The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 1908. A MINISTERIAL VISIT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2084, 9 January 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 1908. A MINISTERIAL VISIT.

The nows that the- Minister of Lands intends to pay a visit to the Poverty Bay district next week is eminently satisfactory. It is a pity that lie- cannot induce the Hon. Air. Fowl cl s to accompany him, in which case the parents of the Alangapapa school district would undertake to make the occasion one full of interest to tlie Minister of Education. However, speaking seriously, it is by no means in tbe bc\st interests of tin's district that Ministers’ visits should continue to be-of such exceptional occurrence. ; The 'tour which the Hon. Air. AlcNabb proposes talcing is one which will give him a very fair indication of tile character of the country which is awaiting settlement in this part of the Dominion, and we have some hone that the Alinister will use the information thus obtained in a legitimate manner for the welfare of Poverty Bav and tlie Dominion. Despite his Socialistic fads, the Hon. Air. AlcNab is personally a very amiable and distinctly capable gentleman, who is by no moans averse to reason, and it was noticeable that after visiting North Auckland to advertise his original land policy of compulsory limitation, and seeing for himself I’.ow justly strong the sentiment for the freehold wa.r in that part of the Dominion, lie was prepared to accept some substantial modifications of his original programme. The tour from Napier to the Alotii should prove an eye-opener to the lion, gentleman, and by tile time he lias ridden on horseback from Puha to Opotiki the Alinister will have probably imbibed some strong views as to tlie advisableness of completing tlie East Coast railway. It is true All’. AlcNab if not directly concerned with the Railway Department, but he is one of the strong men of the Cabinet who will have a good deal to say-when •the Government is framing its railway policy for 1908-1909, and Gisborne people will do well to place the position before him in as favoratne a light as possible. Then there is the question of the Te Arai settlement. The land laws dispose of the main factors in such eases, but there are many features of considerable importance to future settlers concerning which the Alinister is given discretionary power, and these should be gone into and the requirements pressed upon tin* visitor. An industry which badly needs greater encouragement from the Government is that of dairying, and in this respect the occasion will be opportune for tiio dairymen to interview the Alinister and request tint arrangements be made whereby the Government grading will take place at this port. Until this is clone Poverty Bay will never become a serious proposition in tlie dairy industry of the Domjnion, despite its eminent suitability for such work. Our fruitgrowers, too, might well discuss with Air. AlcNab the advisableness -of sending 3VIr. Boucher or some memher of the Bornological section of the Agricultural Department to visit the district and -investigate tlie- diseases that -are proving such a curse to this season’s crops. However much wo may disagree with his legislative policy, wo must concede that in his administration of- tlie portfolio entrusted to him Air. AlcNab has displayed commendable energy and conscientiousness, and under the circumstances local agriculturalists will he well advised to place before him any matters tint appear to require attention.

A British Triumph. One of the most striking instances of Gre.it Britain’s virility and the difficulty which besets any nation in trying to beat the Old Country in jthe world of commerce is presented in the motor car trade. In this important modern industry the French were quickest to realise its possibilities and by utilising every means of advertisement at the same time that they sank a vast amount of capital, they easily secured the lead amongst manufacturers of motor cars. For some time there was nothing in the world to compare with the Parisian b’liows of automobiles, and municipalities give all sorts of encouragement to a profitable trade, allowing motor races through the country and permitting most liberal treatment to aittomobilists as users of the public highways. Somewhat slowly and with traditional conservatism, John Bull woke up to the importance of' the trade that wag rapidly being monopolised by his neighbors. Leading English manufacturers put money into the motor trade and made a hold effort to win at least a share of the Home trade; but it was a difficult task, and for several years the big automobile shows that were organised- in London only served to emphasise tlio superiority of the French make, and British orders continually wept across the Channel. In

the end, however, British tenacity has had .its effect, -and now tho tide lias fairly turned. Tho last show at Olympia, -hold in November last, filled the newspapers with accounts of the immense strides made by the motor industry throughout the IL itrd Kingdom. The “Daily Alait” dodares that “no disinterested spectator lam examine exhibits at Olympia, without reaching the conelusion that the British motor industry lias at last made up ail its leeway,” and that “tlie British motorcar of to-day compares most favorably with tlie best product of the French and German workshops. Jndeed, in tho matter of price the British manufacturers aro well ahead of tlioir rivals.” It further states that the industry in Britain has now an output of eight millions sterling per annum, and has begun to export, while the importation of foreign cars is declining. This is -a very gratifying triumph- for the British manufacturer.