LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2569, 15 June 1881, Page 2

LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

[to the editor]

Sjk,—Surely more interest ought to he taken in this subject by our moneyed men and moneyed institutions. Instead of the dear little town being periodically tilled with distress and want, it could be easily converted into the most prosperous place in the colony. What is the earthly use of giving uur children a boasted State education for them to lind when the go into the world that there is no employment for them to dcvelope their intelligence. Uo our so-called rulers and councillors of the public good think or care about this subject? or is it all usury with them ? Have they no feeling at all beyond self ? Even so, cannot they sec that if the population had a permanent source of income they could then spare more money, give more for land and property, give more to your charitable institutions and churches, &c., and ho as happy as the day is long, instead of heaping invectives (not wild ones) on the Government and agencies that brought them here. Nothing could be more simple and easy than the establishment of some of these industries on the cooperative principle, and in an incredibly short time they would pay 50 per cent, on the outlay. Does property bring that in ? Take, for instance, oil. Every drop of paint oil used in the colony has to be imported, when linseed, from which it is extracted, can be grown better and more successfully in this colony than in Europe. Then there is the linseed cake as cattle food, and 'even the refuse is known to bo a valuable manure. Then again, there is leather, which has to be imported at any rate into Timaru, a commodit}' always in demand, and wo could keep on enumerating. The question why these industries are not fostered hero ought not to be asked, but ought to be done, but we are afraid will not, so long as it pleases the moneyed part of the community to look with indifference on the attempts and efforts of those who have’nt any.—l am&c., VIGIL.