TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVII, Issue 166, 15 July 1903, Page 1

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Tit the predictions of tho Government Poultry Expert are verified, the cackle of the hen will mean as much to the Colony in a few years as the lowing of the dairy cow. Bearing in mind tho leaps and bounds of the butter and cheese exports, that is a big thing to say; but the optimism of Mr Hyde is not without good cause. It was only last year that tho Colony entered upon the poultry export trade, but during the present season over one hundred thousand birds, representing roughly a value of £20,000, were sent away, and this output was only one-fifteenth of the orders received. If the poultryraisers of New Zealand had been able to satisfy the direct demand alone, the output would have been worth £300,000 I Moreover, our snpplies were practically all absorbed by South Africa, and the great London market yet remains to be exploited. The foundation of an industry with great possibilities has been laid; and the Government expert is to be congratulated on this fruition of his years of pioneering work. He is well warranted in asking for the appointment of assistants to extend the operations of his Department. There could surely be no sounder business for the colonists to take up than one offering such attractions that in the second year of its existence £280,000 had to be turned away because the orders of foreign merchants could not be satisfied. One has only to glance at the extent to which the discerning American farmers have followed up tho industry to get an idea of its "profitableness. Poultry raising there is worth nearly ninety million pounds sterling a year, and exceeds by many millions the annual value of any other American industry. The recent development of the poultry trade in this Colony is full of promise.

Our own district is in every way suitable for poultry-raising, and th« Marlborough. Poultry Association has done good service in bringing the practical, side of the pursuit so prominently before the public. In this connection the Show held last week has been of real value, and presents the work of the Association in a much more favor* able light than in past years. It so much more strongly commends that institution to public support. Mr Hyde himself, in an address w'uch should give a decided impetus to the industry here, laid' stress on the bus! ness feature of poultry-raising, and it is to be hoped that his recommendations to the settlers of the district will bear good fruit. We have been inclined to slowness in these parts in striking out oa new industrial lines—as witness dairying; and a little less vis iyievtiae in this instance would bo welcome as indicating the existence of keeDer enterprise and more readiness to take advantage of new trade openings. At the same timo it must be admitted that the Government instructors and experts do not favor this part of the Colony with the attention that is due to ib. Dairying, fruit-growing, and poultry-raising are industries that cannot be too strongly commended to the residents of a district possessing such natural resources as does our own. With direct shipping to other countries, proximity via Pie ton and the river to the Wellington markets, and with freezing facilities at our doors, there is every inducement to go extensively into the poultry raising bnsl ness. There is no reason why such a number of orders should pass us on the way from Wellington to Christenurch. Mr Hyde's advice is worthy of careful consideration, and his suggestion that an industrial company, such as exists in other places, should be formed here should not be neglected.