Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price 1d. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1885. The Necessity for New Products and Industries.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1674, 16 February 1885, Page 2

Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price Id. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1885. The Necessity for New Products and Industries.

Now that the Native difficulty is a thing of the past, and the prospects of opening up the King country for settlement is becoming near and assured, the Auckland people are eager to develop their back country and make it support a large producing and consuming population ; while, at the same time, they desire to encourage local industries and manufactures of every description. Their idea is that when the cutting of the Panama Canal has been completed, Auckland should become not only the first port of call from Panama —a halfway house between the Isthmus and Australiabut also the chief place of export and import for the North Island. This is no doubt a very laudable idea iu an Auckland point of view. Still, we hold, that when a new Panama line of steamers has been established, Wellington and not Auckland, should be the port of call in New Zealand. Some years back there was a Panama Mail Service organised, and despite the frantic opposition of the Auckland people, Wellington was made the port of call. And Wellington as the port of call answered all purposes admirably, both in point of geographical position and iu other ways. Auckland is certainly a fine province and its people are very enterprising. But for all that Auckland isn’t “ the hub of the universe,” and its position as the suggested port of call for the Panama steamers is certainly inferior to that of Wellington. Nevertheless the Auckland Provincial District is very far ahead of the Wellington one, iu the matter of local industries and manufactures. And Auckland is determined to go ahead further still. As the Herald puts it, “The tobacco industry there sprung up the moment the stupid fiscal hindrance was removed, and the manufacturers in Auckland are supplied with the material from all quarters of the island, With sugar refining works, and the spirit with which the production of beet sugar is now discussed at fanners' meetings, this enterprise is also sure to rapidly spread, Mr Federli’s undertaking in silk culture at Hokianga, for which the land has been obiained, and which only awaits the coming of a number of skilled workmen, will include, we hope, besides the growing of subtropical fruits, the production of wine and olive oil. Of all the high-paying things which we refer to, these two are perhaps the most important when fully successful, and our capability of raising them of superior quality it would be very desirable to have properly tested as soou as possible. These various industries cannot be too vigorously pushed forward in all parts of tbe island. Without a paying agriculture to accompany the settlors there, the opening of the King Country win i l ® an imperfect service. “The settlers in the uel. 1 "’"*™ 1 . Provincial district should emulate their neighbors up North by producing what artimCf 1 are suitable for our soil and climate. We prouT ,Q splendid wool, our export of frozen meat is developing immensely, and a woollen manufactory will soon be established in Wellington. But much has still 1

(u iic 1 1 1tiK; in giowiuy new agrmulturai products and in establishing additional manufactories and industries. The field for both is very wide and large and has only as yet been occupied to a very slight extent.