PAPER MANUFACTURE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 39, 21 October 1871, Page 3

PAPER MANUFACTURE.

[lndependent, October 14.] That we possess in the colony an abundant supply of vegetable products suited for the manufacture of paper was, we imagine, sufficiently demonstrated by the narrative which we gave yesterday of experiments undertaken by Mr Edward M‘Glashan, and by the quotations which we were permitted to make from the correspondence of Home manufacturers with whom that gentlemen has been in communication on the subject —a subject to the consideration of which he has devoted much time and attention. That we possess also the supply of pure water necessary for the preparation of such products, and for the purpose of driving the requisite machinery, is a fact which needs no demonstration to those who are in any degree acquainted with the physical features of the country. The next essential element to the introduction of the industry is naturally the procuring of the plant necessary for a paper mill, and that is a desideratum which cannot be supplied except at such a large cost as may reasonably induce the projectors of a factory to consider well the question of profit and loss. According to an estimate made by Mr Routledge, one of Mr M‘Glashan’s correspondents, a paper mill with one machine could barely be put down at a less cost than £IO,OO0 —the exact amount depending much, of course, upon the locality, and the expense of building materials. It need hardly be said that very few would risk the outlay of so much capital, more particularly as there is nothing in the shape of protective duties—printing paper being admitted into the colony duty free—and, therefore, for the purpose of initiating and promoting this industry some amount of encouragement by the State seems to be absolutely essential. There is, indeed, every reason to believe that it would well repay the colony to offer a handsome bonus, the miserable amount of bonus now offered being totally inadequate to carry out the object in view. In support of this view, Mr M'Glashan has, in a statement mode to the Native Industries Committee, quoted facts which are of some interest as exhibiting what has been done by other Governments for the promotion of similar industries. In South Australia, for instance, we learn from this statement that a Select Committee of the House of Assembly reported, in August last, that thousands of tons of fibre, equal to any demand, and suitable to the manufacture of paper, is growing extensively in various parts of that colony, and a large proportion on Crown lands ; and the committee recommended, with the view of opening up a new and valuable industry, that a bonus of £2,000 should be offered for the first five hundred tons produced in the colony. The Provincial Government of Otago, it should be remem bered, have also agreed to give a bonus of £1,500 to start a woollen manufactory, the machinery for which, is not nearly so heavy or so costly as that required for paper-making. In India, too,

says Mr M‘Glashan, the Government offered the sum of, 10,000 as a premium to those who would produce machinery for the preparation and dressing of rhea grass, while the Government of New South Wales have proposed to place a duty of a penny per pound on paper as a protection to the paper-mill erected at Liverpool, in that colony. It is, of course, for the committee before whom Mr M‘Clash an is prepared to state, or has already stated, the facts which we have quoted, to consider the amount of bonus which it would be prudent to offer. As to the manner in which it should be paid, however, Mr M'Glashan, we believe, ventures the suggestion that one-half of the amount should be payable on the shipment of the machinery, and the other half on the production of so many hundredweight or reams of paper. And we understand that a party is ready to proceed at once to Britain to procure machinery or secure such terms, depending, of course, upon the amount of bonus offered. Another mode has been suggested, and that is to give a bonus of £IOOO for every hundred tons of paper manufactured, up to five hundred tons, and this, it is considered by Mr M'Glashan, would not be too large a bonus, seeing that at the first start there will be the Home competition to contend with, and the prejudice against a colonial manufacture to be overcome. Taking this view of it, he considers also that, so as to assist any party in erecting a mill, an advance ought to be made on security of the machinery. As a subordinate argument in favor of some such bonus being granted, we need scarcely quote the fact that the starting of this new manufacture must necessarily encourage others, such as the manufacture of chemicals used in the trade, and the manufacture of paper-hanging, papiermache, and the many other articles, from a paper collar to a dwelling house, to which paper pulp may be applied. Indeed, if it were a question of facts, these might be multiplied ad infinitum by reference to the trade statistics of England and of the colonies. There can be no question, however, either by the Industrial Committee or the Legislature, as to the dimensions of the paper trade, and the importance of the manufacture. The only question is how the matter can best be promoted, and we have no doubt that the committee will have sufficient evidence placed before them to enable them to make on this subject some well-considered suggestion calculated to advance the undertaking of an invaluable industry.