New Industries.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 September 1922, Page 4

New Industries.

SOME IMPORTANT DEVEI.OPM ENTS. WELLINGTON, Sent. 22 “F.w countries in the world offer better opportunities for the establishment of certain industries than does New Zealand.” states the Board of Trade in : ts annual report. "Tile lat- ' lit pMiduelivilv ol fts soil, the wealth am! diversity of its mineral resources, and the potentialities of the undeveloped Ividro-electric power of the Dominion make possible an industrial development of ;a high degree. Information relative to the establishment of new industries is constantly being received by the Department, and every possible assistance i.s afforded to the prom.iters bv the provision of in lor til (i t ion with regard to the availability, cost, and quality of raw materials, rates if wages and hours of work, tariff | rotm lion, markets, plant that can le manufactured locally, shipping and railuny facilities, and on any point upon which specific information is sought.

"Among iln> industries rerent ly estel li-d:ed may lie mentioned that of glass manufartui e. A factory lias been erected at Penrose, near Auckland, nnon wdiieli a sum of over 030,000 lias already beet! invested. This industry will afford employment for a large number of men, and will use for its raw materials large quantities of coal .and sand which tbe Dominion itself can readilv supply. Most of tbe labour to be employed will be engaged in New Zealand, a few experts only being renamed front abroad at flic eomtneuoonionl of operations.

“Another comparatively new industry which promises to he progressive and useful Ims been established at Auckland, for the expression of oil

from linseed Brown in New Zealand. Cattle raise is a by-product for winch • bore np" ars In h‘> a growing market j |,e Dominion itself. Very great I jins also been taken in the f iw.rlme.ifs inv, stigalions regarding I the manufacture of meat (lour in the : Dominion. Many enquiries have bc.n I re-, oived from abroad for the report, 1 1 it is nleasing to say that offers ' 1 lV e been received by (lie promoters iur ti e 1-igbts to manufacture in _ the Vailed States and in Great Britain. • \ new mill for the manutneture o wool and carpet rugs is being erected -,t Anckbm'h English experts will onera+e the factory, and the "nshilled labour will be recruited locally. _ M bile the \v- nnufacturc «f textiles in Z-alaml appears to have wide possibilities of a development, tliere is at present a lack of skilled workers, an.l an endeavour is being mlside to remedy ; tin's by co-opovatioii between the tin- , nl ■-cr's the Department of ImmigraI lien, and this Department. Considerable enterprise lias been shown during ! i l-e year in the manufacture of paints and "varnishes. Many local firms have

■■x t emlcd their operations, amt mularge Australian firm is building a factory near Wellington for the purpose cf making varnishes, enamels, and household Tiecorating specialties. ••Still another new industry is that now lirm.lv established at Toimika for t| 4 p ituvnufMoturo nf roofing tiles and insnlal rs. This success was attained nnlv after a vast amount of resrtirch work end been done; various grades of , I*.y had to be tested, testing kilns erected, and experiments made with different el asses of coal and glazing materials. Drying systems hind also to be tried out. and the influence of the

climate on the manulaotured articles had to he considered. After close studv of tiic position, and with the expenditure of many thousands of pounds the initial difficulties were overcome, and the value of the output is now increasing rapidly. The insulators manufactured hv the firm have been tested hv Government experts, who are quite satisfied with their quality, and have placed a large order, with an indication that further Government orders will he given provided the quality is maintained and the prices continue, to be favourable. “Owing to the rapid development of tie growing cf cotton in Queensland, attention is being given in the Dominion to the possibility of establishing mills for the manufacture of cotton piece goods. Experts consider that the climates of Southland and the West Coast afford ideal conditions for the manufacture of cotton. As New Zealand has a suitable climate, and is so much nearer to Queensland than an}' of the Old World mills, the possibilities of establishing this important inilustrv ill the Dominion should he fully examined. In this connexion it should be pointed out that Queensland’s raw cotton crop amounted in 1020 to ~o,oinib; in .Tune of last year the crop was estimated at I,n00,000lli; and reports now to hand show that 10,000,000 acres of land in Queensland are .suitable for the sullivatioii of cotton, and that its growing is being encouraged by Stale subsidy. The manufacturers of Great Britain arc alive to Ihe fact that unless they establish mills nearer their markets. Foreigners may take advantage the petition in order to compete nith impi.rtalions of British cotton goods into this and other countries in the Eastern Hemisphere. Stress of conmetilion is therefore likeIv to assist Now Zealand in securing Hritish capital and skill tor the purpose of handling the ever-increasing raw material available from the C'ommon’vealth."