DUNEDIN AND ITS INDUSTRIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13855, 19 March 1907, Page 3

DUNEDIN AND ITS INDUSTRIES.

A VISITING COMMISSIONER'S VIEWS.

COMMERCIAL- UNION -Olf THE EMPIRE.

Taking advantago of the brief stay in Duneiliu of the Canadian Commissioner at the Now Zealand International Exhibition, Mr T. H. Race, a Times reporter waited on that gentleman at the Grand Hotel last evening, in order to glean his opinion of Duncdin and the district around, which he has seen, and particularly to obtain his views regarding iho altitude Canada is likely to take up with reference to tbo proposed Imperial Council. This is your first visit to Duncdin, Mr I'aco. is it not?. "Yes. I was present at tho Oamaru show last year, but I did not como furthsr south on that occasion. I am very much pleased ■with tho ountry lying between Oamaru and Duncdin. The uplands are of more importance to mo .than Iho level plains, such as we see in Canterbury, and 1 was surprised to find thai, the areas were so rich on the hills lying between Oamaru and Duncdin. It is gratifying to see. so lnanv tine farms." "VVhaf, arc your impressions of Ihe city and surroundings? "The City of Dunodin appeals to me. It is more like a Canadian city than any I have yet visited in New Zealand. Its buildings and the very pretty homes nestling on Die hillsides could not strike one other than favourably, and the industries going (in that I have visited have been quite a revelation to me. I have inspected tho Taieri and Peninsula Company's factory: it is dm largest of die kind T have yet visited in this colony. I was not at all surprised at the splendid facilities possessed by tho company, for I have encountered Iho products of this particular factory in Ihe Old Land and in different parts of the world during iho paM- few years. At the Colonial Exhibition, held at Liverpool two years ago, I saw this biand o.f butler, awl my impression then was that it was quite equal to the test of the Danish, buffer that I found in the British market. In fact," added Mr Race, with a twinkle in his eye, "1 took pari in a -soiiicivlint warm controversy one Saturday afternoon regarding the relative merits of the two articles. T firmly held that this was quite equal Io Ihe sample of Danish butter then on Exhibition, and I challenged those who favoured Danish fo show me any superior merit that it possessed. They were unable to do fo," said Mr Race with finality. Questioned as to his impressions regardjug other industries, Mr Race said: "In. the farming districts I was particularly struck with (ho excellence of Iho agricultural implements mado in Ibis country—tho ploughs, especially. I called at the warehouse of the Mosgicl Woollen Factory. I ndmirc tho rugs turned out by this factory especially: I liavo admired them in different' parts of tho world. "We manufacture a travelling nig at Montreal, but not one to compare with tho Now Zealand rug. I do not believe there is a rug manufactured in the world to compare with the local article. 1 was presented with a very handsome souvenir of my. visit to the warehouse, which I am taking home with me as a sample, and I intend presenting several of my friends with rugs manufactured in this country. The appearance of the people in this city gives one a most favourable impression, especially on Sunday. They appear to be ii. pretty good church-going community for one thing. T should say the Sabbath Day is particularly well observed hero in Duncdin, and that is one thing that, always strikes a Canadian, because our Sabbath laws are very strict. I may say that I also visited your Museum, and look a good deal of pleasure in the exhibits I saw there. I intend making up an cxbibit. from the Canadian minerals in tho Exhibition and presenting it to Dr Benbarn." With reference to the cablegram just received regarding the formation of an' Imperial Council and the commercial union of the Umpire, Mr Race, what is the general opinion in Canada on the relations between England and the colonics? "It is mil. easy to express myself on the mere wording of that cablegram. lam well aware that Sir Wilfrid Lauricr docs not attach the importance to tho question that he would do if he knew this part of tho world as he knows Canada. If I were in Canada, and had not. seen Ihis part of Iho Empire, and learned something of its imlvarlancc, I would have felt probably as Sir Wilfrid Laricr feels, but having seen this country in the Southern Pacific I am quito convinced that a council such as that pro posed would liavo been a considerable saving to the Empire in years past. Such a council may do it a great service even now. I feel that the Empire.cannot afford fo 'lose one foot of Ilio_ territory that she now possesses in tho Pacific Ocean. Neither the. Ifome Land nor Canada realise ihe importance of Ihe territories in the Pacific that she has already lost, and I am satisfied that such a council could yet. exercise a. very valuable servico in tho interests of international trade down in this part of the world. With regard to the last paragraph in the cablegram I do not attach very much importance to ii, because I think'it originated very largely with the coble man. I know that Sir Wilfred has had correspondence with Sir Joseph Ward with regard to trade anil oilier milters concerning both Canada and New Zealand, and I know that negotiations are under way, with reference to butter transportation, between iho two colonics, for instance, but these mailers are still sub judico so far as the public are concerned. When Sir Wilfrid Lauricr and Sir Joseph Ward 'meet in London I think tbo New Zealauder will bo able to convince the Canadians that he may bo in error with regard to his views concerning the proposed Imperial Council."