The Daily News SATURDAY, MARCH 20. LOCAL PATRIOTISM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 47, 20 March 1909, Page 2

The Daily News SATURDAY, MARCH 20. LOCAL PATRIOTISM.

We are heartily in accord with the , motion .brought forward by Mr. Wilkin- , son at yesterday's meeting oi the Harbor Hoard as to the advisability of New Zealand-made cement being given a trial in the dreakwuter construetluii work. According to Mr. Wilkinson, the local article is cheaper than the imported, and it tame out during the ensuing discussion that the quality not only was as good, but in some respects better than the English. For a long time past it has been the fashion to ignore locally-made goods in favor of those brought from overseas, and this prejudice, lor prejudice it is, takes a lot of removing. New Zealand can produce, and docs produce, many articles that cannot be improved upon. We have only to instance our -woollen goods to prove this contention. Where I can you get the same quality ill blankets and rugs as in those of this e.ounItryV The same'with our biscuits, our jams and preserves. Even in some branches' of engineering 'work the Dominion «m bold its own. The New Zealand - made dredges are famed throughout the hydro-mining world. Our 'cement-manufacturing has passed the experimental stages. It has been tried on some <if the biggest works in tin: •loiinloy find not found wanting. The chairman of the Hoard spoke enuitiuiiisly in regard ,to the utilising ot the local article in the building of the breakwater. W'c agree with Jiiin that no risks can be taken at this stage of

the work, but we 'would point out that New Zealand-made cement has successfully been used in breakwater construction in other parts of the Dominio-.i. The risk he speaks of, therefore, does not exist, lie. suggested that several blocks be made of this cement and used on work that was not of vital importance. Eventually it was decided to ask' the engineer to report on the matter. Mr. 'Marchtuit's report will 'be awaited with interest. We Itrnsr. it will lie favorable, to tihe use of the local article, for the reason that we would like to sec preference given to articles of .our own manuiiivture. Lt is a moral certainty that if we are to be anything of a. self-contained, manufacturing country—and -Ural seems to be the settled jjo'liey we have adopted—<wc must do even-Hiring in our power to remove prejudice against, and awake interest in our manufactures, particularly in respect of those that coinpi'te successfully in price and quality 'with the world's best.