TE AWAMUTU.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2033, 18 July 1885, Page 3

TE AWAMUTU.

rHK PKOI'CMH) HOOMLV h iCTOin. Mr Hkm'oit, the travelling agent for the pioposed woollen factory has \initod this distuct, and met with considerable success, peoplu geneially being alive to the necesHity of uny industry which tend-, to iHe the law pioduction of the colony. Waikato pioduces a Urge quantity of wool .and the supply could bo largely increased if the dem uid wai rants it. We might as well wear locally made cloth as send our money to the otiirr island for our clothing; we would at my rate haw> borne prospect ofh.iMiig some of its circulated ari.ong ns again. Kwirytlnng points to Auckland becoming,—,is Hu Julius Vogel piedicta-the C^ueeii of the Pacific, and considei ing her import nice, -he lias fewer mdustiie* than other citirs of siunl.u unjMiitAiice, She is the principal nuiket for not only the North island, but for a gieat deal of the produce of the other island also. Tins fact houever is not my giatifj-ing to the local farmers, as it keeps the price of produce below the paying margin. One dealei said that while he could get Canterbuiy potatoes for ("•< '»d a ton, le-*s freight than those f frown in Waikato he could not take the utter. The rate of freight on potatoes from here to Auckland is practically protection to the Canterbury farmers, for while they can, if I am correctly informed, get their potatoes to Auckland for nine or ten shillings a ton, tin 1 Waikato men, at least those living in the upper end, have to pay lv's od. If the freight were reduced to ten shillings, more would be went to market, foi si\ shillings a ton means a profit of fiom two pounds to two pounds eight an acre on a fair aveiage ciop, a profit with which most men would bn -ut^ried undei the present depressed circumstances. If we could get our produce to Auckland market for the same rate as tli.it from Canterbury to Auckland, we would be in a position to compute with southern faimeis, hut with a handicap of si\ 01 seven ahdlmgs a ton, we h.ue \eiy little chance again it thctu — (Own Coiie-pondent.)