TRADE WITH INDIA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1281, 23 December 1884, Page 3

TRADE WITH INDIA.

Sir Julius Vogel Ims receiver! a batch of correspondence in reply to his telegram to Governor herguson, Bombay, asking for information as to whether there was any probability of finding a market for New Zealand frozen meat and woollen goods in India. The Secretary of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce replies to the eflvct that everything depends on the price at which the goods can be sold there. If the frozen meat can be sold there at a cheaper rate than that obtained for native grown, and if the woollen fabrics can be sold cheaper than those from Yorkshire or Germany, there will be a market. The Secretary of the Bombay’ Trades Association replies that that body does not think there will be any market there for the Colonial goods. He sets forth bis reasons at length, but the chief one is regarding the price. The Municipal Commissioner of Bombay thinks there might be a market among the shipping at certain times of the year. Colonel La Touche, Cantonment Magistrate at Poona, thinks there might he a limited market among the Christians at that place ; but it would find no favor with the Mahomedans, Parsees, Jews, etc. His Excellency Sir James Ferguson replies very guardedly. He says that though as a rule the Native meat is poor, that supplied to the upper classes is little if at all inferior to the Colonial article. Yot he thinks that some of the Christians might prefer to give 6d to per lb for a really good article instead of giving 3d or id for their local product. With regard to the woollen fabrics he says they are not known either as regards price or quality, and declines to state whether

they will be taken tip by the importers. In conclusion he suggests that frozen meal and woollen goods should bo sent to the Bombay exhibition in 1886, where they contri bo both exhibited and sold. Altogether the replies are not at all favorable, as they show that if any market should be found for our goods it will be an extremely limited one.