot sugar—a still more questionable enterprise, and one of which much less is known than even of the manufacture of woollen cloths. As might naturally have been expected by those acquainted with the process of sugar manufacture, the proffered bonus failed to induce the attempt to be made. It is not that beet could not be grown sufficiently cheaply. The St.il and climate of the Province are well adapted to its cultivation ; but the successful manufacture of beet sugar implies that several other dependent industries for the utilisation of the waste shall be prosecuted, and even when these are carried out to their ultimatum, it becomes very questionable whether beet sugar would be used, when cane sugar can be procured at such reasonable rates from Mauritius, New South Wales, or Queensland. At any rate, without a certain market for their produce, farmers would not grow beet, nor manufacturers import plant; and the result is too problematical to induce either to venture capital even with the promise of a -bonus. But there are other industries that seem to proffer such certain and immediate return that it is surprising attention has not been turned to them. Some have already taken deep root amongst us, owing to natural advantages and favoring circumstances. For instance, brewing has now become so well established that the manufacture and export of beer promises to become a very important branch of commerce. The proximity of New Zealand to countries with climates too hot for successful brewing, the natural advantages of fertile soil, and in Otago especially, of water and a climate of the quality and temperature necessary, have already created a demand for its beers which seems likely at no distant day, to supplant those of Great Britain, or at least to compete successfully with them in the markets of the Southern Hemisphere, Yet it is strange that, although this particular branch of trade has been growing for years past, malt has still to be imported from England, and hops from various parts of the world. It is not surprising that New Zealand beers should have nearly taken the place of English and Scotch brews in the Colony. The heavy import duty operates against them, and has stimulated the manufacture until it has so increased that markets outside the Colony must be found if brewers are to prosper. This at once brings them into competition with the world, and henceforth it is necessary to have everything as cheaply at command as those with whom they have to compete. Hence there is every inducement to grow barley, in order that malt may be made in the Province ; and we know no reason why hops should not be grown here as well as in England. We are told the expense of picking them is too great to make it pay. With the number of children now in the Colony, we can hardly imagine this can be true. It seems very much more likely to be the want of thought or enterprise on the part of those who might have added a hop ground to their kitchen gardens as an experiment. One might have imagined, with such a demand for hops as now exists in the Province, some attempt would have been made at providing a supply, especially as in good seasons it is a most profitable crop. The larger establishments employ their own coopers, make their own casks and cases, but we learn that one great difficulty they have to contend with is that of obtaining bottles. This is necessarily an impediment in the way of extending the export of beer. It must be evident that there is room for a bottle manufactory here, when the fact is taken into consideration that the supply of bottles depends now either upon direct importation of them or upon the number of empty bottles derived from the import of British beers. In the first instance, the direct import of bottles, the freight, charges, and risk are so great compared with their value, that, notwithstanding the price of labor, there scorns every rea-

son to think there is ample margin for a good profit. So far as regards the supply of empty bottles from the consumption of British bottled beers, it is not only precarious, but is annually decreasing, and will continue to decrease in proportion to the increase in favor of Colonial brews. Of material for the process, we should think there is ample—at least for the manufacture of the description of glass required. We have abundance of lime, sea sand, and salt water, which we believe to be the main ingredients employed at the bottle works at Newcastle upon-Tyne. All that is wanted is the requisite skill and appliances to put them together. It must be recollected also that brewers are not the only persons who need bottles. There are soda water manufacturers, wine merchants, and a large distillery company here, all of whom require either to import, or buy where they can get them. We should be the last to recommend investment in an enterprise not likely to pay, hut in the long list of industries in New Zealand, we do not recollect noticing that of a glass manufactory of any description. Beyond that general knowledge of the process common to those acquainted with the composition of glass, we do not understand sufficient of the manufacture to say whether it will pay or not; but applying obvious commercial principles to the question, there seems every probability that such a manufactory, arising as it would out of a natural demand, would prove very remunerative if well conducted, and there is quite sufficient inducement on the part of those interested to give every help to its establishment.