A QUERY.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 982, 10 January 1883, Page 2

A QUERY.

, TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —What has become of it ?—the company, I mean, that mot ami so fully discussed the question of taking over and continuing the timber-industry established by Mr Dale. A committee was formed. Where is the result ? Is it lack of faith, lack of money, or has the project been taken up by a private capitalist ? Or has that wrecker of all Patea projects—disunion—stepped in and quashed the proposed company ? There ought not to be lack of faith in the immediate future of the timber industry, with the large new Episcopalian church ahead, Council buildings, new school, and it ought not to be long before another religious body than Episcopalians put away the old and went in for a largo new church. Building in bad times is good policy, and profitable—granted but a reasonable prospect of better times. With most places cheerful —Taranaki even jubilant—and many near places doing well, why is it Patea alone is in the doldrums. There has been good increase in sheep and stock, good wool clip, though prices rather low, and a good harvest prospect. If tiie country does well, and the frozen meat trade will be no mean help, then it is certain better dwellings and more farm buildings will be required. All this means trade, and a good timber trade. Why should there be lack of faitli, and why indeed should there be disunion. It is pitiful that a port town, with (he advantages for distribution Patea has, should' be wholly dependent on the enterprise of Wanganui, and that Patea should prefer to send its capital to pay wages and furnish trade to a town which the whole district ought now’ to be independent of. Kindly stir up that committee, or let itjbe known if a monopoly is going to be allowed by the collapse of a rising industry. _ Private enterprise has been sufficient to introduce a flax mill. Private enterprise will have to open the splendid river we have for trade, a paying line in which firewood is certain, and timber and indeed the settlement of back country will follow. Our sleepy Harbor Board wants dipping in tar, and our town must be poor indeed if the money, privately or by public company, is not forthcoming to prevent the break up of the only established timber industry in the place.—l am, &c., A Well wisher.