“THE RIVER LIMIT”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 15 June 1926, Page 5

“THE RIVER LIMIT”

RETARDING PROGRESS IN- BAY DISTRICTS

(Ti The -Editor.)

Sir—Few people, unless they have been through Die experience; have any idea of; the weary difficulties and expenses. whi ch, occur, ,in, developing a new industry and the long hard struggle that has .to be gone through before it can be established. Ask the orchardists their, experience—but tlie, result of their hard struggle will be the establishment- of -an... industry of veiy great value to the Dominion, The Government guarantee was a wise measure arid enabled the weaker ones who would themselves have gone under, to pull through. The bonus to the Iron Company was also a. wise measure, as _ it means-many thousands of pounds being retained and : circulating -in the ■ Dominion that would otherwise have gone out for imported"' if ah'. We must not forget that every thousand pounds saved from importation by • the development of ’our national resources is of equal value to every thousand pounds added to our "exports. >lt is in the starting of a new industry that help and encouragement are- needed. Once firmly established they can stand-on . their merits. Within 50 miles of Nelson there are two'new industries starting to developGolden Bay minerals—not to mention coal, cement, -and marble, which are established at ports. There'is an'Unlimited quantity of fire clay or gannister, admittedly the host’ this, side of the line, and equal to the- very- best- imported. There is a demand for this all over the • Dominion 'at a 1 ' reasonable price. There is also nearby a large deposit of iron ore particularly suitable for making first-class' iron paints of various colours, and a Nelson company have started manufacturing tjrese paints. Some years ago the Government' had the paints made from,this ore.tested in England as compared with the best English,- and the, report was that the New Zealand Was' decidedly the best. Australia was a large consumer of those paints, and for some years after we sold .Out Dhad enquiries from there asking if any more of it could he obtained. O.ther industries would probab-iv-start if it-were rendered possible, to get a product to the markets, and it ' fe‘ ,/ich this purpose we are petitioning to .ave the river limit restriction removed. We are not asking for a bonus, Subsidy, or guarantee, but- are only asking that we may be permitted to get our product to tlie markets by the removal of a quite unnecessary restriction which at present prevents our doing so. Surely a very moderate and reasonable request. Because a Minister of Marine some yem-s ago drew a certain river limit, tvhich has since proved to be unnecessary and very injurious to a large district, is surely no reason why the present Minister of Marine, with the evidence of the injury being, done, before him. should.not .remove the. objectionable restriction. 'The Prime Minister and other Ministers have repeatedly urged the value and necessity of developing the resources of the Dominions. Now, if they are sincere—and we have no reason to doubt them being so—they cannot refuse to remove .a restriction proved to lie quite unnecessary, and which prevents the .development of n large district. Naturally the Government pay more attention to the requests of local bodies as representing the wishes of a number of people. Surely it would come within the interest and province of the “Progress League” and the “Chamber of Commerce” to assist- the petition to have tlie present “river limit” altered. Their assistance would greatly help a good cause. I am, etc., H. P. WASHBOUR-N. Pert- Nelson, 14/6/26.