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Waipawa Mail, Volume 2, Issue 114, 15 October 1879, Page 2

There is a growing tendency in the colonies to foster and protect industries which are in competition with those of older countries. We do not now wdsh to discuss the merits and demerits of such a policy, but we would point out that there is, rightly or wrongly, too often a prejudice against articles of colonial manufacture. We think that if any article can be manufactured in the colony as well and for the same price as the imported article, every good settler should give the preference to that one made in the colonics. Every well-wisher of the province must have been pleased to see the large collection of agricultural implements exhibited at the late Show. It did not require a large practical experience to see that for utility and good workmanship the exhibits of our local manufacturers far surpassed the imported articles. And it is not very difficult to assign a reason for this ; for necessarily local men must have a better acquaintance with our local wants than the English or American wholesale manufacturer. That a collection of agricultural implements from the workshop of Mr A. Jones, of Waipukurau, took the prize against imported ones is evidence of this. His single and double furrow ploughs,

we are informed by practical men, would have done credit to any Showground in the old country, being on .the. most improved style, and constructed so as to reduce the draught to a minimum. The other farm implements exhibited by Mr Jones and Messrs Corskie and Robb are evidence, if suck is necessary, of the capabilities of our tradesmen to suit the requirements of the district.' While such is the case, we cannot understand why farming implements of various kinds should be imported oil such a large scale as they are at present. In the best interests of the province, it is advisable in every way to encourage local industry. Wo would urge that so long as this district can turn out work like that shown on Thursday last at Hastings, and at such reasonable prices, there is no need to go outside of it for similar work. We hope, another year, to see our local tradesmen even more successful than they were this year.