The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, AUGUST 15, 1927. Westland matters.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 August 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, AUGUST 15, 1927. Westland matters.

In the course ot his speech on the ad-ore.ss-i.i-roply, which was leprinted in these columns last week, the Member lor Westland referred to two matters of peculiar interest to Westland as a whole—the decline of the mining industry, and the strangulation of the timber industry. Mr Seddou handled both .subjects at some length, and what he had to say should have had an anosting uttenticia u itli Ministers. Unfortunately Ministers are so prone to return the usual answer regarding consideration, that their attitude is very much akin to the Tory Minister of old who had a stock phrase that he would “keep the matter steadily in. view.” This meant invariably that the subject was safely and securely pigeon-holed, and all the Minister ever saw of it was the red tape binding the documents together! .Mr Seddon. in particular put in a. strong plea for mining. It seems remarkable looking to what mining has done for .New Zealand, that it now should lie so neglected by the Government. There is no other industry in the Dominion which has less consideration in a policy way than milling. Indeed in other avenues the Govc.'.i’.iiient is going out of its way, almost, to aid the industries, many of which are being built up mul fostered at the principal expense of the country. Mr Seddon pleaded for relief through Customs’ taxation for mining material and plant, and Government might help best of all by directing properly organised prospecting parties. Where agriculture is concerned, no oxjiense is spared in conducting experimental stations of all kinds solely by the Government to demonstrate what might ho done. Concessions in various directions were also given. There is no exception to this, it is what is to he applauded to aid an industry. but that line of policy should not he confined to one branch of industry alone. Agriculture, ns well as other developments in New Zealand would be very backward indeed with all the Government aid. were it not that it was the pursuit of gold-mining which brought the rush of population to the country. Tt was population that was needed, and the lure of the mining f:mis solved the problem. Nowadays the country is spending a great sum of money on immigration schemes, and people have been brought into Now Zealand by the thousand. Hooding all avenues and contributing in no small measure to the unemployment stringency. Had the same amount of money been spent on legitimate prospecting along scientific lines and a fresh gold-field been opened immigration would have resulted and the

newcomers would have, found profitable work as did the pioneers and there would have been legitimate settlement ensued. As has been remarked so often in this column, the country needs a. definite mining policy for the prospecting and development of its mineral wealth. Regarding the stagnation in the timber trade, Mr Seddon reviewed the position in its true colours, and seeing the pass into which it has been allowed to drift, it is high time the Government dropi>ed the attitude oi proeratination and came forward definitely with tbi’ will to help. To relieve the Government of its responsibility tho matter was turned over to a special committee, but the Government lias already a Forestry Department ,which should have been able to advise what was best to maintain the limber industry on the most profitable lines. That the Forest .Service lias not been able to do so, or to assert itself as it should in the present critical period, is to again realise that this expensive Dcpatrment continues to l>e a fifth wheel to the administrative coach. Neither with advice nor policy lias the Forest Service appeared lo help at this juncture. Indeed, the contrary ap]K'ars to be the ease, with increasing royalties. hampering conditions for milling, and throwing move and more timber land on the market when the existing mills overstock requirements. Hut this is all a twice told tale, and it seems hopeless to arouse the Department to a reality of the situation affecting the present very critical condition of the timber industry.