THE INDUSTRIES MEETING.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 4100, 23 April 1880, Page 2

THE INDUSTRIES MEETING.

Sin, —lt has happened hitherto that the choice of new industries has fallen only upon such as require very large capital. Distillation, gold mining, woollen manufacture, sugar growing —a!J require their capital to be reckoned by thousands. I ventured to suggest at the meeting that cIF-rts should not bo so limited, but that other industries should ho promoted, in order to meet the wants of the many who .ire not happy enough to possess the thousands. I mentioned linseed as a possible instance. Only one or two inexpensive additions to tuo ordinary furm implements will be required, land and. climate are both suitably, but a market is wanted. To provide this, advantage might bo taken of the Mercantile Agency Company, which, is located ia every considerable town in the colony and under special agreement with Government might be instructed to buy all that was offered to tlum, whether in large or small quantities, at a specified price, for at least five ye.irs. 1 wish this fact to be borne in mind, that a continurd certainty of selling is ot:c of the best passible inducements that can be off-red to people who venture upon new industries of this niiture. Upon receipt of such instructions the Company would naturally advertise their intention of purchasing, and the price. I do not imagine that the first year or two would produce any largo quantify. Farmers would have to feel their way —to try their strength at it. What did com:; forward, however, would he collected and stored at a central port till it amounted to a shipload, or nearly no, when it would go home in a respectable form. If sent in small parcels it would remain unnoticed and unappreciated. The undressed fLix, if carefully packed, would probably pay something iijore than shipping and agency charges. It is evident that' such an industry, in view of the usual mercantile conditions, is altogether beyond any likely efforts of private enterprise ; if it is Lo be done fit all, it must at least get a fair start by Government aid. Supposing the price given to be fair value lor the article, the loss to the Government would only amount to the cost of storing and intorest for money outlay till the produce is realised. Under such a scheme as this, it would be a long time before Government lost as much as they have done over the distilleries, the big pump, or the waterraces, and encouragement would be given to a more settled class of producers. Silk is another article which might be tried in the same way. It gives & large return from a small acreage, and just such, labour could bo utilised as is now bein K stagnated by the excess of dairy production. An illustrative item appeared in your Auckland telegrams about three months since. A considerable quantity of silk was taken into that town, but could find no purchaser. Heading this fact in the light of my own experience as regards other things, I should say ll lcßo venturesome people went homo disgusted and buried then- silkwornia out of sight. Notice lwv?

Btrongly this incident comes to the support of my reasoning. Here is the labour and the capital — hero is the produce also ; but to what end 1 Only to fiud such an effort swamped for the want of a purchaser! In conclusion, I venture to express a hope that members for this district— when the report of the Commission is brought forward for discussion in the approaching session — will meet it in a friendly spirit, and discuss it upon its merits, and not support or oppose merely because this or that party introduced it. I have some faith that Government means honestly in the matter — that the Commission is a reality, and not a mere sham to be jeered and scoffed at. I base my belief on the opinion expressed in 1870 by the gentleman who is now Premier. Hesaid — "It is of no use bringing a large population into the country unless we endeavour, to the utmost of our power, to stimulate a diversity of industries." And, further, I would ask those gentlemen and the public to recollect, that it is impossible permanently to build up manufacturing industries within the towns until the country districts are populated. This is a natural law, which legislation cannot alter. — I am, &c, CIIAS. P-ABKINSON, 4-