The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1883. HOPE FOR TIMARU.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1069, 10 February 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1883. HOPE FOR TIMARU.

There is, we aie informed, a movement on foot in Timam to form an Industrial Association, whose objects shall be the collection of information respecting the establishment of local industries. It is time that limarn took gome steps in that direction. In all communities of which we have any knowledge, the townspeople always lead in such movements, but in i>outh Canterbury the case is different. The farmers of South Canterbury, especially in the Temuka district, have set the townspeople an excellent example, and now it is most likely that their actions will result in awakening a spirit of emulation in other parts of this district. In Geraldino tliTe are a few enterprising spirits working assiduously at the collection of information on more than one sulject with the view of ascertaining what industry can be most advantageously started. They could not be employed at anything more meritorious. , Men who devcte their energies to the public good, even if they do not attain success are certainly entitled toth'gratitude of the communities in which I they live, and we know of no undertaking that is calculated to yield such good resuita to posterity as the esUb-

lislmient uf institutions which will no' alone add to the prosperity of the Colony, but will also spcure to the rising geneuuion snttituJ employ nent. The [K>pu : aii-m of this colony is increasing at a ripid r.ite, and unless industries •re started in a short time our young people will have to ('migrate for want oi employment. So long as we rely on ! wool and grain we can never come to anything. We must manufacture our own products on our own soil before w can reach that degne of prosperity which the wonderful resource? of this colonj entitles us to expect. If we pre always exporting oar products to countiiewhere they will be manufactured, and importing them hack again worked U| into such articles as we require, oui colony will never be so prosperous a> she would be it she manufactured her own products. It is therefore obviouthat those who do their best in the direction of establishing factories, etc., deserve to be placed in the first rank of useful citiz'ti*. Ternuka has the honor of being the first to set the ball rolling. an 1 we sincerely trust that before b is <t<»pped it will have rolled all over th Colony, and established factories for tin dcvelopement of our industrial resources everywhere. It is Ihertfore with sincere pleasure we learn that the spirit of enterprise has seized some people i i Timaru. The lead is tak< j n by Mr Thomas Turnhull, who has communicated with the Industrial Associations in other parts of the Colony and received favorable replies. From the Christchurch Association he has received a letter which states that that association had already been the means of establishing many small industries, and that it is likely to yield stil) better results. Mr Turnbull has had promises of co opfration from all classes of the c-ramun.ty. and the result that an association will be formed there immediately. There is no doubt but such an association will do good. II w*s such an institution that started the great ex hibition which was held in Ashburton a w.uple of ye rs ago, an 1 led to the establishment of local industries in that district. 'J he people, of Timaru would do well tu follow in the footsteps of Ashburton and get up an exhibition, It could not foil to do good. There is one drawback to South Canterbury. There are fom towns in it, and each of these is desirms of having anything that may be started in its own vicinity. The consequence is that they will never co-operate in anything. The people of one town will never go in heartily for supporting the institutions of another town, and consequently every locality must start its own industries or do without them. This has been proved to be true in the case of Temuka. Out of the two companies that have been floated here neither Timarunor Geraldine lent much assistance, in fact we do not believe 5 per cent of thd shares cam* from the two places put together. The existence of such a teeling is very much to be deplored, because if all the district united things impossible under existing circumstances would then be accomplished. The linseed industry for instance is one which every farmer ought to Seel an interest in, because wherever it is to be established it will be convenient enough to flax growers in all parts of <SoutH Canterbury. And still the people do not recognise this, but shrink from taking shares because the industry has not been started exactly where it suits them. We regret very much to And that there are people who pursue such a tuicidal policy, and we trust that the leading men in each distric will use their best endeavors to encourage more liberal views. If the people of all these towns and districts took our advice they would unite together and start the paper mill in a central position where it would bo within easy distance of all. It i» too large an undertaking for any of j the sma'l districts, hut if all combine) there would be no difficulty in floating it. And what would be the result ? JSimply that it would put at least £200,000 « year directly into the pockets of farmers in South Canterbury. If so much money got into the possession of fanners they would not keep it to themselves They would spend it on improving their lands, and on many luxuries they must lo without now, and thus it would eventually find its way into the pockets of the townspeople. We throw out these hints to the people now, and we trust that when they begin to inquire at a'lthey will not forget that it would be wise for them to be united, and that they could not start anything better than a paper mill. Let tlum remember that tin re are thousands of tons of straw burned on farms iu South Canterbury every year, and that by establishing a paper mill all this might be convened into gold. j