POLITICAL NOTES.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2677, 15 September 1871, Page 3

POLITICAL NOTES.

INTRODUCTION OF WOOL INTO THE UNITED STATES. There is perhaps more hope for a remission of the duty on New Zealand flax. The extensive use of the material in the mannfa. • tare of rope and cordage would not, so far as we are aware, rtuse the hostility of any very powerful body, whose interests might be thereby affected, and on this ground alone the chances are greatly in its favor. We believe there can lie no doubt about the extent of the market when once the fibre is placed on a more favorable footing as to duty, and more especially when producers here have definitely solved the problems connected with its preparation. That this has rot yet been done, particularly in the matter of cost, is evident from the report which we recently published on the Exhibition now being held in Wellington. The fact is, those who have been eng: ged in the preparation of the fibre for market were and are more rales i unacquaintcd with its capabilities, and, and their efforts can only as yet bo regarded in the light of most valuable experiments A grert deal of money r has been lost, and it is not improbable that further losses will be incurred, but much has been gained, and eventually flax must take rank as one of our staple report’. It appears, also, from Mr Vogel’s report, that Messrs Webb and Holladay have made arrangements to carry wool, and we suppose flax as well, tp San Francisco and New York at through rates, which will bear favorable coirp.irison—everything considered —with the irejghts charged by the owners of sailing vessels. They have thus a direct pecuniary interest in trying to secure a reduction of the import duties, and it follows that they will leave no stone unturned 10 accomplish that desirable obj eefc. —Lyttelton Times.