CANTERBURY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2417, 7 January 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

CANTERBURY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The following report on tho subject of encouraging suitable immigration for tho purpose of settling tho wasto lands of tho Colony and dovoloping its mineral and other resources, was unanimously adoptod at a Special General Mooting of members of tho abovo Chamber held on tho 19th December. 1. Tho public works and services ef tho Colony are on a scale, and involve an expenditure, very much in excess of the rcquiromonts of tho oxisting limited population 2. In all now countries a condition of prosperity is inseparable from an influx of population, and thoroforo the advent of every able-bodied man who is willing to ■work ia a sourco of wealth. 3. That tho fallacy of a policy of cxclusiveness is clearly demonstrated in a leading articlo which appeared lately in the Australasian, of which tho following arc extracts: — "Supposing that instead of a few thousands there wore as many hundreds of thousands on tho land, the demand for every conceivable articlo would bo infinitely larger. Every man who comes to the Colony can only bo a competitor in ono department, aud he must be a consumer in many, If ho takes up a soloction, _ he does not compcto at all with the working classes. If ho is an artisan, he can at most only compcto with inembors of his own trade, and ho helps to givo employment to all tho others. His arrival, therefore, must be a distinct gain, for, ■while it is not probablo that ho will be tho cause of any largo reduction of wages, it is certain that his wants will add to the goneral employment. Scarcity of work is more likely to be duo in tho long , ran to the presont system of staving off competition." 4. Out of an area of 00,710,320 acres of land in the Colony, only 15,55G,231 acres havo boon sold, or otherwise disposed of, leaving 48,152,080 acres, 31,000,000 being Crown lands, consistingof 15,000,000 acres of open grass and fern lands, 10,000,000 acres of forests, aud 0,000,000 acres of mountains and lakes. With so largo an area of virgin soil unoccupied, unless to a limited extent for grazing purposes, it appears manifest that wo should take steps to attract suitablo settlors to it, who ■would assist in utilising , our public works, and add to tho Colony's wealth. The small tenant farmers iu Groat Britain possessing some capital, good practical knowledgo of farming, and plenty of muscle and pluck, but. who finds it an up-hill task to compote at Home with foreign importations, would find his chances of success in life much improved if facilities were afforded him for acquiring a portion of the Crown lands in this Colony, which arc still available for settlement. As evidence of the fertility of tho soil in New Zealand itmaybopointcdouttb.it in 18S7 there were 253,025 acres under wheal, which yielded 0,207,638 bushels, or 24'89 bushels per aero; 387,228 acres wero sown with oats, and yielded 11,973,205 bushels or 30 - 92 bushels per acre ; aud 27,683 acres produced 134,905 tons of potatoes, or 4-S3 tons per acre. When it is remembered that no manure is used, the above yields should be convincing proof of the excellence of tho soil. 6. In addition to the scope for labor and capital afforded in raising the products for which tho »oil of the Colony ie so eminently adapted, mining industries ofter a very wide field for enterprise to both old and new settlers. Tho numerous receut discoveries of new goldfields, and the introduction of new processes for saving gold, with tho expansion of our coal-minos, partly owing to tho magnificent quality of the coal and partly to improved harbour facilities on tho west coast, lead to tho opinion that a libora.l increase to tho population is alono necessary for developing those resources, aud enabling Now Zealand to become one of tho chiisf exporting countries in tho world of gold and coal. 6. The merits of Now Zealand as afield for employment, both of capital aad labour, arc not sufficiently kuown or appreciated in Europe, Some features that have boon incidental to tho rceont depression lmvo been unduly magnified by a few illinformed critics; whilst tho advantages of our cliuuf.o find soil havo been ignored It should bo siifUoiunt to point out thut, despite tho nuaiy diliculties tlio_ Colony has had to encounter from tho serious fall in the pricc-lovol of many of its principal products, it has continued to in a if o .steady progress all through the recent period or depression. 7. Amongst otlicr proofs of tho

Colony's vitality, the following figures may bo cited us evidence of its progress:— QUANTITIES OF I'HIXCIPAf, ARTICLES EXPOUTED, THE I'ItODUCE OK TIIK COLONY. 1881. 1880. Wool —lbs 50,415,010 00,853,741 Tallow —cwt S3,ir.r, 129,700 1 [ides—No 0,2U1i 37,4-Ui Sheepskins-No. ... 232,780 300,500 C!onl —tons ... ... 0,021 40,130 Flour—tons ... .. 3,220 B,OOS liran and sharps— tons 3, 105 8,874 Oatmeal—tons ... (525 1,011 Hops—cwt 2 2,3 d!) TJnttcr —cwt 2,420 23,17-) Cheese—cwt 3,050 10,-120 Bacon and hams— cwt 138 10,447 Salt beef and pork— cwt 1,1-m 18,800 Preserved meats — cwt 0,505 23,147 Frozen nnitton—cwt Nil 340,0:>-> Cordage—cwt ... 227 1,000 Timber, sawn and hewn-ft 13,180,280 2!1,340,780 AIJ.STKACT FROM TIIK STATISTICS OF THE COLONV OF NEW ZEALAND. Census, Census. 1881. 188(5. Population, excluding Maoris ... 500,010 580,380 Horses 101,73(5 187,382 Horned cattlo ... 008,037 583,358 Sheep 12,085,035 10,501,505 Pigs ... 200,083 277,001 Land under cultivation, including land with sown grass, acres ... 4,708,102 0,845,177 Letters received and despatched ... 25,557,031 38,084,592 Savings bank, depositors 01,0)1 01,200 Savings bank, balance to credit, December 31 ... £1,540,515 £2,133,8(51 Miles of railway ... 1,333 1,721 Miles electric telegraph ... ... 3,824 4,046 Scholars at public schools 83,500 100,328 MANUFACTURES. Number of industries 1,013 2,208 Number of hands employed 17,038 25,(555 Steam engines ... 508 815 Total value land, building*, and machinery ... ... £3,005,117 £0,007,117 WOOLLKN FACTORIES. Number of factories 4 (5 Number of hands employed 417 807 Pounds wool used ... 050,000 1,027,032 Total value lands, buildings, and machinery ... ... £08,500 £203,270 COLLEKIE3. Number of hands employed 002 1,418 Amount of horsepower 48-1 1,038 Tons raised 277,018 481,35S ANNUAL PRODUCTION. Butter, pounds ... 8,453,815 12,170,0(54 Cheese, pounds ... 3,178,004 4,504,705 8. The following figures, extracted from the annual report of the Chamber for 1886, may also assist in showing that a variety of prosperous industries already exist, which offer a promising field of enterprise for an incrcasiug population :— Statement showing the comparative value of the exports to various countries of the principal manufactures and a few of the minor products of New Zealand for years 18S0 and 1885 : —

In fact, with one of the finest climates in the world, and a soil suitable for the growth of all European, and many semitropical productions, and where industries of every kind may be carried on and flourish, it is impossible for such a country to permanently suffer from depression. 9. Too much stress has been laid upon the effects of the recent depression. While present evils have been exaggerated, it has apparently been overlooked that they are merely counterparts of what have happened before, and have always ultimately proved selfconnective. The figures quoted incontcstably show that the Colony has made continuous progress in most of the essential elements of prosperity, notwithstanding the wave of depression, which for the past few years has spread over the commerce of the world, and it may safely be asserted that there has been a far less percentage of bitter distress amongst the industrial classes in New Zealand than exists in any other part of the civilised world. In considering the future we should bear in mind—((/) That in proportion to the area, our agricultural and pastoral resources arc unequalled in any of the sister colonies; (l>) that our coal and gold-mines promises in the near future to be a source of enormous wealth, whilst the large deposits of iron, copper, and other minerals arc still practically untouched ; (<•) that our local manufactories arc rapidly developing into factors of great importance, the woollen industry, in particular, promising to becomo a special feature amongst the industries of the colony, as it is now admitted that the climate of New Zealand being one of the most suitable in the world for dyeing wool, our mills are enabled to produce textile fabrics unsurpassed in excellence for colour or finish. It must, therefore, bo evident that New Zealand has blight prospects before it, which it only needs courage and confidence on our part to develop, We require, therefore, but to increase our population with a class of men such as originally settled in this country, men who had the courage and endurance, the ambition, and the determination to succeed, then if we have confidence in ourselves, and the many resources of which the country is possessed, it will enable our colony to take its proper position, as the best of all England's many splendid dependencies. Maitlavt> Gaud'ner, Vice-President, Canterbury C'] all ) uer of Commerce.

1880. 1885. £ I Animals — Live stock, horses, .sheep, and cattle" 2,3.2 Sf) 200 Bacon and hams... ••• *1* Biscuits ... ••• ••• ft,414 Bran and sharps... ... l-V™ 34,581 Batter ••• Chpp'io ... lj«/o«5 W''>i4j Coal " - - r, ' !,7r 51,257 Four ... - c >°° 8 ' u > ;!79 Grass seeds' . - G . ,)ys 32,510 HWcs . • : 17,853 30,200 Hons ;, 1'' h,3-J0 Leather " W «,051 asfr*: : »« Phormiuin I;'- 1 ' 17 IMlij Potatoes ... ... -M J1 3b,b2n Provisions — Suit beef and pork ri'oo" Timber ... ... _ ••• ol,2l/_> 1-'?,■ j-,7 Sundries —Consisting of woollen manufactures, and other miscellaneous Roods ... ... SO,071 Ml, O'iO 255,1021,300,057