The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on tne West Coast. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2,1885. EXTENSION OF OUR MARKETS FOR WOOL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1496, 2 November 1885, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on tne West Coast. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1885. EXTENSION OF OUR MARKETS FOR WOOL.

The movement set on foot by Messrs Synnot Bros., of Melbourne, to influence colonial wool growers to act m concert m an endeavour to open up a market with China and Japan m wool has caused public opinion to be freely expressed on the subject. It was recently stated that a Provisional Committee had been formed m Melbourne to take steps to ascertain the practicability of the. proposal. Sir Julius Vogel's name appears oh that committee. Naturally the question has excited much interest m commercial circles m Australia, and the-news-papers there teem with letters bearing on the question. Nearly all the writers seem to agree on one point, and that is the desirableness of opening up such a trade, but the form m which the wool should be exported is an element of discord. Some advocate sending it over m the shape of cloth, others think the better plan would be to establish woollen factories at say Shanghai, m China, and Yokohama, m Japan, while a few maintain the only paying way would be to del'ver the raw wool itself to the native artisans, and let them work it up. But there are some persons m Melbourne, whose word is at least entitled to some weight, who do not see any cause for, jubilation m the proposal. Messrs George Arnold and Co., m a communication published m the Argwixhv other day, point out that some of the sanguine correspondents of the newspapers appear to be unaware that "for over ten years a woollen factory has been established m Japan, superintended by skilled labor from Europe, and subsidised

by the Government, who encourage this industry by clothing part of their army and navy; with woollen material." Shipments of wool, they add, have been made from Mel r bourne annually for that purpose. The Timaru Herald, m an article on the whole question, thinks that *' if wool- growers are eyer to obtain any appreciable relief from new markets m these countries it will be many, many years before the revolution is brought about. The fact is that the majority of the people are too poor ever to aspire to indulge m such a luxury as woollen clothing. Only the noGles and official classes m Japan who are adopting European apparel to a large extent, would be likely to develop into customers for woollen products, and these people number less than two millions out of a population of .86 millions. In | ' China, besides the poverty of the vast mass of the population, we have to face the invincible conservatism of the peopler-their clinging to the national costume and the I national fabrics." These statements notwithstanding, we adhere to the 1 opinion that the profitable extension of colonial wool trade to China and Japan is a subject well worth thorough investigation, aud we are sanguine m our expectations that a satisfactory consummation m that direction will eventually be attained. All credit to Messrs Svnnot Bros, for the earnest and persistent agitation they have maintained on the subject, which is one of infinite im- ! portance to this colony.