NEW LOCAL INDUSTRY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 224, 16 May 1932, Page 4

NEW LOCAL INDUSTRY

The investigations initiated by Mr. C. H. Clinkard, Parliamentary representative for Rotorua, into the possibility of turning to commercial use immediately portion of the Government's extensive pinus plantations in the district will have the enthusiastie approval of the whole community. The proposition, as outlined in our columns on Saturday by Mr .Clinkard warrants the most thorough investigation. Supplies of timber sufficiently grown for the manufacture of fruit and other boxes, are available, he said and the volume of the annual exports, which hitherto have come from scattered stands of timber originally planted by the early settlers, suggests that there is a markfet overseas awaiting development. One of the weaknesses in the Dominion's present industrial development is the almost entire absence of secondary industries outside the main centres of population, apart from dairy factories, timber mills and a few freezing works. There are, of course, limitations to the development of factory industries away from the seaports and railway centres, but where the raw materials are produced in the country it should be not only possible, but definitely of economic advantage, both to the industry and to the country, to establish manufacturing plants at the source of suppjy. The manufacture of timber products is one industry which unqnestionably should be established close to the source of supply as transport costs are among the .heaviest of the production costs where, as is at present so often the case, the timber has to be taken long distances to be manufactured. In this district the conditions should be highly favourable to -the establishment of factories, once supplies of timber are proved to be available in suflicient quantity to assure continuity of output. As Mr. Clinkard suggests, the earlier Government plantings of pinus should now be sufficiently mature to warrant the establishment of a Tbox-mak-ing factory in the district. Such a factory would be of considerable benefit to Rotorua. It would provide work for a number of men in the plantations as well as in the factory itself. Its products would provide freight for the railway s and it would be a first definite step toward the development of the large timber milling and manufacturing industry which is certain to arise in this district within the next decade.