THE PREMIER ON THE COLONY'S RESOURCES.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1637, 9 December 1885, Page 2

THE PREMIER ON THE COLONY'S RESOURCES.

_ • On Saturday the Premier laid the foundation-stone of the Wellington Wollen Factory's buildings at Peton*, in the presence of about 500 persons, including the Hon. Messrs Ballance, Richardson, Buckley, and Lavnach. The. Premier, in the conrse of his speech, said that we were now on the eve of a new economical era. No true greatness could aocure to a nation unless through her industrial enterprises. Art and science wonld necessarily flourish where industries were, fostered and encouraged, und this Colony wonld remain poor while she depended solely npon her shipment of wool and gold. This was true from an educational point of view ; but looked at in a more material light, the argument was equally sound. An oM maxim told ns it was folly to put all our eggs into one. basket, and the more we spread onr industries the wealthier we. would become. Tueu there was another question which was continually recurring — namely, what shall we do ! with our sons? He did not undervalue the raw products of the Colony— they were our etandliy ; but all of onr boys were not fitted for agricultural work, and if we wished to have a natural life the weaklings of the family must be looked after. History showed us that nations advanced in proportion as they looded after indnstrial enterprise, and ■ this Colony must bear this fact in mind. An American had said that what was wanted was not so much extensive, farming as intensive farming, and he (Mr Stout) took this to mean that Urn development of the manufactures and our agridultural enterprise should advance side by side. As an instance, he would point to New York State, were the size of the farms was small and the average of wealth large. It had been said that the erection of many wollen mills in the Colony would cause undue competition, but he thought that this was a mistake, ns each mill would have its own speciality. Just as there was a difference in the pastoral development, one part of the Colony producing tuerinoeß and another cross-breds, so there wonld be a difference in the class of material produced from the various wools. The splendid harbor of Wellington had led people to think that the, place would become the principal distrilutiug point of the Colony ; bat they <

should look not only to commerce hut to the development of manufactures for i the future welfare of the place. If the railway were made from Westport to Pioton, Wellington would obtain a supply of coal which would enable her to compete with any place in the Colony. They had heard a good dead lately about the present depression in the Colony, but he would point out that had the old settlers not had faith in the future New Zealand would not be in the position she now waa He referred to the necessity of the people of the Colouy using colonial-made goods in preference to imported arttides as the most effective manner of supporting local industries. Subsequently he referred to what the present Government had done in fostering technical education, notably in regard to drawing.