TRADE WITH QUEENSLAND.

Otago Witness, Volume 11, Issue 2280, 11 November 1897, Page 7

TRADE WITH QUEENSLAND.

THE HON. MR LARNACHS REPORT.

(From Our Own Corbespohdent.) Wbllinqton, November 5.

- The Hon. Mr Larnach, in a report to the Colonial Secretary on the Q teensland Exhibition, points out that Queensland settlers will in the near future probably become profitable clients of the seed growers of New Zealand. Nsw Zealand malt was much inquired for, and the report states that importers are prejudiced in favour of the English mode of packing— viz., in iron tanks, — and Bhould New Zealand maltsters arraDge to pack in thU way they will compete favourably with the Eoglish article. The opiuion of leading brewers wt o during the course of the exhibition had an opportunity of brewing from New Z-jalaud malt is that ifc possesses all the characteristics most desirable for brewing and is quite equal to Baalish. Queensland imported last year 143,000 bushels of malt. The , Queensland import duty of 4s 6d per bushel encouraged New Ze-iUnders to establish two small malb houses at Toowomba, north of Brisbane, where they malt from imported barley, paying 9.i per bushel duty on the barley, tbe Queenslandgrown barley* nofc being considered good enough for maltinr, besides which, owing to tbe short winter in Queensland, malting there can only be carried on for a few months. , The present malting in Queensland would not keep an ordinary brewery running for -a year. The New Zealand woollen goods far surpassed any others exhibited. A 'good trade is already being done, and is capable of cansiderablo extannon. The existing duty is 25 per cent. ad valorem. New Zealand beer maintained* it» high standard in Queensland again* t anything locally made, and was pronounced superior to Ecgliah. New Zsaland-manufactnred cordials and natural mineral" waters "sent' by a Duuedin . manufacturer made a most prominent feature in the coutt, and deservedly succeeded in gaining the highest award. With direct steam commuuication a very large trade would ba assured in these lines. .