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Auckland Examiner, Volume IV, Issue 277, 30 June 1860, Page 3

Refea-l of the Paper Duty.—Tbe repeal of the paper duty is not without its important bearing on the interests of New Zealand. Some years agp, when tjpg Times offeypd a reward for the discovery of a cheap- ’substance for making .paper, it was discovered by some enterprising individual that such a substance existed in New Zealand in great abundatfee, and might be obtained at a very small cost. It was, however, very bulky, so that tbe cheapest article necame the dearest by tile time it reached England. Through the ingenuity of a colonist, however, the New .Zealand fibre was reduced to a pulp and pressed ’nto “ bricks’’ available for paper-making, and the cost of transmission reduced to its rnin mum. It was however, decided by the Custom-house officers that the pulp) bricks were to all intents and purposes paper Win t made the matter worse, they were foreign paper, which, as our readers are aware, is subject to a far heavier duty. Another obstacle still remained in the shape ol the Excise officer, who, as soon as the brick.-, which had paid the duty were converted into paper, was ready to come down with a demand for another duty on the manufactured article Our readers will uot therefore be surprised to learn that the New Zealand fibre, j£> well ad-

apted as it is for the manufacture of the finest paper, has not yet been used. Wc trust, however, that by the taking off the restrictions, the enterprise will again be entered upon, and this time with triumphant success. —New Zealand Examiner.