The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1920. SECONDARY INDUSTRIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 September 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1920. SECONDARY INDUSTRIES.

The chairman of the ICaiapoi Woollen Co. (Mr. J. A. Frostick), in his address to the shareholders at the recent annual meeting, made gome forceful remarks concerning the need for fostering secondary industries in the Dominion. As an industrialist he put the question thus: "Is not the conversion of our raw material into goods our urgent duty, or, are we so deficient in mental and physical qualifications, or callous as to the future, that we will allow our country to be overrun with foreign manufactures, whic'.. can only have one result—fewer people to bear the burden of necessary taxation?" He rightly claimed that the industrial section of the nation was trying to do its share in promoting national prosperity by the creation of wealth in secondary and manufacturing enterprise, and that such work was entitled to an equal measure of commendation as that of the primary producers.. "The Dominion," said Mr. Frostick, "has sufficient raw material to provide the necessaries of life in manufactured goods for many millions of souls for centuries to come." He pointed to the fact that Australia, in 191718, produced £206,000,000 of manufactured goods, arguing therefrom that it must surely set the people of New Zealand. thinking as to what was their duty. That there is now a demand for our woollen goods overseas is proved by the applications received from traders in America, Canada, France, Spain, South America, and other places, which, however, cannot be met at present until the home demand has heen more fully supplied. There is no question that the extension of the manufacture of woollen good 3 would mean that many millions sterling would be added to the wealth of the country, instead of which the raw material is mostly shipped abroad for manufacture, and the Dominion not only loses the benefit of a valuable secondary industry, but has to pay high prices for the manufactured goods—a double loss. We have on several occasions stressed these facts, and emphasised the obvious moral. Taranaki needs secondary industries, and it has at command ample supplies of raw material for the purpose. As an adjunct of the Farmers' Meat Works, a woollen mill would prove a valuable and profitable asset, enhanced by proximity to the port with its facilities for direct shipment and the availability shortly of cheap electric power. The time is particularly appropriate for making a decided move to inaugurate woollen mills under such favorable conditions. The present prosperity of the producers, gratifying as it is, should not leave out of perspective what the future may hold. It would therefore be wise and sound business for the primary producers of Taranaki to have two strings to their bow, and thus be prepared for any emergency that may arise hereafter.