The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1884. The State of Trade

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 40, 5 April 1884, Page 2

The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1884. The State of Trade

♦ For two or three years past the state of trade in Auckland has been in a ! remarkably healthy condition. Not only has the city of Auckland benefitted by this condition of affairs, but every suburb and outlying township has received a proportionate impetus. At the Thames and Coromandel gold ' fields, new discoveries of rich reefs are being made, and the knowledge of the wealth that yet lies awaiting the labors of the miner to bring it into circulation has given a start to mining enterprise i equal almost to the palmy days of the Caledonian mine. At Wellington it is gratifying to observe that the tide has at length turned, and more general confidence is apparent in the tone of the speeches of members of the Chamber of Commerce. Mr Harcoubt pointed out, at a recent meeting of that body, that the advantages of the frozen meat trade were already being most beneficially experienced. It is observable that almost simultaneously with the inauguration of this new export, a slight change was apparent. The papulation of Wellington, which had shown signs of a falling off, has now begun to increase with giant strides, and where formerly there were empty houses to be counted in scores, the building trade has now been awakened into activity to supply the increasing wants of new settlers, who are daily arriving from all parts of the world to find a home in that part of the Colony. Direct steam communication has done far more for the Colony already than even the most sanguine supporters hoped or expected at its inception. Money appears to be easier, aud a consequent greater confidence in the future is inducing holders to speculate either in public companies or private enterprise. When the two great centres of trade in the North Island, which are also the receivers and distributors of the greater proportion of the imports and experts, are in so real a condition of commercial prosperity, it stands to reason tint th* intervening settlements must, if only indirectly, share in their welfare. Li Palmerston it is admitted that business is improving, and as the Standard remarks, when w*'itiu.j >n this subject: " With the grand cduq-' r. around us depression cannot be long with us, and we are confident better times are approaching. With the near prospect of railway communication with WeUington, and the nit remote one of being joined to Napier and Auckland, the certainty of the rapid enhancement in the value of property owing to increased population and a decided impetus to trade generally, must be apparent to all who can form a fair judgment." In Feilding we have the assurance of a considerable sum of money to be spent in public works, and, most important of all, the promise of a vigorous revival in the timber trade, on which, it may be truly said, we fmnd our principal reliance. We may therefore affirm that although business may now be duU and money hard to get, yet we are certain this condition of affairs will soon change and a new era of prjsperity dawn upon üb.