THE STANDARD. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 1873.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 60, 11 June 1873, Page 2

THE STANDARD.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 1873.

"We shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to no man justice or right: We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

It is much to be regretted that the joint Committee of the two Houses of Parliament, appointed at its last session “ to consider what steps, if “ any, should be taken to ascertain and “ develop the producing and manufac- “ turing resources of the colony,” should have considered it necessary to “ mainly confine their inquiries ” to certain subjects which excluded from their category some industries which would prove to be more easily established, and calculated to impart a more lasting benefit to the colony, than many the Committee so carefully gave their attention to. Had it have been otherwise, the Resolutions of the House of Representatives, based upon their recommendations, would have embraced a bonus for the production, in New of a payable quantity of kerosine oil. There can be no doubt that some very valuable suggestions are contained in the papers submitted to the Assembly by this Committee ; but we repeat it is to be regretted, in the interests of the colony, that Petroleum found no advocate at its deliberations ; and it will serve our purpose in illustrating the parsimony and neglect exhibited towards us by our own Provincial Government in this respect, as the Committee consider the “ success of the “Mosgiel Woollen manufactory at Otago “ is, in a measure owing to the judicious “ application of the system of bonuses, * by the provincial authorities." We did not take up our pen to draw either odious of invidious comparisons between the extremes of “cannyism” as exemplified in Otago and Auckland respectively; but we ace impelled to the belief that it reflects little credit on the Government of Auckland, in having

persistently set its face against, (or f at any rate, in not having turned its face towards) the development of the natural products of its own province, especially with the example and experience of Otago in view. Had a similar course been adopted with us as. in Otago, who shall say that the company now afoot, —to float which the settlers of Poverty Bay are' making personal sacrifices,—would • not have been a certain realized fact long ago ? The miners and settlers at the Thames had to fight their way, inch by inch, to obtain their Mining Board, and Tramways, and Water'Supply, so will it be with us, and all who are contented with the political crumbs that are dispensed, with more correctness, under the head of Charitable Aid, than in sustaining the vitality and energy of the people.

Our object is now to support an application which is to he made to the General Government to place a sum bn the Estimates as a Bonus for the production of such a quantity of oil as will make oil refining rank among the industries of the colony. This, we are confident, the Government will not refuse; indeed, were it only by way of making amends for past injuries sustained in other directions the application should be favorably entertained ; but the project is not of local import only, it is a colonial question, and we do right in asking for an instalment of colonial money to assist us. Then, after kerosine we have coal, and probably iron.