The Cronicle PUBLISHED DAILY LEVIN MONDAY, AUGUST 2. 1915

Horowhenua Chronicle, 2 August 1915, Page 2

The Cronicle PUBLISHED DAILY LEVIN MONDAY, AUGUST 2. 1915

ON GOODS AND GOLD. The Chronicle on Saturday referral lo Uie great lalling away in the volume *f New Zealand's imports during January, February and March last: amounting to over £1.000,000. We have been making a lurther analysis of the.se figures, and liud that in only .sixteen heads of imports was there any substantial increase, -whereas seventy separate heads disclose marked fallingsoff. Machinery, oils, leather, gaivanitjcd iron (in fact, all irons) artificial manures, glassware, hardware, horsiery. woollen goods, apparel, books, coah cement, tools and tobacco are some of the lines wherein imports have been greatly diminished. increases arc apparent in sugar, silks, cotton goods, whisky, brandy, grass seeds, railway and tramway plant, printing paper kerosene, crude oil. benzine, grain, dried fruits, flour, preserved lisli. cornsacks and woolpacks (a significant augury for an increased gram harvest to be reaped in 1016), raisins, coffee and cocoa. The disappearanee of coal I from the list of great-bulking imports is a matter of not great concern, ror the figures for the two years 1913-11 were made great by abnormal requirements; but l-lio same cannot be said with truth of some other items wherein marked fallings-away are evident. Thus, chassis for motor cars have de elined from £1(50,839 to £110,41']. This drop of Mf),000 means a considerable diminution in me volume of labour required from certain skilled workmen for years past; the chassis imported have been fitted up in Nc.v Zealand workshops, and a large number of hands have been found employment in this way. A I'alling-ofT oi £10.000 in the value ol tin imported means another harassing matter or. more than one branch ol manufacture in New Zealand. Probably our people will be in no wise hampered through the drop in the bulk ol imported woollen goods, and even the shortage of tobacco and cigars will occasion no heartburn—to non-smokers — though these may be perturbed in some degree by the news that imports of tea fell off by £18.000. Imports of sawn and hewn timber were less by £35.000. but doubtless the New Zealand mills along the North Islanl main trunk line will be eijiTal to any emergency this may cause. One serious matter is that of specie. 'These oversea transactions all are the result of banking exigencies, but in the present state of New Zealand's affairs "t is not particularly cheering to fin J that only £33,308 came in during the three months of 191.5, whereas £200.005 •was- imported in the .'January-March quarter of 19M. Incidentally, the | thought is evoked whether the Gov- ' eminent would not be doing wisely f it tried to stimulate the production of gold throughout Ncnv Zealand. Quite ! ,'i notable increase in the production { of alluvial gold always has followed hard times in Australia—chiefly be c cause the need for making a living drove large nuinhere ot people on *,n ] the abandoned gold diggings of the ' d several States. Why need the Nesv ! Zeialand Government wait for thoeo times to come? There are many men ' in casual employ who would be glad to , go "fossicking" if sufficient induce- , « mentß were offered; and no doubt i '■ " sufficient bonus on every ounce ol gold L "'

won would induce many workers arounc the abandoned gold fields of New 'Zea land to spend a great part of thei time at this work. Possibly, too, tin venturing of capital on prospecting !u. payable- quartz reefs would be eiicour aged if a sufficient bouus were offeree for tlie first 500 ounces ol gold woj in some specified localities. Gold : the world's greatest present need to day, and the State that wins most o it in the next few years will be ndvan ced very considerably in the race l'o. enduring prosperity.