The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1882. TEMUKA ENVIED.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1035, 25 November 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1882. TEMUKA ENVIED.

Our Timaru evening 1 contemporary thus wails over the lack of enterprise in Timaru as compared with Temuka : “ That the village of Temuka should have outstripped the Borough of Timaru is not pleasing to record. Townspeople are supposed to be full of enterprise ; the rustics to plod on quietly. In this instance, however, we are languishing for want of enterprise, while our country friends are plucking up a spirit. It is a most inexplicable circumstance that though capital, skill and labor are abundant in this town, there is no sign of any anxiety to create a trade or establish an industry. Things go on in the same

beaten path, and commercial circles are as silent and motionless as a spiritual ucance waiting for a manifestation. Well done, Temuka! The establishment of the Oil and Fibre Company is a grand progressive effort, and, if properly supported and welt managed, it will induce the farmers to launch out in another line of cultivation, and create an unwonted and profitable briskness in the township. Everybody in South Canterbury will, we feel sure, join us in wishing success to the now industry and the spirited community in whose midst it is established. ” It may not be pleasing for the South Canterbury Times to record the advancement of Temuka, but we must say it is very pleasing to us. Of course, it would bo very nice for Timaru to have all the enterprise and industry of South Canterbury centred in itself, but we, ‘ the rustics,’ out here think we might just as well have a share of it. It is neither wisdom nor good taste tor the Times to say that it derives no pleasure from tiie progress of this district, because any advancement in this locality is bound to have a beneficial effect on Timaru. In fact Timaru ought to rejoice in any advancement made in this district, and ought to assist us in every way it could possibly do so. And what is more, it is c the rustics,’ as the Times very politely designates the farming community, who have the enterprise in them in this district, for the business people of tins town have not given them any assistance so far. But shall we tell our contemporary what is the errs ' - f (bo lack ot enterprise in Timaru. lias our contemporary ever urged upon the people of Timaru the necessity of starting local industries ? We cannot remember having ever noticed an article in the Times pointing out to the people of Timaru that population was increasing with extraordinary rapidity, and that unless some steps were taken to derelopc industries there would be nothing for our young people to do when they grow up. Instead of that the Times has been discussing kings, princes, sultans, czars, rajahs and other equally uninteresting subjects. Now, at the cost of laying ourselves open to an accusation of ‘ blowing our own trumpet,’ we shall tell our contemporary what has led to the starting of industries in Temuka. Before we came to this town, nearly twelve months ago, every attempt at starting any enterprise in this district had tailed,but, notwithstanding this, we

pegged away at the one great necessity for establishing industries, and the result has been that Temuka is beginning to get its name up and become the envy of surrounding districts. The Butter and Cheese Factory was the first attempt made hero. A more unpopular project could not not have been suggested, because for want of information on the subject it was said that only 3d per gallon could he given for milk, and there was scarcely a farmer in the country who did not hold that keeping cows would not pay at that price. After investigating the subject very carefully, we came to the conclusion that more than Id per gallon could he given for milk, and we published an article to that effect. Information to hand since has shewn that we were correct in our calculations, and we now believe that the way we held out that 5d or] fid per gallon could be given for milk had a great deal to do with the success which the project attained. Besides the 3d per gallon cry, there were other difficulties in the way of starting the Butter and Cheese Factory. A superstitious sort of belief possessed the people that no industry would ever succeed in Temuka. They were just after getting back their money invested in the Paper Mill, less the percentage deducted for for paying expenses, and Mr John Hayhurst had been adjudged liable for expenses incurred in the attempt to float the Kakahu Coal Company, because his name appeared on the

prospectus. All these, together with it being the worst time of the year, militated against the Butter anl Cheese Factory,and still, despite every obstacle, it floated. We stuck to this industry with all our might, and we are very glad to learn that there are many willing to admit that we helped it, and were instrumental in floating it. We did more than this. We found out that there was a man here who possessed influence which he might exercise for good or evil. Ho was exercising his influence for evil. Instead of assisting to establish industries he was doing all he could to the contrary, and he previous failures were attributed to him. We saw at. once that it was necessary to weaken his influence before much good could be done, and that task we undertook. It required a good deal of moral courage to attack the King of Temuka, it was like bearding the lion in hie den, but we risked it, and we arc glad to say that we have no reason to regret it. If we had allowed him to go on as was his wont, neither the Butter and Cheese Factory nor the Linseed Industry would have come to anything, because he would have destroyed them, and consequently we think the best service we have rcn dered Temuka is the check wo have put upon his influence. Many people ' thought that we were actuated by other feelings than the public good in our comments upon his conduct. We were not. Our sole and only object was to counteract his influence, and carry things through in spite of him, and we are glad to find that success has so far crowned our efforts. Nothing would -give us greater pleasure than to see that gentleman leading on the road to progress, because be possesses many characteristics, notwithstanding his failings, which we admire. There was never a man said that Mr Menclelson was not honest, straightforward, good-natured, law-abiding, and agood employer, or that ho did not possess many other excellent qualities ; but everyone will admit that he is crotchetty, obstructive, hypercritical, meddlesome, and self-opinionated, and that in exercising the latter peculiarities he has done harm to this town. If Mr Mendelsou would go in lor progress, and show that he feels an unselfish interest in this district he w'ould have no truer supporter than this paper, hut until he does so he may expect severe criticism. Another characteristic in Mr Mendelsou is that notwithstanding the severe stictures which have been passed on his conduct ho retains no vindictive recollection of it. We do not believe that if he had us in his power he would go one bit out of his way to do us harm, or that he would do anything which would not be just, and consequently we often feel it hard to comment upon him ; hut we must do it, and we shall continue to do it when the interests of the public are at stake. And now we have not the slightest doubt but there are some people who will accuse us of blowing our own trumpet. So long as we feel weave discharging our duty we care not what they say. All wc lay claim to is that we have made local industries a speciality since we came into the district, and that we kept the subject before the people constantly since. This is all a newspaper can do ; but it is this constant hammering that arouses the public to action. People, as a general rule, have enough to do to think of their own affairs, and never bother about other matters unless they are put before them in the papers. When subjects are thus brought under their notice ff often arouses them to action, and this is how success is invariably attained. We lay claim to more than that we kept our readers constantly reminded of the importance of local industries. We pointed out to them that to one that died there were ten horn in this as well as in other districts, and that unless some steps were taken to develope industries there would be no employment to be got in this colony for half its population in a very short time. The result has been that the farming classes are combining together very creditably, and instead of failure being associated with the name of Temuka its success is arousing the envy of other districts. If the South Canterbury Times and its morning contemporary only threw their hea.it and soul into the work as this paper has done, and did not bother half so much about politics, kings, czars, sultans, and rajahs we have not the least doubt hut that Timaru would he found as go-ahead as other places. We said at the time of the Paper Mill failure that it was a libel on the people of this disdistrict to accuse them of want of enter- | prise, and, though it is only about six | months since, those words have been | proven true. Tnc same words will i

apply to Timaru, as instanced by the fact that the only enterprise started there—the Coal Collier Company—was floated at once. A short time ago there was something said about starting a. Refrigerating Company, but neither of the papers have taken the subject up. And yet these papers will have the audacity to accuse the people of want of enterprise, while they have not the enterprise of writing a few lines about the subject themselves. tf our contemporary wishes industries to start in Timaru, let it advocate them persistently, and we promise that its efforts will be crowned with success.