THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1882. THE INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2647, 30 September 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1882. THE INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION.

We are glad to find that the members of the Industrial Association have taken the hint thrown out in an article a few days back on the West Coast railway proposals. It will be remembered that wa pointed out the utter inutility of the Chamber of Commerce discussing th« subject without having the information with regard to what had been done in the House given by the members who were in the city. For some reason or other, there appears to be a great deal of misapprehension as to the exact position of affairs with reference to the proposed route for either the East or West Coast line. This would have been to a great extent cleared up had the Chamber of Commerce taken the step now proposed by he Industrial Association, and requested the members for Canterbury to attend. Though somewhat late in the field the movement projected by the Industrial Association is a step in the right direction, and as expressive of the opinion of a very important section of the community—the manufacturing—the resolutions arrived at by the meeting should have considerable weight. The Chamber of Commerce, composed as it mainly is of importers, can hardly be expected to take such a warn interest in the matter as the Industrial Association, and therefore we hope to see a large gathering on the occasion. It might bo as well to consider whether a public meeting, under the auspices of the Association, at which the resolutions which it is intended to draft would be proposed, seconded, and spoken to, would not strengthen the hands of the Association somewhat. Certainly it seems to us that the point is worth consideration. Whilst on the subject of the work of the Association, we notice that there is a suggestion fay the President to request the Government to have the rolling stock required for the railways manufactured in the colony. As was pertinently observed at the meeting, this is an exceedingly large question, and one that requires far more thought and consideration than the President seemed the other evening to think it needed. It is a question which the Government would be a little chary, even were they free from existing engagements, in deciding definitely without the consent of Parliament. It is quite true that, to a largo extent, the work could he done well in the colony, whether or not as cheaply as elsewhere we are not prepared to say. The work turned out by our local manufacturers for the Tramway Company is an earnest that, should the time arise when it is thought desirable to carry out the idea, wo possess the necessary skill and intelligence to do the work well. But, taking the whole circumstances surrounding the case into consideration, wo are inclined to think that it will bo wsste of time on the part of the committee to discuss the subject. Whatever result they arrive at can have no possible effect now. The Government have stated that for some time to coma they are pledged under existing contracts to import their rolling stock. It will therefore bo seen that for two years at least, so far as we understand, Colonial industry in this matter is

■hat oat. The statistics and information gathered now by the committee will be of no nse whatever at that period. The ■ircnmstancea and eurroundings will bo entirely and completely altered. No doubt, taking into account the rapid strides made by our manufacturing industries of late years, we shall bo in a far better position to ask Parliament to 'Confine the work to the colony than we are now; but we certainly cannot see any treason whatever for the waste of valuable 'time, the result of which will be mere ■waste paper. It would be far better to affirm the principle that, in the opinion of the Association, it would be advisable for Government to consult Parliament on the subject when the present contracts oxpire, and then let the collection of the statistics, &0., stand over till the time when they are wanted. These are matters which, though not perhaps of so great public importance, have yet a very great influence on the progress of the community, which can be discussed with profit by the Association. Wa would, therefore, put it to them —Is it worth while discussing a subject from which no practical result can by any possibility arise, and leave over those which would not alone benefit the community, but would tend to increase the usefulness of the Association itself P