INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE DEPARTMENT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11647, 26 August 1905, Page 5

INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE DEPARTMENT.

(Per United Press Association.)^^

WELLINGTON, August- 25." The Industries and Commerce Department produces much the same impression with its annual report. Most .<jf , ,us"are familiar with the system under which this' department sends out its monthly report to the colony, watches over .the progress of the produce trade, and busies itself about many things which are to the interest of the average New Zealander. It is. hardly necessary to v follow the report in all its details. Enough. that it regards the prospects of the. trade with the Western, centres of Britain as very good, and ia persuaded that' the present system' of putting all our goods into' one commissionbasket and having them carried to one' market commander by the monopolist of both shipping and commission rings is hot the system for this very progressive country. That this bad system will be altered before many days the existence of the department is as good a guarantee as could be desired. Such is the tone Of the report. There are many persons who will not agree of course, for there are' many persons who think that the best of. all systems is thf , one which concentrates all our produce in the London market. Mr Cameron does the writing from the. London end of the department, and Mr Gow speaks ,of his experience in South Africa. As the experience is not of much importance,, being 1 chiefly that .' through t droughts, burst booms, and the obsession of those rascally military contracts of which the cables are so full, business of the right kind, wi£h Africa did not make much progress^ \At any rata, Mr Gow did his best by going round the country and visiting the people of influence and position to push "the; trade of this country and met with some measure of success. 4 . - '