THE AMERICAN TARIFF.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 48, 25 August 1894, Page 2

THE AMERICAN TARIFF.

« ,VHAT FREE WOOL MEANS TO NEW ZEALAND. CHE AMERICAN CONSUL'S OPINION. Now that the United States is to all in:ents and purposes prepared to reoeive wool :ree of duty— it only awaits the President's assent to the new Tariff Bill, which will have that effect, and if the assent is not given ivithin ten days from the passing of tho measure, it becomes law without Mb signature — the opinions of a gentleman well qualified from his official position to be reoogniecd as an authority, as to the opening given to this colony for developing an important trade, will bo read with interest. In tho courso of an interview whioh an Evening Post representative had yesterday with Mr. J. D. Connolly, of Auckland, American Coneul for New Zealand, who is now on a visit to Wellington, that gentleman remarked that he certainly thought there was a wide field under the now condition of affairs for the introduction of New Zealand wool into the United Stateß. On the principle that the first in tho field was most likely to catch the market and retain it, it was advisable that this colony Bhould be up and doing, and he would suggest the chartering of Borne vessel by those most interested in the importation of our staple produot, loading it with samples of the best wools grown in the colony, and despatching it, together with an eipert able to afford American buyers all information required, to New York. The principal markets wero in tbe East, and New • York was therefore tho best market to experiment with. There was a splendid field in front of any enterprising wool-growing colony, and the present chanoe, if not seized by New Zealand, would in all probability bo snapped up by Australia, the Argentine, or feoino other country. Firat-class wool was likely to be much in demanfi. Heretofore the heavy duty rendered it too expensive for general use, and in oonseqnenoe shoddy " was largely used. Only the best quality wools should bo sent, and oare should b« taken, if a markot is established, that future shipments were oqiul to samples. The importance of this was obvious after the colony's experience in tho flax trade, when it " killed the goose that laid the golden eggs." In the flax trade a grievous mistake was made in sending away indifferently prepared flax, and the very last shipment sent out of the colony to San Franoiaco was of snob inferior quality that samples were actually sent baok by tho buyers to the exporters, with a request for a reduot'on of prioe. Not a bale had gone there sinoe. If the same thing waß done with wool, the same disaster would follow. Importers would not be imposed on. Ever Binoe he had been in the oolony, Mr. Connolly said, he had been an advocate of "free wool,'' nnd in nearly every report whioh he had made ho had, wherever possible, mentioned the matter, trying to impress on consumers the obvious savinir of buying first hand, instead of through the middleman in London, paying first his profit and next tho freight from London to New York. Several consumers had followed his suggestion, and about 18 months ago the representatives ot American tnanufactarera tried to charter a vessel to load wool, but were unsuccessful in getting one. When the abolition of the duty first passed the House, and before it went to tbo Senate, he supplied to a number of American manufacturer and dt-alora in wool the names of the principal New Zealand exporters. New Zealand had at least nothing to loss by making a trial shipment, which would bo bound to fetoh London market prices, while on the other hand there was every prospeot of developing an important and remunerative trade. It was looked upon as a settled fact in America that wool was to replace shoddy, and ac there was'S~population of somewhore about 08,000,000 to clothe, the consumption would be material. As regards coal, Mr. Connolly said that ho believed a proposal had been made to Congress to gradually reduce the present tariff, and abolish it altogether in five years ; but tbis, so far as he was aware, had not become law. Under existing oironmstanoes it would not pay this colony to export that product to the States.