The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19,1877.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 18, 19 December 1877, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1877.

The question is often asked, what supports PalmerstonP Some reply, Public Works expenditure ; while others say they" don't know. A few point towards the immense tract of valuable, bush country surrounding us, and fancy that this alone is capable of supporting us for a very long time. We have taken some trouble to find out a few particulars respecting our trade m timber for the past year, and from one source alone we find that upwards of £10,000 have been introduced from the sale of railway sleepers ; we have sent away upwards of 100,000 of these. The number' of fencing posts sent from here during the same period 1 must have been about equal to that of sleepers. These at an average rate will represent a large sum. We have likewise sent large numbers of telegraph poles to various parts of the Colony. We have produced timber to meet all the local requirements of the whole of this district, besides the immense quantity shipped from Foxton to Wellington, Dunedini Christchurch, and. other distant centres of population. The amount thus accruing from the sale of building timber must represent a very large sum for any one year. In addition to all these we send away palings, shingles, house-piles, doors, sashes, mouldings, and turnery of every description, besides our proportion of wool, tallow, hides, skins, and a quantify of lime. We are now approaching the period when we can dis?ose of numbers of fat cattle and sheep, 'his will again add very largely "to our resources, and from this branch alone we may reasonably look forward to a steady increase, as there are thousands of acres of bush land, just beginning to carry stock profitably. This" land will soon become famous for its fattening properties. In connection with the reclamation of our land from its forest state, large sums had to be invested m felling, clearing and grassing. This investment is now^ beginning to return a {jood profit- which will ultimately tell argely m favor of our resources. We.

hare many more local industries m their m Fancy which will m time develope themselves, and m their turn produce a profit, which added to the preceding will no doubt assist us m becoming firmly rooted as a prosperous community. "With such resources m hand and reasonable facilities for their distribution amongst our neighbours we may confidently say that we are possessed of many visible means of support and that we have every prospect of steadily increasing m material wealth and social prosperity. The great events now looked forward to by us, are the commencement of the projected West Coast Eailwaj' and increased shipping facilities at our port. With those two wants supplied our district will be placed m a first rate position for competition with any of our neighbours throughout the Colony. We will then be able to distribute our varied and valuable products profitably amongst them.