OUR INDUSTRIAL POSSIBILITIES.

Grey River Argus, 21 July 1922, Page 4

OUR INDUSTRIAL POSSIBILITIES.

It would surprise many to know what a large number of secondary industries arc carried on in Christchurch, for instance, without any help from a protective tariff,' No imports should be given a better footing in the country than local manufactures. If there had been more encouragement for manufacturers, the mad land speculation of the Government and the sharks would not have left the country so badly off as it is to-day. When the history of the Reform Government conics to be written, its failure to rise to the situation an dguide the country’s economic destiny right since the war will be reckoned its greatest sin. Instead of say 60 there should be 70 or 80 out of every 100 of our workers engaged in secondary industries, though an increase in them would naturally call for more workers on the land. Australia is destined to be a great cotton growing country, and the climate of New Zea land fits it specially to be a great cotton manufacturing country, so that a wise government would prepare for such eventuality. The primary industries have been made a god, and in the years to come this is going to create trouble. It is notable that population is greatest. where secondary industries are most extensive, and , while con jestion is undesirable, it is certain the extension of manufactures in a very considerable degree will be necessary to maintain a large population in the Dominion. Many farmers employ only the families of the owners. Numerous small centres could be created on the latest hygienic lines, for our wide and even distribution of hydro-electrical re courses, combined with lengthy and convenient coast lines, does away with any necessity to crowd population into a place like Sydney, or in the way England crowded her people in the first half of last century. The Government and local organisations should advertise our secondary industries and manufacturing possibilities more. Improved industrial education is called for, rather than the propaganda that Imperial trade means for us merely the shipping of butter, wool, cheese, and meat away, because the inevitable result of this !is that as soon as the demand is slackened at the other end—as at present in the case of wool and meat—there is a slump in New Zealand. There was once in America a noted publicist, Horace Grecly, who popularised the saying:—“Go West Young Man!” Mr Massey has lately been adapting it to “Go North Young Man!” But Greely’s most fundamental agitation was the development of the secondary industries of the United States, and it- is evident from the results of his advocacy that he was one with a true vision. New Zealand’s next need in the way of a statesman is one who will endeavour to consider the workers, as distinct from land owners; one who will use the machinery of State to balance our land production of primary products with a parallel enterprise in manufactures. Then the country will become more self-supporting and selfcontained, will carry a larger population, and, what is better still ,with other improvements destined to be made in our social system, will carry its growing millions in a condition of greater and more universal affluence.