The Daily News SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22. THE COUNTRY'S PROGRESS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 54, 22 February 1908, Page 2

The Daily News SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22. THE COUNTRY'S PROGRESS.

I'i Hum; who liuvi- any knowledge w llu 1 ik'plurauly leau years ul' llii 3 Uumiuiou—tin! years when the uiieinployi il in thousands clamored in the streets nl <iur jiriiK-ipal eities—lli<: address deli' -

ered by Mr. Harkness, the chairman of the Wellington. I'lnimlie, oi Commerce, ia.-t I'ucsiiny imisl have made very good reading indeed. Population— tin- liili'ir nl nil energetic population- -N tin 1 n-ty life-liloml m a yming country: it is the capital \iilli which 10 work its sioek-in-lnull'. 11 i- tlw vi'Miiir.-L' "t the c.uatry; am! when it i- unemployed it, not mil' ,r;i-i - tu bring in interest, but opcraies a- a d ranging linr,l.'ii upon Hi.' activiiie- i.f others. Labor lias to >.,• hou-cd an,l i-10l lii-d ami led. ami if il ceasis lii produce. ilii'M the luil'ili'ii "I linding llii- in'i.'-iiii'- .if lii'.' inu-t lull ii|i(ni others. The i.uvi'i'iin ; io its credit. In- it .-aid -gave t.i labor land: for three .lay, per week it »nbu.i!i----ti-i-il "iiiplnviiii'iii at a staled wage on road- neighboring li.o lands «hi, 1, !ud Iktii given: ami llms tb.' streets of the cities wet- cleared ..I tl»' iuvoluiitaiy. wasters. Labor became productive, and from tlial lime tin' I'.ilony lias gone I.itiianl on a career of progress. V'erv I truly llr. Ilarkm-s says that 'our :-c----somves hit vol practicallv untouched." I Tiivii- will assuredly come' a time wh.-n I i many millions of prosperous people will inhabit these islands. All about us lie the source.-, from winch they will '.illiberally sustained. 11 only requires that the earth which hide- these s v.-. of wealti) should be broken for the Dominion to be much, richer than it. is. The wealth that in the future will sustain millions is here iit our fuel, an-l without in any way defrauding inn i-lii!-lire it's children we can have, it by tire judicious employment of our labor and the instituting of a sound immigration

policy. Those who are already on the land are provided for and do not give occasion for concern, except to render to them every legitimate assistance that

may be necessary; but there are millions of acres that only require to lie "tickled with a hoe to laugh into harvest," and there are thousands of our people anxious to grasp the hoe. By the disposal of (loverninent lands; by attempting to acquire possession of large e--tales in the hands of private individuals; by ell'orts to induce the natives to throw open the enormous acreage they possess, the C.overuiiient has striven to increase the production of'the country. .Newmarkets have been sought 'for the farmer; endeavor has been made to stamp out disease from liis (locks and herds; encouragement has been bestowed upon the development of the dairying industry; even such comparatively small ' matters as poultry and the busy little bee have not escaped attention," for ill are sources of industrial wealth. -Nurseries and plantations for the rehabilitation of our lorests have been planted, whilst mui-h care has been given to secure that the hemp exported should Insuch as to raise our production into high estimation. Kvery aid that could be i rendered has been extended to the mia- ; iug industry, and it is gratifying I i know that in the production of ininc--.il wealth last year was a record for the Dominion. .Mr. Ilarkness felicitate, his Chamber on the fact that last year the exports of the Dominion readied in value Cl!l.!lH4,27i—an increase of C2,24!U7-I. It is not the merchants in the principal cili.vs and towns that are to be credited with this result, but the men who sc it forward Ihe product of the labor of their j hands. The way to give further oc,-,i- ---; shm for felicitation o a the part of the chairmen of Chambers ~f Commerce is j to si ill more largely increase production, and that can only be achieved by putting nmr- toilers on the land, by developing the resources of Die coun'trv. and lathe (loverninent doing everything po.-'e I sible for the producers. Yet. sinuile as i thi- truth i-. it N certain that among,! j tho... who vociferously applauded Mr. Harkncss were several who. had Ihcv I been in Parliament, would have opposed | the policy of progress 0 f the last decade ior so tooth and nail. In Mr. Ilaiknes.' I "ddr.-sar „■ ,„• two points Ihe souii.l----j lies., of which mav be legitimately one-, j Honed, whilst „tl,ers afford food' f„r prolyl,]- rellectieii. Wo mav return ;.. 111-Hi laler on.