THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1880. THE WOOLLEN INDUSTRY.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2085, 29 October 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1880. THE WOOLLEN INDUSTRY.

The enormous development of the woollen industry of late years is a subject which is deeply interesting to all colonists, for much of our national wealth depends on the state of the wool market. The journal “ Wool,” in reviewing the growth of this industry since 1830 up to 1878, the latest date for which complete returns have been obtained, gives the following statistics: —

320 000,000 1,586,U0u,000 Wo hero see that Australia, during the forty-eight years in question, increased at a rate of more than double the ratio of any of her competitors. In 1878 she exported fifty-eight times as much wool as she did in 1830. The Cape exported twenty-four times as much, and the United States twenty-one times as much. Moreover, the quality of the Australian wool hears most favourable comparison with that of her rivals. With regard to the countries where this enormous production is manufactured and consumed the following is given as a rough estimate :

With an eye on these figures the danger of over-production is at once apparent, and the necessity of the opening of new fields of consumption. The attempt to introduce woollen goods into the Chinese market has not, hitherto, proved successful. It cannot ho said, however, that beyond the efforts of the late Mr. Monckton Synnot, much energy has been brought to bear on the subject. Nevertheless, the enormous ratio at which the production of wool in the Australasian colonies is progressing should warn woolgrowers that they must bestir themselves. PRISON LABOUR. The explanation to be found in another column, as given by the Wellington “ Post,” with regard to the offer of the Government to let out prison labour at the rate of 75 per cent, of the current rates for labour, is perfectly satisfactory. At the first flush, it appeared as if there was an attempt to bring a new competition into the labour market; that not satisfied with the existence of the “ Heathen Chinee,” it had been resolved on to cut down the price of muscle and sinew by means of prison labour. It turns out, however, that so far is this from being the case, that the very contrary is the real state of affairs. Hitherto, as the “ Post ” observes, certain local bodies have enjoyed the advantage of gratuitous prison labour for their public works. Here the free labourer was in reality cut out with no hope of competing. But these bodies will now have to pay 75 per cent, of the current price of labour, and this, taking into consideration the dignified ease with which prisoners are wont to carry on their operations, will enable the free man to offer his services with every chance of success. [Moreover, all public bodies, provided presumably that the field of labour is not too far from the gaol, will now have the opportunity, if they, wish of obtaining the valuable assistance of the gentlemen under a cloud. The new regulation is beneficial in two directions. It may fairly be said to extend the labour market and it reduces all local bodies to the same level with regard to their chance of obtaining prison labour. PARLIAMENTARY REPORTING. With the debate on parliamentary reporting in our House of Representatives fresh in our minds, it will bo interesting to see what view on the same subject is taken in the British Parliament. A vote for £3OO for providing additional seats for reporters was brought forward

among the estimates. The existing state of affairs was then described as follows: —There were only nineteen front seats in the gallery deroted to the press from which it was practicable to give a good report. Fifteen of these were occupied by the London Press: three were occupied by the several Press Agencies, while the last one was filled by Hansard’s Reporter. The Provincial Press had, at various times, expressed dissatisfaction at the accommodation provided for it, and the justice of the complaint was acknowledged in the course of the debate, the vote was passed and eleven seats were to he added to those at present existing. Mr. BeresfordHope, who evidently expressed the sense of the House on the subject, spoke strongly against a verbatim report as undesirable, if not nnpracticable. “ Why,” he asked, “ should the speeches of hon. members, which were often diffuse, in which there was sometimes had grammar, and in which the substantive not nnfrequenfly came in the wrong place, bo exhibited to posterity with all those defects when they wore trying to do their best ? His hon. friend, who seemed so anxious that the country should he informed of what wont on in the House, might depend upon it that such information was conveyed to tho public as intelligent men thought they would care to receive. Very often, of course, an hon. member felt annoyed at not seeing in the newspapers a report of some discussion on questions in which he took a particular interest.” “But,” he proceeds later on, “be must protest against tho terrible burden which would ho imposed on the world by its being overloaded with verbatim reports of debates in that House.” Such is the sense of the House of Commons on this subject. With regard to our own House, we, at tho time the proposition was made to abolish “ Hansard” altogether, strongly objected, simply because there would bo no permanent record of the proceedings of the House. But the desirability of cutting down the record of the seas of twaddle that certain members delight in, cannot he too often urged. A daily sheet issued under responsible management would seem to bo likely to meet all requirements. As to tho Wellington local papers, the account they give of the speeches in the House are most meagre and unsatisfactory. The residents in Christchurch and Dunedin may fairly he ■aid to learn more through the medium of the Press Association than do the inhabitants of the Empire City themselves through the local papers at tho seat of war.

1830. 1878. lbs. lbs. European produce.. 280.000,000 . . 740 000,000 River Plate 22,000,000 . 10,000 000 , . 240,000,000 United States . 208,000,000 Australia 6 000,000 . . 350.000,t OO South Africa 2,000,000 . , 48,000,000

Operatives. Spindles. Con sumption. Great lbs. Britain ... 280,000 5.100,000 380,000,000 France ... 170,000 2,500,000 380,000.000 Germany ... 120,000 1,81)0.000 165,000,000 U n i t e d States ... 120,000 1,400,000 250,000,000 B n s s i a, Austria, &c. 223,000 1,800,000 400,000,000 913,000 12,600,000 1,575,000,000