Developing All New Zealand

A Visit to one of New Zealand's four big railway workshops is a source of inspiration to any New Zealander who is interested in the development of his own country. Here he may see one, at least, of the country's resources developed to a stage of manufacturing capacity that challenges comparison with the best railway manufacturing plants of other countries, and that can face with equanimity, and assured knowledge of ability to handle the job, any demands that the future may make through corresponding development of the other resources of this Dominion.

Never before has there been evidence of such intense concentration upon scientific and industrial research into the productive capacities of the country, followed by co-ordinated effort to make our own people more appreciative of the work of their fellow New Zealanders to a point where, other things being equal, they would at least prefer to have the products of their own lands and hands to those of peoples and places which are somewhat unknown to them, and whose interests and standards of life differ materially from ours.

This research and propaganda, devoted to the greater development of New Zealand, is of importance to the whole population. It tends towards the organisation of the country on principles applied to the best-managed businesses. These all use research regarding markets, apply modern publicity methods to popularise their products or services, and make the best use of their own resources to meet the internal requirements of the business itself.

The Railways Department, as the biggest industrial organisation in the country, does all these things: and it stands to gain additions to its traffic as these principles are applied nationally.

If educational trips are organised to let young New Zealand see what is being done in factory and on farm to increase the country's wealth, the Railways are there to carry them. If New Zealand holiday-makers, through increased interest in their own homeland, want to see the best of their country's charm of lake and river, mountain and forest, and the many natural phenomena with which these Islands are so richly endowed, the Railways will carry them by rail or road, safely and cheaply to their desired haven. If more land is developed and farmed, the Railways are ready to carry both the instruments of development and the products thereof.

It is with a view to giving readers further insight regarding the present state of New Zealand's development in the many branches of activity that engage the industrial attention of New Zealanders that, with this issue, we commence a series of articles on the various groups of manufactures and products that go to build up the New Zealand of to-day.

In this way it is hoped to perform a service, not only for our own people, but in other countries as well; for we have the word of Mr. J. W. Collins, the just-returned N.Z. Trade Commissioner in Canada, that the Magazine is depended upon by overseas representatives as a constant source of information regarding New Zealand's scenic resources, its historical associations, and its industrial, social, artistic, and educational developments.