The Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 715, 25 July 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1878.

The Oamiun Stone Company means business. It. transpired at the last meeting of <ii rectors, tli.it, nrr*n<jements for commencing operations tu;.d been carried & further ; that, in fact, the deed by which Mr. Meek agrees to lease his Western property, containing stone, to the Company, for a term of 15 yeare, if as ready for signature. This news will be received with satisfaction, not only by

shareholders, bnt by the people of Oaraani, more particularly as the right to quarry on this large area of land, fertile in stone of the very finest description, has been obtained on favorable terms. Amongst the other arrangements that are being made preparatory to commencing j work in real earnest, is the construction of a railway siding from the land to the I main line. The Directors, we learn, have already taken action in this matter, which, it is probable, will, before long, end in the obtainment of that for which tliey ask. The siding once secured, and the Manager, for which the Directors are now advertising. on the ground, the work of opening the quarries will be commenced, We have heard it stated that there will be little or 110 sale for Oarnaru stone m Christchurch, in consequence of the existence in that Provincial District of stone of a similar description. Such selfinterested opinions, orgloomyforebodings, need not have the effect of damping the ardour of the Directors of the Oainaru Stone Company. That stone somewhat similar in appearance exists in Canterbury it is true, but it is as different from that in this district in quality, as brass is from gold. The builders do not approve of the Canterbury stone. It i 3 more difficult to work than that of Oamaru, and not bo durable, whilst the price at which the Oamaru stone can be sold will render it impossible for that of Canterbury to compete with it in price, as well as in qnality. We have it on the authority of a practical man that, in addition to onr having decidedly the advantage in the matter of quality and price the difficulty of working it is so much greater than that of working the Oamaru stone, that it can never compete. If the Government does its duty, it will artai»ge Uncharges for conveying this stone so as to encourage the Company to work the quarries vigorously, and intending builders to buy. The Dunedjn and Christchurch markets would, of themselves, keep the Company in full operation, to say nothing of the increasing demand for the stone in Victoria, and the supplying of local wants. It would be supererogation to point out the benefits that would accrue to Christ- ■ church and Dunedin if the stone eouhl be landed in those places at price* to warrant builders in adopting it in preference to I the materials ordinarily used for building purposes; and that this can be done, if the Government tre>i the Company with reasonable consideration in the matter of charges for transport, there is not the ' least doubt. The Government are oil', ring a heavy bonus for the jjianufacture of beet sugar, in its ansiety to ejicojirage local industry, and to develope the resources of the Colony. Whilst applauding the motive that has led the Government " to offer this bonus, we take leave to think that there is something better, and less chimerical, in the development of our inexhaustible stone quarries, and we hope that the Government, endorsing our opinions, will act in such a manner that this, one of the most promising industries in the Colony, will be added to those other industries which, sooner or later, with t>iir agricultural and pastoral resoures, will help to build it up in substan- [ tial prosperity, tiiuf .become the mainstaj of this culonv.