TARANAKI'S TRADE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 300, 15 June 1912, Page 5

TARANAKI'S TRADE

j —■_- £, INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS, BY CHAIRMAN OF CHAMBER Of. COMMERCE, Interesting references to the work done by the Chamber of Commerce during the past year, and to other important matters affecting the welfare of Sew Plymouth and Taranaki generally, were made by the retiring president (Mr. S. W. Shaw) at a meeting of the society last night in moving the adoption of the annual report of the outgoing committee. Under the heading of trade and commerce, the president referred to the continued prosperity of the year just closed, which, he said, was mainly due to the increase in the output of dairy produce and the very satisfactory prices obtained foT the same in the Home markets. The abundant rainfall which prevailed throughout the summer and autumn, while being detrimental to the burning of bush, had been of real benefit to the dairy farmer in prolonging the milk supply. Increased production, combined with higher prices, was no doubt responsible for the high price of land, but so long as the increase in the latter was in proportion to the former, there was no real cause for alarm. In his opinion, with the careful testing and culling of dairy herds, and by improved methods of farming, there was still room for a further rise in values. If then, higher prices for land resulted in producing better methods of farming, at would not be an unmixed evil. Mr. I Shaw then went on to express the hope j that, in view of the Prime Minister's utterances, an agricultural college in I Taranaki would soon become an accomj plished fact. ( ! HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS. It was gratifying, continued the president, to note that satisfactory progress was being made with the improvements to the port at Moturoa. Dining the year the wharf had l>cen considerably widened, and 'a considerable area had been dredged to depths ranging from 18 to 33 feet at low water spring tides, and the present irate of progress should see ocean-going steamers trading regitlarly to the port in the very near future. It was well to remember that New Plymouth was the only port on the west coast of the North Island which was within measurable distance of being able to attract and accommodate direct liners. THE BACKBLOCKS. ' In purging the claims of the backblocks, Mr. Shaw said it was patent that the interests of the port and the outlying districts were inseparably interwoven. If it was desired to participate in the benefits which would accrue from the sources nnd avenues of the trade in' Taranaki'e products, it was advisable that New Plymouth should be alive to • its opportunities and take every advantage of getting into eloser touch with the requirements of the backblocks settlers. In this connection he suggested that steps he taken early in the coming summer to organise a tour of the back country by New Plymouth's principal business people. Such a trip would bring them into touch with the requirements of the outlying business centres and would familiarise them with the resources and possibilities of the district.

, A BRIGHT OUTLOOK. i Turning to matters more immediately j concerning New Plymouth, the president J rejoiced that the petroleum industry ! was at last upon the road to successful } developments. The benefits of such on industry to New Plymouth could not be over-estimated, and to the port the advantages should be equally as good. THE MOUNTAIN HOUSE. Touching on the North Egmont Mountain House. Mr. Shaw remarked that | the completion of the new hostel should I add greatly to the attractiveness of the I town as a tourist resort. When ready ■ for tourists, it would be quite possible | for residents of Auckland to leave their 1 homes in the afternoon and breakfast at Mt. Egmont the next morning. THE WINTER SHOW. As regards the Winter Show, it was | a matter for congratulation that this Taranaki Agricultural Society had made a distinct advance during the past year I bv (lie completion of the King Geofge* Hall and the success of its late exhibition. He saw no reason wihy North | Taraanki, with its advantages in climato and soil, combined with close settlement, should not produce in the near future a show equal to any in the Dominion. LOOKING FURTHER AFIELD. Looking further afield, Mr. Shaw said that despite the continued prosperity of the Dominion the country should not shut its eyes to some of the dangers which threatened it. He referred, in this connection, to the present industrial unrest, and to the incessant demands for higher wages, which, backed, up by the nse of the strike weapon, were calculated to seriously hamper and destroy several of the country's principal industries. Locally, the labor question had not become acute, yet, in view of tie important and almost revolutionary developments in the struggle taking plats elsewhere, it was as well that New Plymouth should not be oblivious to a danger which might at any tbttß : threaten the local comarunrty. CUSTOMS TARD7F. • The president then went on to note 'jj the growing demand in tne chief mann- j faeturing centres of the Dominion for * higher protection of industries through "." the Customs tariff, and pointed out that .i Taranaki was essentially a primary pro- '} ducing district with few manufacturing 1 industries to be effected one way or il another by Customs tariffs. It wa# >! therefore essential to their prosperity A that those engaged in farming industries should not be unduly taxed through the Customs for the support of the manufacturing industries of the cities. i THE ONE BLACK SPOT. .1

la seconding the adoption of the report, Mr. Govett said it was a great- j pleasure to hear that in every direction the prospects of (he district wert Bimply splendid. There was only one ' black spot, and ih&t was the very, m • high rate of interest at present ruling. : They must be much less extravagant, ' both as individuals and as a commun- 1 ity. Mr. Govett also referred to the i necessity for advertising Taranaki'a tourist resources, whieh is reported in '■'■ another column. j The report was unanimously adopted, ri