CHAPTER XIII. TRADES, MANUFACTURES, AND COMMERCE.
[Image of page 50]
CHAPTER XIII.
TRADES, MANUFACTURES, AND COMMERCE.
NEARLY every branch of trade has its representatives in Otago. Manufactures are of slow growth in a young country, the main impediment to their establishment being chargeable partly to the scarcity of competent hands, and partly to the high rates of wages. It is also necessary as a preliminary that there should be a local market of sufficient capacity to ensure a ready sale of the manufactured products, in such quantities as will remunerate the manufacturer, and afford a fair margin of profit on the capital invested.
Due weight being attached to these conditions, the establishment of manufactures is an evidence of progress, more or less rapid. It is therefore very satisfactory to find that in a Province so recently settled as Otago, there are already several manufactories in existence; and, so far as the judgment may be guided by external evidences, all are prospering.
Several flax-mills have been established for the purpose of preparing the fibre of the native flax (Phormium tenax), and for the manufacture of twine, cord, and rope therefrom. One of these-- Mansford's--is shown in the accompanying illustration of the mouth of the Clutha River. The rough fibre is principally used for stuffing mattrasses. The manufactured cordage is of good quality, and will gradually supersede the foreign article, and ultimately become an important item of export to the adjoining colonies.
[Inserted unpaginated illustration]
[Image of page 51]
Breweries are numerous. Both climate and soil are well adapted for the growth of malting barley of superior quality, for which there is now a considerable demand. The ales produced by the local breweries are far more pleasant and wholesome than the heavy English beer formerly imported; and as a natural consequence the importation of the latter has rapidly declined of late years. The Otago ales of Messrs Copeland & Marshall, and Birch & Co. are now in great favour throughout New Zealand; and Otago brewers carried off first prizes both at the New Zealand Exhibition, and at the Victorian Inter-Colonial Exhibition. Indeed, there is no other colony or province so favourably circumstanced for the production of first-class malt liquors.
There arc three foundries in Dunedin, capable of turning out any kind of work, from a small fitting to an iron steam vessel. Some of the latter, built and fitted in these foundries, and launched in the Bay, have proved equal in strength and speed, in beauty of line and in construction, to any imported. Boat-building is carried on both at Dunedin and at Port Chalmers. At the Port, a stone Graving Dock is now in course of construction, and a Floating Dock is nearly completed. The Graving Dock will be of sufficient capacity to admit any vessel drawing not more than twenty feet.
As is shown by the recent Census Returns, there are more houses of brick and stone in the Province of Otago than there are in the whole of the other Provinces of New Zealand combined. It is not, therefore, surprising that brick-yards are numerous, and their products in steady demand. Messrs Hutchison and Co.'s works, at the Water of Leith, near Dunedin, are fitted with patent machinery manufactured by Messrs Clayton and Co., of London, and worked by a 10-horse horizontal steam engine. When driven at ordinary speed this machine is capable of turning out 1100 "standard," or 1300 small bricks per hour--the small bricks, which are rather less in size than those used in England, being the favourites in Dunedin. Not only bricks, but paving and roof-tiles, drainage pipes, and various articles of pottery-ware are largely produced.
[Image of page 52]
In addition to the foregoing, may be enumerated tanneries, coach-factories, soap and candle works, and bacon and fish-curing establishments. Saw-mills are numerous, and naturally there are a great number of flour-mills. The abundant supply of water every where available, and the conformation of the country, which renders every stream capable of being advantageously used, present wonderful facilities for the erection of all works requiring motive power. And the exceeding purity of the water itself is no slight element of success in any processes wherein water is employed.
Recently a clock-manufactory has been opened by Mr Julius Hyman, who is at present engaged on the construction of a large public clock intended for the Hospital tower.
The Provincial Council and Government of Otago are making strenuous exertions to promote the establishment of new manufactures, and the development of new industries. Thus, a bonus of £1500 is offered "for the first 5000 yards of woollen cloth, manufactured in the Province and in order to facilitate the raising of the necessary capital," the Government are prepared to enter into an agreement with persons who are able to give a sufficient assurance that they will carry out the undertaking, to leave the bonus open to be claimed by them within a specified time--say 18 months--on the completion of the required number of yards."
Similar inducements are held out for the establishment of beet-sugar manufactories. The Government has announced that it is "prepared to enter into an arrangement whereby land to the value of £1500 will be conveyed to any individual, or company," conditionally, on the manufacture within two years of "not less than one hundred and fifty tons of good marketable sugar, from beet grown in the Province." And with the view of providing a sufficient supply of seed, the Provincial authorities have now on the way from England "5 cwt of the best Silesian beet (being the kind most approved for sugar-making), which will be distributed amongst such persons as shall give satisfactory assurance that they will cultivate the same, chiefly for seed."
[Image of page 53]
Russian, and other European flax-seed may also be obtained, gratis, from the Provincial Government, "by any person who will undertake to cultivate the same." And as further inducements, arrangements have been made whereby the growers of flax may have the produce packed, free of charge, and "the Government will undertake the shipment of the flax to London, to James Murdoch, Esq., who has taken much interest in the matter, and who has offered to arrange for the scutching and sale of the produce in Britain."
Efforts are also being made to acclimatize the ailanthus silkworm, for the culture of which some parts of the Province are believed to be well adapted.
Nor is the encouragement of existing industries neglected. Recognising the importance of creating a market for the native Flax, the Government offer a bonus of £250 for the establishment in some central place, on or before 31st March 1869, of a rope-factory "capable of turning out at least one ton of rope daily--the machinery to be erected to be the American patent, similar to those at present at work in Melbourne and Sydney."
To encourage prospecting on the Gold-fields, very large claims are granted to discoverers of new alluvial workings and auriferous lodes. Miners who desire to test deep ground can obtain the free use of boring apparatus, of the most approved construction, specially provided by Government for the purpose; and also printed directions as to the mode of working the apparatus. Professional assistance is granted gratuitously to parties desirous of constructing water-races; the only condition being that applications must be "accompanied by a description of the proposed work, and the advantages to be derived from it by the place or district into which the water is be introduced."
In the City of Dunedin there are many wholesale warehouses in nearly every branch of business. The extent of commercial transactions may be gleaned from a brief statement of the Imports and Exports of the past year.
In 1867, the stated value of the year's imports was
[Image of page 54]
£1,597,143. During the same period the exports amounted to £1,082,313. 1 This is at the rate of. £32 imports, and £22 exports, for every individual in the community. It is only right to add, that the estimated value of the exports is rather under than over-stated--two important items, namely, gold and wool, being calculated at somewhat less than their full worth in the Customs returns.
It is noticeable that the importation of many articles, such as bacon, cheese, butter, and beer, the duties on which formerly figured largely in the Revenue returns, are becoming less every year, owing to their places being satisfactorily occupied by local produce. In a short time, Otago will be able not only to altogether supply her own requirements in these matters, but also to export surplus produce to other colonies. In fact, there is already a movement in that direction, and it is on Otago that the Australian colonies will principally depend in the future for grain of all descriptions, and for dairy produce.
