THE NELSON EXAMINER. "Wednesday, June 16, 1869.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXVIII, Issue 48, 16 June 1869, Page 2

THE NELSON EXAMINER. "Wednesday, June 16, 1869.

Journals become more necessary as men become more equal and individualism more to be feured. It would be to underrate thoir importance to suppose that they serve only to secure liberty; they maintain civilization. De TocqueviiiLK, Of Democracy in America, vol. 5, 230. At the time of writing our commercial notice for last "Wednesday's Summary, wherein we regretted the absence of any local association whose business it was to promote new industries, and aid to develope the natural resources of the province, we were quite ignorant of such an association being then in embryo, and that a preliminary meeting of gentlemen desirous of promoting the intellecual and material advancement of Nelson was at that moment being held. Such, however, was the case. A society for promoting scientific research, and which, should embrace the other object named, was so far initiated on Wednesday last, that a second meeting will be held this evening, in a room in the Provincial Building? , when something like a definite line of proceedings will be agreed upon, and steps taken to enlist the support of the public. It may be accepted as a sure proof that a Society of this character was required in Nelson, when different persons, without any previous concert, were calling for it. It would be out of place here to lay down for this Society any programme of action. Its purpose, as we understand, will take a wide range, and in addition to mental cultivation, embrace whatever may be made to conduce to our social and material progress. That an associated body with these objects is much, needed here, we feel more sensibly every day ; and that it may be instrumental in conferring

a vast amount of benefit upon the province we feel certain. At meetings of such a Society, subjects may be discussed of great importance to the welfare of the province — such as new manufactures, new productions — and an interest awakened by which efforts to promote them may be stimulated, and thus anticipate by years the feeble attempts of individuals. It is one of the faults in the character of Englishmen, that they do not readily take to new pursuits, and are blow to direct their attention to occupations they have no previous acquaintance wiLh. However promising a new industry may be, it requires a good deal of trouble to induce our countrymen to enter upon it. It becomes therefore the more necessary that, in a community like our own, somebody should exist composed of intelligent men, free from narrow prejudices, who will be prepared to judge ■whatever is offered to their notice on its merits, and bring whatever is found to be worthy under public notice. There are one or two industries which at this moment require a helping hand, and which, when once established, would be fraught with beneficial results. Take, for instance, the culture of silk — an industry admirably adapted for a rural population, where almost every family is in the possession of land. An acre planted with mulberry trees attached to each cottage, and such attention as in the majority of cases might be given by the children of the family during five or six months of the year, would furnish a considerable export of silk ; and, by introducing the simple machinery used in the early stages of preparing the fibre, employment might be furnished for no inconsiderable number of workmen. The interest awakened in sericulture br the successful efforts of Mr. Batchelor, justifies us in saying that were means taken to procure an adequate supply of young mulberry trees for distribution by sale, and to furnish to those willing to engage in the pursuit a little necessary instruction in the method of treating silkworms, a very considerable number of families would at once direct their attention to it. "We have learnt from Mr. Batchelor that during the last summer he was daily beset by persons desirous of obtaining information as to this pursuit, and the inquiry for mulberry trees was so great that he might have sold a very large number, instead of only fifty — that being all he was able to part with. The white mulberry is a tree not at present procurable here in any number, no demand for it having hitherto existed. The price charged for it has therefore been as high as half-a-crown each, but with a larger demand they could, after a short time, be supplied at a far less price. At a shilling a tree, we believe a large number would at once find purchasers. A subject Buch as this will, we trust, not be considered beneath the office of a Society like that which is formally to be lauuehed before the public this evening. Another matter to which public attention should be directed, is the preparation of the plwrmium ienax, or New Zealand flax. A large quantity of this flax is now being exported from Auckland and Canterbury, and it becomes almost a duty on those who possess the means, to bring into notice here the machinery so successfully used for rendering marketable an article growing in a wild state all over the country. If we remember rightly, in Auckland, a few gentlemen associated themselves together to supply machines to persons willing to take them, and to receive prepared flax at a stipulated price in payment. By this means many men were able to make a living by dressing flax, who would otherwise have been debarred from so doing from the want of the Bmall sum necessary to purchase a machine before they could get to work. "We do not mean to say it would be the business of the society about to be formed to engage in an enterprise of this kind, but it might easily acquire information respecting the success that has attended flax-dress-ing in other provinces, and direct attention to the method which has proved most successful. Much more might be said on these subjects, and we shall return to them again.