TARANAKI'S RESOURCES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 94, 11 October 1911, Page 4

TARANAKI'S RESOURCES.

COAL, OIL AND TRdXSAND. illy, Telegraph—Own Reporter. Stratford, Last Night. During the course of his speech at Stratford this evening, Mr. Joseph McCtaggage, the Liberal candidate for the Stratford seat, said: — Taranaki is indeed favored by fortune. We have a huge asset in our mineral!-:. The nil industry is an established fact. The ironsand indusotry will be in a very short time. 1 was pleased to sec by Sir Joseph Ward's speed) in his Budget that if private enterprise did not commence the iron industry, the State \yould. This has my hearty support. Speaking as a member of the New Plymouth Harbor Board. [ can tell you there is an ironsand syndicate, which has lodged £2OOO with the New Plymouth Harbor Hoard as a bona .fide that they will commence operations by next March. That means that if they do not make a start by the end of March next by having substantial buildings erected or in course of erection tliev forfeit their £2o(ko. Then the State should slip in and commence operations with ironworks.

We also have tilie largest coal-field in the North Island ut our back just beyond Whangamomona. When the railway reaches this field the coal should be put on the trucks at the most at. (is per ton. It could' be delivered all round the'district at not more, than los per ton, and much less to butter and cheese factories. This means it would he a very great indirect saving to the farmers through getting cheap fuel. It would also be a boon to householders. I think the State should develop these coal IMds or allow private enterprise to do so. There is bound to be a very large meat freezing works established somewhere in Central Taranaki. and there is no doubt this will be a co-opera-tive meat works. In that case cheap fuel will be a large indirect saving to the farmers.

We have also a very large asset in our New Plymouth harbor. At present we 'have, 38ft at low water spring tide at the wall, and when the wharf is widened and lengthened by another GOft and the channel cleared out to sea, which will be completed in the near future, the Home steamers will come to the port bringing in our •merchandise and taking away our produce. This will mean pounds and pounds in the pockets of the farmers and consumers. Tihis harlwr will have a very far-reaching effect on Taraitaki's prosperity.

Very few can realise the immense benefit we will get from a deep-sea harbor, and I am positive the whole country from Wanganui in the south and Kawhia in the north, Ongarue and Taumarunui in tire east, and all round Mt. Egmont in Hie west, will export and import through New Plymouth. lam also sure that with the development of the industries I have mentioned we will have, in the near future to provide for more harbor accommodation. I think this can be done and all interest and other charges met out of the revenue of the port, and increased rents from our endowments, so that a, rate will not he necessary. We are indeed in a very fortunate position as far as the New Plymonth harbor is concerned.