NEW ZEALAND WOOL IN AMERICA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3156, 9 August 1881, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND WOOL IN AMERICA.

Some time ago Mr Griffin, the United states Consul in Auckland, forwarded to the Government at Washington a petition from thn Chamber of Cotmneroe at Dunpdin, asking for a reduction of the duties charged on Yew Zealand wo' , : The Secretary of •■tate replied tr, v 'r urriifin's despatch, transmitting ii ciovnui litigation to the effect, that a fopv of the de.-jKttch had been sent to the of the Treasury, and on iho 17th of March last the Department of State informed Mr Griffin that the Secretary of the Treasury stated, in a letter of the 12th of that month, that the subject would be referred to the Committee of Ways and vteans of the House of Representatives for its consideration. Mr Griftln communicated this information in May last to Mr Henry Driver, the United States Consular \gent at Dunedin. Mr Griffin has tuken much pains to place before his Government everything of interest in reference to the wool industry of New Zealand. In his report, which has been published at Washington, he states that he had forwarded samples of nearly all the various kinds of wool grown in Victoria, New South Wales, •md New Zealand, carefully marking the price, the quality, and the district where grown, upon each sample. In i subsequent report, he expressed the >pinion that the New Zealand wool was ■ bout the same length and staple as that jrown in Great Britain, but a nrnch softer, and finer texture. He said that wool could he selected here for the manufacture of nil kinds of heavy and medium cloths ; that the combing sort was excellent, and that a staple could be selected suitable for nil kinds of yarn. He also expressed the opinion that the New Zealand wool was especially adapted for milling and felting purposes, and that it would improve other wools by being mixed with them. He thought it wrong for the United States to expect the people of New Zealand to send their gold to the United States for the purchase of articles of American manufacture when heavy duties were charged upon the raw products of this colony. We hope that the efforts which Mr Griffin has so persistently made to have the wool and other raw products of New Zealand admitted into 'he United States ports, if not free of duty, at least at a nominal charge will be successful. There is no douht that, when .-uch. a fiscal change is made, agents of American manufacturers will soon make heir appearance in New Zealand and Australian markets for the sorts of wool they require, instead of purchasing, as at present, in the London and Liverpool markets. When the change takes place, the buyers From continental and British houses will require to send their agents here, and the local markets will become the scenes of competition, and not the auction rooms in London and Liverpool — a circumstance which will beneficially affect our prices for wool.