The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1939 What Industries Mean

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21528, 15 December 1939, Page 6

The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1939 What Industries Mean

A T the annual meeting of the Timaru Worsted and ™ Woollen Company on Wednesday Mr W. IL Walton mentioned the odd fact that Timaru had given this industry less support than it received from anywhere else in the Dominion. A shareholder associated with other industries added to this by saying that Timaru was the worst market for the products of the factories in which he was interested. Mr Walton drew attention to a fact which should not need to be emphasised, but which, apparently, is being overlooked by the people of South Canterbury. In a glib and unthinking kind of way Caroline Bay is often spoken of as Timaru's greatest asset. It is, of course, nothing of the kind. Outside the essential civic services such as the water supply, lighting and so on, no asset is of greater importance to this or any other town than flourishing industries.

The truth of this statement can be revealed in the simplest terms, and Mr Walton was right in drawing attention to it. In the case he quoted specifically £17.000 was paid out in wages and salaries. This money was put into circulation in Timaru, and if proper encouragement is given to the enterprise employment would increase to the advantage of every kind of trader in the town. Every penny spent on the products of local factories is a direct gain to the town. It helps to keep Timaru workers employed, and everybody knows that no money circulates more rapidly or more beneficially than the wages of workers. They have to spend to live. That is what their wages are for. Part of the indifference to local industry is caused by thoughtlessness. People who have purchases to make go about the business without thinking that they have some duty to the community in which they, too. earn their living. Spending is really a responsibility and it should be regarded as such. The position would be much improved if spenders carefully weighed up the cumulative effect of their spending. Local industries also suffer because people imagine that the quality of an article is necessarily improved because it has come from a distance. There is a specious belief that goods must be better for travelling even no more than 100 miles. It is not suggested that the people of South Canterbury should endeavour to exist by taking in each other’s washing, but where quality and price are right preference ought to be given to the products of local factories. Industrial development is necessarily conditioned by the market available, and it is not encouraging for local enterprises indirectly performing a service of high value to the community to find that they have to send their goods outside South Canterbury to have them assessed at their real worth.