THE AGENT-GERERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue II, 29 November 1889, Page 2

THE AGENT-GERERAL.

It is evident, -from the oovrespin.i.«n'- rt ' wV'^h has hem putlisV; that the Agent Genera' has become I a little m xed, to say fch • le st of it, in his 0 >«n on of hfl flax trade, and ! its ti! m.vte results. The letter we ' re-print t j-day is a far different tale ' to any we have heard before from j him, notwi hstanding his tre ti g it ] as an oft told tale. We learn that ' it is regularly used to mix with manilla, for which the ' c ter brands ! h are required; we also learu that c r i quantities are used for " hearts " for . wir . and other ropes, besides being- l mixed with all binder twine The ' mo t extraordinary portion of the s letter is the reference to the demand ' being steadily «w the mo ease, there i bei-jg "in fact, no lon lev any doub \ v oi this." In the previous letter, vh t subject discusse.l was the pr.i- t bable early introduction of the Yuca- c tan fibre and the early extincsiou of v the N.Z. Hemp ; in fact he ended his t letter thus : " Such facts as f.hos s havi< to be kept in view, pr I'rhe augmentation certain !o talce.plvi* f< initUe eiipply of mnnilln mA jtttr. i» I «» »n* *ift h« m»|liilr>MJßnf>K^ b.«' Wlmii i« J J

practically a new fibre, producabl© < in large quantities, wth cheap i labour, and close to ihe United States m irket, the effect on the New Z aland hemp industry can hardly j fail to be serious." We think that j those last two letters of the A gent- j General do more to tmdor«« >he ne- ' cussity of th' 6 appointment* of men] acquainted with t c trade to find ut the information desi ed, as wo urged a few issues ngo, than any* further argument c-uu <1 possibly do Tiio i formation '?) sent iw simp.' y ■the ec o of tho last person the Agent General has appealed to, and this is probably, much influenced by the state of the market on the date j the reply is sent. This is not wliat was asked for, nor is it of any great value to the millers. We shouild 1 iko to rejoice at the facts stated, in the letter, but would have b«een b «tter pleased to have received them f I'oui a more reliable source.