The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In th cause of Truth and Justice we strive. SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1871.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 807, 29 April 1871, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In th cause of Truth and Justice we strive. SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1871.

A special correspondent of the " Otago Daily Times," who appears to have been making a tour of the provinces, furnishes some valuable intormation on the various industries carried on in New Zealand. The manufacture of cloth in Nelson is referred to, and although this industry is on a very limited scale, it has sufficed to practically decide the question whether this article of colonial manufacture can successfully compete with similar goods imported. Aa early as 1845, says our authority, the manufacture of cloth was commenced by Mr Blick. The fabric then made was entirely woven by hand-looms, and tho hands employed were chiefly German women. Mr Webley, as successor to Mr Blick, imported fresh machinery in

1861., and again in 1867 and 1870, the present average quantity of cloth manufactured being 1000 yards monthly, at a cost of 5s per yard. The consumption is almost entirely confined to New Zealand, the expense of carriago &c. to Australia rendering it impossible to compete with the Geelong and Sydney manufactures. It will be thus seen that although the industry has, but yet, attained very small proportions, it has successfully struggled into existence during the last 25 year.--, and is certainly capable of greatly increased extension. There can be no question that, in point of durability and soundness, the Nelson fabric will very greatly excel any home-made article entering into competition with it, inasmuch as in the manufacture of the former only the purest wool is used, while shoddy and mungo enter, very largely, into the Yorkshire and Scotch manufactures. The effect of the latter materials is to enable the maker to produce a heavier and an apparently finer fabric than when using wool only, but in attaining this result durability and soundness are altogether sacrificed. As is but natural, where a manufacturer has gained celebrity for the excellence of the articles he produces, spurious wares are very quickly foisted upon the market, and, unfortunately, in the matter of woollen fabrics the imitation to an ordinary observer appears the superior article. Mr Webley, we find, lias to complain of this and asks whether protection cannot be afforded him against such frauds. We think some protection is practicable. A manufacturer might adopt certain original patterns, and register the same, which would render persons vending imitations liable to a penalty. The adoption of such a plan as this would be to exteud a proper protection to colonial manufacturers, since without it they cannot successfully compete with the showy but spurious imitations turned out by home makers. In these observations we do not desire to condemn m a wholesale manner the system of using up waste woollen fabrics. In the manufacture of articles in which weight rather than soundness forms the first consideration, shoddy may be very properly introduced, and without it blankets and many other articles of cheap manufacture could not be offered at the low prices ruling. The value of these materials, which for the most part are allowed to go waste in this colony, represent a large sum annually. The home value of waste woollen materials rules from five to seventy or eighty shillings per cwt., according to colour and quality, while cotton and linen rags, used in the manufacture of paper, range from five to sixty shillings per cwt. Unless for export there is no means of utilising the latter materials, there being at pesent no movement on foot for the manufacture in this colony of printing or the finer qualities of paper, but we believe there exists an excellent and remunerative opening. In Canterbury it is proposed to form a company, with a capital of £IO,OOO, for the manufacture of the coarser qualities of paper from flax tow, and the production of better class paper will, no doubt, follow shortly as one of the industries of the colony. Were it already in existence, the means would be readily afforded of utilising materials representing a large value annually, which are now for the most part lost to the colony.