THE SILK INDUSTRY.

Timaru Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 5408, 7 May 1892, Page 3

THE SILK INDUSTRY.

« AN IN lERESTINGr EXPERIMENT. During a conversation with a Wellingtoi Pressman as to the goneral progress of th coloDy tbo Hon. Mr Ballanoe said :— " Ab ti the North of Auckland, you ara aware tha several attempts bavo teen made to establisl the Bilk industry ihere. 'ihoao attempts wen but partially successful, owing to the fact apparently, that too muoh dependence wa placed upon tbe energies of isolated groupß 0 people who ware to employ their children ii rearing the silkworms, and for want of thi organisation necessary to try the experimen upon a scale that would be profitable. Aa tc the production of Bilk itself it never cxtendet beyond speoimons, but tho quality of wha wae produced gave every satisfaction. M Federli, Herr tiohott, and others mad experiments under former Governmen 1 auspices, but m every case the com plaint m the end carao to this, tha families and children scattered over a widi area could not be got to concentrate thei interest m Ihe specitio results aimed at by th Government for tho timn being. Some go tired and gave up their interests ie tbe matte altogether, others act about tho work the; had undertaken m a perfunctory way. Then was no power tt compel them to oontinue. Ii that way the attempts mado had little reaults nevertheless it appears tome that the industr; if it could bo established upon anything like satisfactory footing, is capable of a develop inent of the greatest importance »s one of thi prospective staples of the colony. It is a this point the real interest m the qucstioi arises, at all events the Government havi resolved (o make another Btlempt whic will be attended with coarcoly any cos and which may be attended with important although subsidiary, bonoGts to a portion 0 the Northern population, and which i ultimately successful will contribute greatl; to the future wonlth of tho colony. I hnv spoken to the Minister of Land 3 upon th subject, and be agrees with me that the ex periment I propose is well worth a trm: What I suggest is this. We havo an agri cultural farm at Whangarei : If this grouni were planted with the mulberry, mostauitabl to the climate, the food for Bilkworma woul be obtainable m a short time. Instruction have been given for that purpose, and th treee, I believe, are already planted Whe sufficient food of the right sort csn be pre cured m requisite quantity we DropOße t draft children from tbe iudustrial echools 0 the colony to this new industrial institution t have them iustructed m the treatment of silt worms, and under a properly qualified expert t have them made familiar with all the processc connected with tho production of a ail crop. At present the liability of the colon for the maintenance of these industrie schools is very considerable. There mvi be a large number of children unfitted fc the physical effort necessary to give thoi Borne trade, but m any cane a great numbc of tbe children m industrial schools can b employed with benefit to themselves an possibly profit to tbo colony upon a industry of this kind. Tbe certnin reeu would be at all events to reduce t some extent the coßt of the maintenanc of these children, at the same tin: that valuable instruction would be give to them by whicn they would becon: producers of material wealth for tho countri Their work would be guided by a profioier. expert, and at the came time the proper dii cipline of an industrial Bchool would be mail tainod. As yet it is impossible to go ml the details We look on the matter now f an experiment to be undertaken under favoui able conditions. Success of course may t deferred or diverted, but aa the cost is smi and tbe 'possibilities great and the probabiliti hopeful, the venture ia not without a reaaoi ■ able promiso of realising all that can be c: pected from it, if not immediately, mtl ' near future."