COLONIAL INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 930, 21 October 1879, Page 2

COLONIAL INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION.

(From the Dunedia Tribune.) To the march of progress m industrial pursuits our fellow-colonists must look, undoubtedly, for the future prosperity of these islands, and, therefore, <it is with much pleasure we note the initiatin of a movement — the formation of the Dunedin National Industrial Association — which cannot but tend, if sufficient public support be given it, to enrich the people of New Zealand. In the abridged prospectus the Association supplies the following.:— "l. The objeqts of this Association shall be to watch over, assist, and promote the progress and diversification of our industries, and employ to the best advantage our labor and raw materials. 2. To advocate the adoption of a fair and discriminating tariff. 3. To keep before the public mind the fact that true national economy demands the encouragement and promotion of native industries. 4. To collect and publish statistics and information relating to the objects of this Association. 5. To co-operate with National Industrial Associations m other centres of^ population? 6. To secure the co-opera-tion of members of Parliament m furthering the object of the Association. " From the above it will be understood that the main object of the Association is to promote the progress of the industries of the Colony, by utilising to I the best advantage its raw material, and it must be allowed that the directors of this movement will have a very large and excellent field m which to operate advantageously. If one staple alone — that of flax — be dealt with systematically, the industry would not only give employment to a great number of men, but with suitable machinery and akilful management, prove exceedingly remunerative, when the quality of the article became generally known At present there are, it may safely be asserted, thousands of acres of flax m different parts of this island which — iv place of being a source of profit to the proprietors of the land on which it grows — is deemed a nuisance and only worthy of the fire-stick, and this, too, m parts of the country where a bountiful supply^ of water for working the necessary machinery could always be depended upon. Then, there is the mining • industry — that has. been the principal means of causing the rapid Srogress of the large towns of this olony — really languishing for want of a little stimulating influence m the form of suitable appliances and properlyorganised prospecting associations. It must be patent to every colonist who has travelled through the interior of this island that not only gold, m payable quntities, is to be found m many untried localities, but that minerals of other kinds are obtainable to an exceedingly remunerative degree— if opened out m a skilful and consistent manner. It follows, therefore, that the movements of the Association now m course of formation are not all likely to be centred on undertaking of a doubtful or chimerical character ; — on the contrary, the industries we have [referred to — apart from several others worthy of notice— afford ample scope for profitable investment, and it will rest entirely with the . directory of the society to draw attention — shouldr sufficient -funds for the purpose be at command — to bring their speculation to a successful issue.