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Meadoio-foxtail Grass Seed. (Circular.) Sir,— ~. Downing Street, Bth March, 1888. I have the honour to transmit to you, for such action, if any, as your Government may consider it desirable to take, a copy of a despatch addressed by Consul Michell to the Marquis of Salisbury, dated St. Petersburg, the 21st February, pointing out that great quantities of meadow-foxtail grass arc grown in Finland, mainly with the object of raising seed from the plant, and that this seed might probably bo purchased on more advantageous terms from direct sources than through German intermediaries. I have, &c, KNUTSEORD. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosure. (No. I—Commercial.) My Lord, — St. Petersburg, 21st February, 1888. I am informed by Mr. Ferdinand Frenckell, British Vice-Consul at Abo, that great quantities of the Alopecurus pralensis, or meadow-foxtail grass, are grown in Finland, mainly with the object of raising seed from this plant. It would also appear that the seed is almost entirely sold to Germany, and thence shipped to Australia, where it is said to be in great demand for sowing large areas of meadow and other land on which sheep are pastured. In all probability Australians, as also British exporters of seed, are not aware that meadowfoxtail seed is largely produced in the Grand Duchy, and that they could purchase it from direct sources at, of course, lower prices than those they pay to the German intermediary. It is desirable, therefore, in my opinion, that publicity should be given to the circumstance in the Board of Trade Journal, or in any other manner that may be deemed expedient, in order that our exporters of grassseed and Australian landowners should be able to reap the benefit now apparently gained by German seed-merchants in this particular branch of trade. I have, &c, The Right Hon, the Marquis of Salisbury, E.G., etc. John Michell.

Tariffs and Trade. (Circular.) Sir, — Downing Street, 3rd April, 1888. I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of a " Synopsis of the "Tariffs and Trade of the British Empire," compiled by Sir R. Rawson, K.C.M.G., C.8., President of the Statistical Society, for the Commercial Subcommittee of the Imperial Federation League. Sir R. Rawson has suggested that it would be a great assistance to the Imperial Federation League, which has incurred heavy expense in printing the volume, if your Government would supplement, explain, or correct, as may appear desirable, any of the statements contained in the remarks or the tables. The information so collected could be embodied in an appendix to the second part of the work, upon which Sir Rawson W. Rawson is now engaged. I shall be obliged by your early attention to this request. I have, &c, KNUTSEORD. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

(New Zealand, No. 77.) My Lord, — Government House, Wellington, 20th August, 1888. With reference to your Lordship's circular despatch of the 3rd April last, forwarding a copy of Sir R. Rawson's " Synopsis of the Trade and Tariffs of "the British Empire," and suggesting that the information therein should be corrected by the Colonial Government, I have the honour to inform you that my Government, looking to the great changes wrought in the tariff of this colony by " The Customs and Excise Duties Act, 1888," consider it preferable to send two copies of that Act, and of the latest statistics of the trade and interchange of the colony, rather than attempt the correction of the synopsis. I have, &c, W. F. DRUMMOND JERVOIS. The Right Hon. Lord Knutsford, &c.

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