The Chronicle. PUBLISHED DAILY WEDNESDAY. APRIL 13, 1910. LEVIN AS A MANUFACTURING CENTRE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 13 April 1910, Page 2

The Chronicle. PUBLISHED DAILY WEDNESDAY. APRIL 13, 1910. LEVIN AS A MANUFACTURING CENTRE.

The interview with the Mayor of Levin which appears in .another part of to-day's "Chronicle" forms clieoi'fiil reading. It shows that this toivn lias made steady progress during the last tilnve years, and in this fact alone there is reason for a feeling of satisfaction; but justification for a greater degree of pleasure is derivable from the thought that during the duller times of the world-wide depression that rolled its waves on these shores, our district was not affected to anything like the degree that many other parts of New Zealand were. There is no bettor indication of a town or a. county's progress than that afforded by its building statistics; and a glance at the .summary given in to-day's "Chronicle" will show that Levin's progress, while it was made by phenomenal strides two years ago, has been maintained, at a satisfactory rato during tho last twelve months. Tho position and achievements of Levin borough are creditable to tho councillors who administer its affairs and to the business folk and citizens who set the rate of progress and establish public opinion. This town, in brief, i.s fortunate in possessing citizens who are progressive without being reckless. Not the least of this borough's several advantages, we consider, is the system of high pressure water supply, which is now rapidly approaching completion. There are a few pessimists who have enquired, faint-heartedly, what the town is going to do, now that the money expenditure for navvies wages is about to cease, so far as waterworks construction is concerned P ,The answer to that query is simple: the men will find employment in other avenues of industry. To suppose that a young district, such as this

one, cannot absorb, and absorb profitably, tlio labour of Jialf a, hundred ir men who have been temporarily j pub out of employment is to suppose , what is ridiculous. If no better I means offered, they could be*em- 1 ployed with mutual benefit to them- ' selves and the settlers in cleaving some of the rich lands of the town ■' Hind district, which are .at present encumbered with stumps and logs. 1 Resides yielding money when sold as firewood, the removal of these), timbers woidd increase the grass- 1 growing areas of the lands, and thus prove of additional benefit tn the landowners. But there is another prospect, of permanent henefil to Levin : and that, consists in the waterworks about to ho established, The cheapness and effectiveness of a motive, power derived from highpressure water is too obvious to need recapitulation here. The value of laud in Levin, while not low enough to suggest any stagnation, is so much less than that prevailing in the cities of New Zealand that there should be likely ehaneof of manufacturing industries being established here in the course of a year or two's time. This town, situated in the centre of a semi-tropical area comprising some of the richest lands in all Now Zealand, and carrying a population of some LlflOO n-ph\ has n! 1H 1: ends of its hill-protected area a succession of districts much more populous, and nil served by a railway which connects them with Levin. Palmei'ston. AVanganui. and Taranaki mi the one const, the populous "Wairarapa district further inland, and Welling!on City at tbr southern end. nil could be reachec cheaplv and with facility,by manufacturers established in Levin. Then* are. for instance, elothiw manufacturies operating in Wellington City and paying oxorbita'H , rents and high rates, which conk' be. worked much more cheaply from > this town- especially if receiving houses for the finished goods were maintained in the city. Tickle . and jam factories are other indus tries that should be capable of moi" ; • profHa.ble working from this end of the district, where the vegetables and fruits grow prolificallv. than . in the City. There is no need to labour the list of industries which " might, with mutual profit, bo set no in Levin : Ave are content to throw- out the broad suggestion. in the hope that it will be weighe' 1 f well in the proper quarters. Then 1 is, in and around Levin, a district s adapted by nature and by develop x ment to be that most desirable of all places: a locality suitable for s agricultural, pastoral and pomologieal development on the one hand, and for the profitable pursuit of s manufacturing industries as well.