LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2467, 3 May 1888, Page 2

LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

lliV TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION*. 1 Wellington, Wednesday. Tub following communication was received by the Premier from the Susretary of Stata for the Colonies :—Great quantities of alopecums pratensis, or Meadow Foxtail Grass, are grown in Finland mainly with the object of raising seed from this plant. It would 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 and also British exporters of seed are not aware that Meadow Foxtail seed is largely produced in the Grand Duchy and that they could purchase it from direct sonrces at, of course, lower prices than those they pay to German intermediaries. It is therefore desirable, in my opinion, that publicity be given to the circumstances in some Board of Trade journal, or in any other way that may be deemed expedient, in order that our exports of grain seeds, and Australian land-owners should be able to reap the benefit now apparently enjoyed by German seed merchants in this particular branch of the trade. The Government are not likely to take any action re the Chinese by the steamer Afghan beyond imposing the poll tax. After the expiration of the present licenses to dig and search for kauri gum on State lands, the Government will not renew them, as it is thought that in the past a, large amount of damage to kauri forests has been occasioned through the carelessness of gumdiggers.