LOCAL WOOLLEN MILLS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 November 1919, Page 4

LOCAL WOOLLEN MILLS.

■ The Wairarapa Farmers' Meat Company are reported to have decided upon the establishing of a woollen mill in connection with their works near Masterton. This is a forward step, and one that opens up inteiesting possibilities. Until recently New Zealand exported no manufactured woollen goods, and for quite a long time the various Dominion woollen mills had a hard struggle to make both ends meet. The war gave them their opportunity, and, as a result, all the companies have since prospered exceedingly. Government military orders were sufficient to keep all the looms going at capacity point, and since then they have not been able to keep pace with domestic demands. The high cost of production at Home, and the scarcity of stocks, have brought about a demand from Home, where the quality of New, Zealand woollen manufactures has come to ■be recognised, and the prices offering being higher than those obtaining in New Zealand, some of the mills are exporting no small proportion of their output. The fact is clear that the present woollen mills cannot cope with even local demands, and it appears that the time is ripe for establishing additional mills. The Wairarapa Meat Company have always pursued a progressive and enterprising policy, the result being that the company to-day is one of the strongest and most prosperous concerns of its 1 kind in New Zealand, and its decision to launch out into woollen manufacture is only in keeping with its policy. There is no reason to doubt the success of their new departure, for they have the raw materials beside their works, they will be able to secure the skilled, labour at Home, where men and women are. only too willing to accept assured positions in a country' so well spoken of as is New Zealand, and, as we have said, the demand for Woollens in New Zealand alone is—and is likely to be for years—greater than the supply, whilst there is the Home market as well to exploit, if need be. This may be the forerunner of other freezing companies embarking in the woollen business. This leads us to suggest that New Plymouth might advantageously give consideration to a similar scheme. The Taranaki Farmers' Freezing Company's works hare only been open for four years, but the progress made during that time has been remarkable. The directors have launched out and shown commendable enterprise, the fruits of which will be more and more apparent as time goes on. Just now, with their expanding works, they have their hands pretty full, but we believe it would pay them to go into the question of commencing woollen manufacture in con- - junction with their present operations. A good deal of extra capital would be required, but we are optimistic enough to believe that were an appeal made, money for such a purpose would be forthcoming, as large profits would be assured. A manufactory of the kind would be of inestimable value tc the town—greater, probably, than the meat works, successful as they are—and townspeople are sufficiently alive to their interests to realise th<? direct benefits that Would ac- i

crue were sucii works established in their midst. New Plymouth is singularly fortunately situated in regard to woollen mills. Cheap power is the essential condition of success in industrial undertakings. Christehurch, by reason of its cheap hydro-electricity, is to-day the "leading manufacturing centre in New Zealand, notwithstanding its unfavorable natural position-, being away from a harbor, and having to pay heavy tunmfl railway freights. New Plymouth will be in the position shortly of supplying all the power required at very low rates. To-day, indeed, the rates are practically the same as those obtaining in Christchurch. New Plymouth has an efficient and centrally situated harbor, whilst the raw material is at its door. Therefore, it possesses all the conditions necessary to the successful starting and development of the woollen industry.- We hope the suggestion will be borne in mind, and later on some practical steps taken to give effect to a scheme which, we are. convinced, would do as much for the town and district as the starting of the co-operative meat works have done and are doing. Economically it is a deplorable waste to send our raw material overseas to be manufactured into goods that are sent back ready for use, when the whole procecss can be carried out in the Dominion to its great financial advantage.