THE WEEK, THE WORLD, AND WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9120, 20 June 1908, Page 6

THE WEEK, THE WORLD, AND WELLINGTON.

I « (By Frank Morton.)

Prelude on Climates.—Local Industries AND IMMIGRATION.—SOME Football Matters. Still an almost unbroken continuance of the fine clear days that have become characteristic of this extraordinary winter that has no winter in it. Of late, making some allowance for occasional days of howling wind, the climate of Wellington has been almost as pleasant <js the climate of Dunedi'i, and has even at off moments suggested the charm of the climate of Christchureh. There must be something at the back of all the talk one hears of the cliate of Nelson; but never having been to Nelsun, I can't say. I have known two climates that especially delighted me: the temperature climate of Hobart, and the tropical climate of Singapore. Both proved admirably healthful, and both (but with a difference) were wonderfully stimulating. The winter of Hobart is a winter of blue skies and nipping frosts, exultant crystal noons and still nights of deep delight. The seison of Singapore—January Ist to December 31st —is all of golden days of strong sea-breezes and perfectly dry heat and nights of glamour and delicious gentle rain. All this, however, is rather beside the point. The point is that we have really dona very well in the matter oj; wjatner this winter in Wellington.

****** The shops have been running what they called a Local Industries Week. There have been windowfull of goods made in New Zealairl, there have been exultant advertises ments in the daily papers, one man drew a crowd by sticking in his window a personable girl or two working at a loom. It was all very cheering and comforting, and to note the rejoicing of the porters was to get a new impression of the quaintness of human nature. Another thing noted 39 not, perhaps, so comforting. A considerable quantity of these goods made in New Zealand were made from imported raw material; and some of the goods made in New Zealand from New Zealand products were not of as high class and quality as similar goods made from New Zealand products in the Old Country. Why that should be, 1 am quite at a loss to understand.' Take a case in ppint. Blankets. The big mills in New Zealand make very good blankets; but they do not, I think, in any case equal in quality the best blankets made from Australasian wool in England.; Why I dont' know. These big New Zealand mills make rugs which in their class are probably as good as any in the world. Why not blankets? One big draper with whom I spoke on the point talked vaguely of labour difficulties; but it seems to me that labour difficulties would tell as much against rugs as against blankets. Why, again, can we not make a flannel in New Zealand equal to the finest English flannel? So far I can admit no reapon;. But, if we are ever to become a great manufacturing community this difficulty of factory-labour has to be faced and solved. On all sides factories are

working short-handed; merely because, notwithstanding the liberal i wages offered, labour ia not to be had. On another hand, Mr Gilruth and others of his faith and knowledge cry out 'that there is great need of more people on the land. And with all this—with the factories crying for labourers and the land crying for men —the labour unions, which pull the strings of government and seek to achieve reforms and progress by a stupid twiddling round of the hands of the clock—the labour unions say that there is no need for immigration. The unions apparently contend that scarcity of labour will keep up the price of wages. It will, in a way. It will, also put up the cost of products. It may even hasten on the good time when this country shall be spotted with ravenous vanr.pire towns with few factories, battening on a country semi-peopled and drifting to the dogs. That is what might happen, and what may happen if the people don't wake up. There is no political bias implied in this statement. People can no longer live on any decent scale of comfort by taking in each other's washing. We cannot hope to flourish and grow great as an industrial community while our industries are starved—denied the adequate and steady • supply of labour which is the very blood of industry. ******

Saturday, the returned professional footballers played a game according to Northern Union rules. The onlookers manifested no hostility to the professional men, and the nevv game was watched with keen interest and growing delight. After the match, I ran into my friend Andy Spence, who is an expert in this kind. "It's a splendid game," he said, "so fine a game to watch that even you would enjoy it. I suppose it stands to sense and reason that it should be so. For years now the keen professional players of England have been putting all their wit and experience into the evolution of a game to catch and hold the public. The duller aspects of the old Rugby game—and anything duller than they are upon occasion could scarcely be devised—these duller aspects have been eliminated. Play ia open and bri^k; something doing all the time. It is so bright and quick a game that the eye, delights in it. I'm no partisan of professionalism, as you know; but if professionalism is to have the monopoly of a game like this, professionalism is going to spread and take strong root. The game that pleases the public is the garni that must get the best grip."