THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 1907. AN OBVIOUS NEED.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8500, 1 August 1907, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 1907. AN OBVIOUS NEED.

The Manawatu Standard, in a recent issue, diEcourses upon the need of local industries at Paimerston North in an article which is as applicable to Masterton as to the "hub" of the Manawatu district. Our contemporary says: "Paimerston North has developed to an'extent that industries are necessary to aid future expansion. Assisted by the fertility of the soil throughout the Manawatu and its geographical position, Paimerston has become the fifth largest town in New Zealand on a population basis, and it remains for local residents to maintain that position by aiding enterprise and developing industries. It is true that quite a number of the smaller industries incidental to towns exist, but there is still a field for fur. ther enterprise, and our citizens would do well to give this their most | careful consideration. If the pro- ! gress of the town is to be maintained 1 and the population increased, it is of ; the utmost importance that industries i incidental to the soil and its products should be started. Otlier towns of , no greater importance than Palmer- j ston have industries to boast of. For ' instance, Napier lias two soap-works and a woollen mill whose products are sold in this district, while Wanganui has its biscuit and confectionery factory and soap works doing a large distributing business here. And there is no reason why Paimerston should not have its bacon works distributing its products throughout the Island and even beyond. It is true that about seven years ago an attempt was made to start a factory here. The initial steps to form

company were taken and a site procured for a factory, but the movement fizzled out and some few of the promoters joined in with the Wood- ! ville concern. But the factory there is now closed. This, probably, is ■ chiefly in consequence of the company being operated from an unsuitable centre which was too far from the base of supplies. The time is now ripe when an effort should be , made to secure for the district a factory in or adjacent to Palmerston, as ■ this town is central and admirably adapted for distributing the manufactured article, apart from the large business that could be done locally. At present supplies of bacon and hams are drawn chiefly from Wellington and Taranaki, necessitating an enhanced cost to the consumer and lessening the value of pork to the producer. Other industries that might receive attention with advantage to the town are soap and candle works, the manufacture of biscuits and confectionery, woollen goods, tannery, fellmongery, and, indeed, many others." Master ton is developing rapidly, and if prosperity and progress combined are going to continue, more local industries as well as the closer settlement of the surrounding country, are necessary. There are, no doubt, various industries which could be established, and made to pay well, in the hands of competent men of business w'th the requisite amount of capital. The condition of the land market for some time has resulted in the wealthy of practically every class investing, if not speculating, ; n land, but the time must come when those with money to invest will look round for other sources than land from which to draw their incomes, and more profitable sources than "broad acres" will certainly be found in many instances. New Zealand is, of course, a very young country—tho number of its business men are few, and the number of men with a really sound knowledge of the most common of industries fewer still. Owing to one cause and another, it would appear that the trade and commerce of the country have not the amount of capital invested in them thatfpresent development and certain future expansion would entirely justify. We should like to see the Masterton Chamber of Commerce make a determined, vigorous, and long-sustained effort in the direction of educating the Wairarapa public generally as to the possibilities of success attaching to the establishment of various industries in Masterton. FRUIT AND VEGETABLE TRADE IN MASTERTON. The recent increase in the number of European fruiterers in Masterton appears to be indicative of a healthy spirit pervading the community in regard to the Chinese question. European fruiterers and market gar.deners should be loyally supported; both trades, as occupations, could be considerably developed in this town, in fact throughout the country generally, to the advantage of the population as a whole. The anti-Asiatic movement is not of a party character, and it may be remarked that it is emphatically approved of by both the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition. It is a national sentiment that requires to be developed in the intex-ests of New Zealanders, and those who promote the sentiment have no feeling of hostility towards the Asiatics already in the country. More European market gardeners are desirable in Masterton and elsewhere. Many people now obtain their vegetables solely from the Chinese, and in the circumstances they are not :to be blamed for so doing. However, as there must be a good opening in the market gardening business,, it would be preferabe to see the , trade steadily developing in the hands of Europeans.