TOPICS OF THE DAY

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8843, 7 April 1909, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY

In yesterday's issue reference was made to the reasons The that had. existed Fruits-Growing for the non-develop-Industry. ment-of" an export trade-in fruit from New Zealand, and also to the excellent prospects there, were for such an industry in the near future. Trade enquiries received by the "Agricultural Department prove conclusively that as soon as the fruit is available/ a valuable business could , be established with the West of England.: ports, merchants there being , at all times willing; _ to purchase quantities of 'sound,'-, well, graded apples. . Owing- to the great local demand; ; and also: ravages of pests, there has never been a regular export trade of New. Zealand though it may be re-

membered that on various occasions trial shipments have beea senfetDJaigland. Apples for export require cool storage at a different temperature to other things, and special provision, haex nccessaiily to be made. Freezing chambers could, of course, be.utilised, but the smallest space available ond&r these circumstances has room for; between 2000 and 3000 carcases }+ and the quantity of apples to fill that spacers hitheito not been forthcoming. lne, persistent attack that orchardiets are? now keeping N upon pests of all descriptions has ahcady lesuaed in greatly improved and sounder fruit, and it is, doubtless, only a question or time and there will be sufficient quantities oi apples grown for a regular export trade. The annual leturns ieceived by Tasmanian" growers .from apples show the great possibilities of the business, which is one that can haidly be overdone, piovided the quality and grade is suitable to the Home market.

Thk annual publication of the British Boaul of Trade foims TheEmphe's instiuctive and inTrade., terestmg leading. It gives a mass of detail iclative to the Empiic and its resources which are most readily assimilated in its tabloid formj; but the, statistics reach totals"which;are somewhat alarming, and at the same tune difficult to comprehend at their'full meaning. It is now quite a long time: ago since the British race was termed a nation of shopkeepers by a certain well-known ; geiitleman named • Napoleon, and the figures quoted by ; the Board of Trade show that ,we -are still acting up to the reproach/ then, hurled at us. In vthe : various parts of the Empire trade was done to. the extent of £430,537,000,; and in the ten years up to 1907.the Empire's trade with foreign, countries; increased by £432,000,000, ■ and, ,;th& inter-imperial trade increased by £168,000,000. The largest iiidividual trade is done between the Empire: and. the United States of America, fro'nf which the Empire in. 1907 bought £209,047,000 worth-of goods; and to which the Empire sold £120,065,000 worth of goods. Every year ; the Empire produces vast wealth in the shape of agricultural, products and minerals. In 1907 the united coal output, amounted to nearly 305 million tons, and over 17. million tons of iron were won from mother earth in the King's dominions. Of wheat the Empire.produced 412J-million bushels, and oats 372| million bushels, and of maize nearly 33 million bushels. The tea production of the Empire amounted'to nearly 481 million pounds, of cotton 1235 million pounds, of coffee over 45 million pounds, and of rubber nearly 10 million pounds. The greater part of all this produce, of course, is consumed within the Empire./ . '

A number of ladies in the Waikato are giving' themselves Wasted quite an ' unnecessary Effort. amount of trouble in connection with the formation of a body known as' the Women's Patriotic League. Recently they held a meeting, and drew up a long list of objects which are being industriously circulated throughout the length and breadth of the land, with a view to extending the membership of the League. The objects of the organisation are excellent in their way, and the promoters ho doubt have the best intentions in the world, but we are bound to say that experience goes to show the utter futility of these multitudinous leagues. ■'The: amount of effort necessary to organise them and arouse even a glimmer, of enthusiasm average individual is in inverse ratio , to the practical results achieved. We have, in mind the Defence League and the Navy Leagμe, both of which seem to lack the essential elements of appeal to the. public mind, and neither of which are comparable in energy or in influence to the German Navy League. To revert to the Women's Patriotic League, however, a proposition is now put forward from which we wish to dissent as firmly as,possible. It is suggested that, recognising that the cost of New Zealand's Dreadnought will fall upon the shoulders of the men, ;the women'and girls of the Dominion place "a. smalli but free-will offering" at the*; disposal of the New Zealand Government to be used by them in such a way as is deemed fit, and we are asked to open a subscription list to that end. Here is a definite instance of the wasted effort that we have already objected to. The cost of a Dreadnought in interest and sinking fund will fall upon the taxpayers of the Dominion, -and in that case it is surely a misdirection of energy; and a waste of time for the Cambridge* ladies to appeal for Voluntary subscriptions for an object that will be, accomplished automatically by the machinery of the Taxes Departmerit. There are other causes to. which, they can set their hands, the relief of distressed people being among £he number. ':...

;?%r