LOCAL INDUSTRY.

Press, Volume XIII, Issue 1730, 24 September 1868, Page 3

LOCAL INDUSTRY.

TO THE EDITOB OP THB PBBSS,

Sir, —Our waste lands being the only available resource (as yet proved reproductive), I venture to point out one article that can be grown, not only profitably, but also in large quantities for export to the Australian colonies, without entailing any additional outlay or expense upon our agriculturists. I allude to Linseed. This article can be produced equal, if not superior to any grown in England and Russia, and will yield from thirtyfive to sixty bushels per acre, weighing from fifty-eight to sixty-two pounds per bushel. The average coßt per acre will be about £7 10s per acre, and can be shipped at a cost of say 1 d or ls per bushel, including railway and water freight to the Australian colonies. For the growth of linseed good land and a reasonable amount of shelter is required. I have looked upon the growth of linseed as one that would eventually prove a source of considerable wealth to the agriculturist and also an additional means of finding employment to our labouring population, but have hitherto refrained from agitating the desirability of encouraging this means of cropping our lands, through being unable to point out where the producer could find a market. Now the question appears to be solved by the following advertisement, copied from the "Australasian" of August last: —

"Victorian Oil Factory, 6, Brunswick street, Fitzroy. The undersigned informs farmers and agriculturists that he is now open to contract for the purchase of Oleaginous Seeds, viz., Colza, Linseed, Castor Oil Seed, and others, for immediate delivery, or next crop at prices now agreed. He can also contract for returning the cakes to the cultivators for manuring their lands. Signed, A. Joitvbt.

The above advertisement points to the outlet for the seed produced. The difference in price caused by carriage and other incidental expenses resulting in having to convey it to a distant market, is more than counterbalanced by the greater average that can be obtained per acre by the adaptability of the Canterbury, N. Z., soil and climate over that of the Australian. It must strike your readers forcibly the necessity of erecting our own oil mills and thereby fostering local industry on our own doorstep, in lieu of being merely a feeder to the Australian colonies. Well, sir, were a few of our capitalists to put tbe necessary machinery in motion, this might easily and cheaply be done—by erecting mills contiguous totome suitable stream where water power eqald be

s advantageously used, then by contracting with farmers to grow a certain quantity of > lin-eed, with this provision in the contract, ' tint farmers would take tho cake. Then we ■should have mutton and beef well fed and . really fit to bring to t-tble in our winter months' What if our farmer* just clear- expenses by this method of producing meat for mirket ? Are 1 they not benefitted by the increase;! value of the land for ensuing crops? for it is quite dear that land cannot be cropped for erer under our present system. Then comes another question, viz, our system of Government. Firstly, I take it that any inducement held out t . any person or company who undertakes any new enterprise should have some inducement held out to them. For say—should any company bring by local manufacture 50,000 gallons of oil into the market, or so many tons of potato starch, flax, soap, or quantity of pottery ware, yards of cloth, 'kc, would the money thus expended be badly spent ? Would it not bring us population of the right class ? Are not the Government the representatives of the people, and are not they elected for their capacity in being able to govern by the aid of General Assemblies, Provincial and Borough Councils, Road Boards, &c., some 40,000 souls, men, women, and children all told ? Surely, with all these governing powers, they have time to pay some little attention to such important matters as the encouragement of local industries. I remain, kc, An Occasionai Contbibctob.