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“ADVANCE OTAGO.

tO THE EDITOK. Sir,—l somewhat hesitate to write this letter, but believing that some good may come of it, I am going to take the risk. My only qualification to the right to express my opinion on the subject is that of an employer who has for some years paid out wages to: the tune of approximately £6,(T00 a year, and whilst 1 have seen our own business solidifying, it is somewhat disheartening to see others slipping back.

I am bold enough to say that Otago is going back through no fault of our own, and no one else’s in particular. There is not the slightest doubt that Otago suffers through its geographical position. That is the root of the trouble, but there is no reason why Otago cannot stage a.“come back.” We have taken the line of least resistance. Too much use of the phrase “ Dunedin is solid ” has kept Dunedin and Otago back. Just as Britain is allowing peaceful penetration on the part of America, so is Otago being inundated by North Island wares. There is plenty of evidence on this point. The best defence is attack. Why do we not attack by way of a change? There is a lot of talk just now about “.boosting,” and Dunedinites are being blamed for not “boosting” their town. To my mind the “ boost ” business won’t stand too much analysis. Let us produce goods better than our competitors, and we shall get the results all right. We have got to become the industrial city of New Zealand. In the meantime let us cut out the idea of Dunedin becoming the scenic resort of the dominion; When those North Island and. Australian business men come here with their double-size cheque books we shall perhaps find time to take them to Waipori and St. Clair. Not so very long ago there appeared in this paper a list of minerals which await development in Otago. These resonrtv., have got to be developed. Exports and not imports are wanted. Produce the goods and steamers will block the harbor entrance in the rush. There are gold, oil, and other suchlike things under the soil waiting to be used. Good luck to the Kawarau Company, for they, certainly were triers. The writer is a loser, but lie is not squealing. Yes! there is oil. What about the shale works down at Orepuki? I understand they are lying idle. Lying idle, and hundreds of unemployed, w’ith no hope of a job. Why not give those works another go? I will wager there are a few’ dozen “sports” among our unemployed that would take a long chance of getting wages out of them.. One never knows but that, if we got over the first few bumps, there might be more than wages in it. Anyway it is worth a thought. We are told that there is oil in Otago. Is there anybody looking for it? Don’t leave the finding of it to the Tramping Club; they might not know it if they saw it. Things are bad everywhere, but that is no reason why we should sit down idly. This is just the time to get busier than ever. The City Council has said, that it can do nothing. The w’t'iter has not much faith in city councils or some of these other bodies. They are good souls, and I suppose that they do their best. Generally these men are well up in the theoretical side of business, but fail in the practical. They cannot “put it across.”

Otago has got to wake up. We not only want to shake up our old industries, but let us start new ones. We want exports, even if it is only good road metal—wo have plenty, North Island has none. Too much land is going to waste everywhere. Why offer some of it to the unemployed? Grandfather made a do of it many years ago. Perhaps some of our unemployed could do the same.

Let us show the North Islanders that the proper place for the House of Parliament is Burnside. Southland, Otago, and North Otago have got to get together- and work, not talk. If we admit our handicaps we known where wc stand. lam certain that Otago can come back. Let us get moving. Don’t let us look for too many obstacles at the start. We will find difficulties soon enough, but they can be overcome.

I have not attempted to write a beautiful letter, but the writer is genuinely concerned about the unemployed. After all, the world’s big guns in the, business world are all made of the same material as you and I. Why should not Dunedin get a full page in the ‘ Daily Mail Year Rook ’ f am trying to set the ball rolling, f hope that an abler pen than mine will take up the subject. How about yours, Mr Editor? — I am, etc., Tnsomma. February 3.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19280204.2.94.2

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Evening Star, Issue 19782, 4 February 1928, Page 12

Word count
Tapeke kupu
824

“ADVANCE OTAGO. Evening Star, Issue 19782, 4 February 1928, Page 12

“ADVANCE OTAGO. Evening Star, Issue 19782, 4 February 1928, Page 12

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