JAPAN AS A MARKET FOR WOOL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1516, 8 June 1886, Page 3

JAPAN AS A MARKET FOR WOOL.

The attention of Sir Julius Vogel having been drawn by an article in the New Zealand Time* to the deairablenesi of communicating with Professor Shigetaka Shiga, the naturalist on board the Japanese man-of-war Tsukuba, on the subject of opening a market for wool in Japan, Dr Hector was asked to confer with that gentleman. The result was aa interview between Dr. Hector and Professor Shigetaka Shiga, of the effect of which Dr. Hector made a memorandum. The Japanese Naturalist regretted that be would not bare time to visit the woollen mills in the South Island. He explained that the climate of Japan was unsuitable for the best breeds of sheep. In the northern part of the Empire the v> inters ■re too severe, and in the southern part the, fertile land is so fully occupied and subdivided as to leave no room for large flocks of sheep. Up to seventeen rears ago the people wore cotton and silk, but latterly a great demand for woollen goods has sprung up. About six rears ago a woollen factory was established by tbe Government, and this at present is tbe only one in Japan. The opinion is general that cloths of European form and materials should be adopted. Labor is cheap, water-power and coal are plentiful, and tbe duty on wool is light. The best way of testing the market would be to forward samples of about 501 bs of wool in each to the Imperial factory at Shenzu. The chief exports from Japan suitable for New Zealand are tea and rice, besides lacquerware, bronzeware, &c. Animal food is little ussd in Japan, and there is co opening for frozen meat.