ESSAY.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1926, Page 1

ESSAY.

FIRST PRIZE. “ Tlie Secondary Industries Court of the Dunedin Exhibition, with special reference to the application of the industries to Westland.” —Nom de plume: “ Scriptor.” At Logan Park in the City of Dunedin is at present located the largest Exhibition of its kind, that has ever been held in New Zealand, representing her industries and their attendant products. Jii addition to the large Courts devoted solely to a display of the primary industries of our Dominion there is also a large and roomy building devoted entirely to the secondary industries of the various provinces. Tt is with tho main industries represented in this display that I propose to deal.

Of course tlie Court. itself includes examples of the industrial productions of the whole of the country, and, consequently, 'many of them are totally inapplicable and unsuitable for exploitation in the Westland Provincial District. It is well known that all industries require some motive power, and Westland is well suited to become the chief industrial province of New Zealand, because of its enormous supplies of. high grade, bituminous coal which aro to bo found around Greymouth and Dobson. But steam power is fast being replaced by electricity. Electricity can be utilized in primary or secondary industries, and hero Westland stands alone, for the Southern Alps produce an endless flow of water, wlhiclf can be harnessed to provide hydro-electric system for this and other provinces. Before considering the secondary industries it- is necessary to remember that the primary industries of Westland are: timber milling, dairying and mining.

Turning now to the exhibits in the Court itself, I noticed amongst other examples of cabinet work, locally-made cheese crates, butter and fruit boxes, sash and door work, and many New Zealand woods suitable for inlaying. In a printing exhibit paper was used, whicAi possibly originated in the form of giant trees. All thesa industries, if developed in the Province on modern lines, would certainly provide employment and prosperity for many. There also appeared an exhibit showing the use of silver beech in the making of the wooden framework of motor-car bodies. This wood is growing plentifully in the Province, and its export would bo a profitable occupation.

In Westland there are numerous trees suitable for cabinet making, and inlay work, comprising beech (two kinds), hinau, kawliaka, miro, rimu, silver pine, and totara, which are all excellent woods for these purposes. Box-making is an industry that may he profitably established in Westland, as white pine is generally used for butter boxes and cheese crates, while either white or red pine is suitable for fruit cases.

With regard to the making of paper, surely the time is not far distant when pulp-mills will be established in many parts of the Province for the conversion of our forests into paper. A Tannery exhibit drew my attention to the long-felt want of a tannery in Westland. It appears foolish and costly to send away hides and skins, and then import our hoots, shoes and other leather goods. In the same way a soap and candle factory might be established to deal with our output of tallow. Opossums and rabbits are now extensively trapped for their skins for export, but these skins should bo utilised in supporting a local fur industry.

Dairying being one of our primary industries, freezing works for the export of frozen mutton and chilled beef might well be established in our districts. Cows, milking unprofitably, could be sent to the freezing works. All parts of the animals could bo used, the carcases could bo frozen, the hoofs and horns passed on to glue works, and the offal utilized as a fertilizer, this type of fertilizer being now very valuable. Meat canning c-ould be profitably exploited, and bacon-curing factories advantageously set up.

('■ revr.imiill, being the centre of the coal bearing district, is suitable for the establishment of foundries, and to a great extent this has already been done. Foundries if established would bring with them many trades, such as those of the blacksmith, manufacture of locomotives, and principally the repair of the large amount of mining machinery used in the district.

As a large amount of coal can bo, and is, used for the making of gas. the waste products such as coke and crude tar can he made to do good service for fuel and road-making respectively. Again the tar -can he refined, and local dye-works could he erected for the production of the various alkaline dyes, which can he obtained from coal tar. One exhibit in the Court displayed thirty-two glass bottles containing by-products obtained from coal tar. Another exhibit was a small house constructed with bricks, and there is no doubt that there are situated in the district large amounts of clay suitable for _the making of bricks and pottery. Again the manufacture of concrete work such as piping, flagstones, and hollow bricks for house construction could be profitably undertaken, as there are large gravel and shingle deposits over practically the whole district. In this connection it is. noteworthy that lime kilns in the district supply lime products not only for building purposes but also the varieties suitable for fertilizer. Another industry, represented by an exhibit of hemp, tow and rope, was the flax-milling and rope-making factories. Westland, by reason of its damp climate and vast flax swamps is at present, to a small extent, being exploited in this direction; but with modern equipment installed the industry would doubtless improve out of all knowledge. In a country surrounded by water much shipping is in constant use. and a large, market for rope of all descriptions is always assured to the manufacturer. A minor industry carried on on the Coast is whitebait catching and canning and the fame of this table delicacy has alreadv extended far, as the export of Hokitika whitebait will prove. In the Court was an exhibit of Hokitika whitebait. If a larger and more modern plant was installed the yearly output could be increased considerably. Bee keeping and honey production, which is carried on in. the district formed an imposing exhibit. Although perhaps recent seasons have been adverse to heavy production, nevertheless the industry should he fostered by those in charge, as we have in our forests, dose at hand, the raw material necessarv for mailing the hives and equipment. ATso the hush flowers are sufficient to provide the bees with their food. . , These main industries caught my eyes in a more or less hurried passage

through tho Court itself, and it requires only a little careful study and consideration to realize the vast possibilities of the West Coast as a commercial and industrial centre. Of course since tlie lure of gold drew thousands to the Coast in the ’sixties of last century, the commercial aspects of Westland have been comparatively neglected until recent years, when tlie gold has ceased to be the one and only occupation of the inhabitants of the Province.

It is now that those remaining in tho district realize that there arc many other avenues of commerce through which wealth and prosperity can be obtained, by tlie application of the best modern mechanical and agricultural equipment.

There is no doubt that if the necessary capital can be obtained to foster the foregoing industries, and if modern methods and systems are allowed lo prevail, that “the Coast” will soon lie the scene of busy commercial centres such as existed when the gold rush was at its height. What is more, the industries, if so built up, will have a solidarity and stamina of their own, which will prevent the recurrence of the rapid decay of trade, generally, which occurred when the gold had been practically worked out.