IMPROVED PROSPECTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9307, 9 March 1889, Page 5

IMPROVED PROSPECTS.

[by tbleoraph.—press association.] Nelson, Friday. Ae tho annual meeting of the Neleon Chamber of Commerce, Mr. J. H. Cock delivered an able, address. Referring to tho improved prospects of the colony and the district, he considered the new tariff had had the unexpected advantage of leading to increased thrift, and thab the economies now being practised in public and private, combined with increased production of bhe colony, musb soon restore ibs credib fully. He viewed with greab sabisfaction the largely increased exports of the colony, now two millions in excess of imports, and gave a number of interesting statistics. Mr. Sclanders and others spoke of the bad odour in which the colony stands at Home in consequence of ibs indebtedness, and a reeolubion as follows was carried unanimously :—" Thab ib be an instrucbion bo the committee to use its beet influence during the coming year to prevent an increase of the public debt of New Zealand." Invkrcargill, Friday. Since bhe New Year, bhe weather has been exceptionally fine, and the harvest prospects good. This, with the probability of a great outside demand at high rates, is making the farmers jubilant. A very large area is now in crop, principally oats, and the settlement appears to have received a fresh impebus. The turnip crop is exceedingly good, so that the outlook for ebock is of the best. Largo blocks of land are being secured for the flax industry, which is likely to assume considerable dimensions, as flax is in abundance. Many people now believe that tin mining will speedily be in full swing at Stewarb Island, and bhis, with the development of goldmining in various quarters, is causing business people to take a hopeful view of the situation. Already a general improvement in trade is noted.