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Hokitika Guardian, 20 August 1928, Page 2

Tire general outlook for the district is giving a good deal of satisfaction to those who are at all intimate with promising prospects ahead. We have referred'before to the importance which is going to take place with regard to flax-milling. The latest reports on that score are certainly very promising. Two considerable ventures in Westland are in hand, and their alternate success is heightened by the advance scientific research is making in treating and handling the fibre. The process of treatment is going to he cheapened considerably and the quality improved materially by what is being done by the scientists. In both Australia and New Zealand science promises to make such a marked improvement in the treatment of flax, that there seems little doulbt as to the marked success of tlie new process, which will be a greater aid to financial success for tlie local ventures. Wood-pulping is not a remote possibility now. An expert has arrived in Westland to give final advice as to the launching of a venture which should be of considerable industrial value to a district, the forests oT which should provide ample material for practically indefinite operation. Gold-min-ing is always an enterprise with possiliilites in this auriferous tract of country, and there will lie developments in that industry also. The timber trade has lifted a little lately and orders arc coming in better than for some time past. It seems jiossiblc that a trade could 'l»o established between Hokitika and tlie North Island if shipping were available. Attention is being turned to this'trside, and a real revival in local shipping is,quite on the cards, lhc.se industrial adjuncts would add greatly to the future prosperity' of the place, which always enjoys solid prosperity from the success of pastoral pursuits. A little general movement in industry, and land values must firm and settlcnicii would soon feel the benefit of such a fillip. Looking to tlie prospects of flax-milling and wood pulping, to say nothing of the timber trade, suggests a major reason for a general advocacy of railway extension further south, and enterprise in that direction would be very helpful at this juncture in assisting to promote that measure of general prosperity which it is believed lia.s now such promising portents.