LINEN FLAX

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 211, 14 June 1940, Page 7

LINEN FLAX

MILLS IN SOUTH ISLAND. METHVEN ONE OF SEVEN. CONTRACT TERMS FOR FARMERS. /Special to the “ Guardian.”) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A Government scheme for the establishment of U linen flax processing factories in the South Island was outlined at a meeting of about 70 farmers at Rangiora last evening by Mr R. B. Tennent, director of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture. The factories, which will be constructed n.“ soon as the machinery is available, will be located at Waikuku, Oust or Oxford, Blenheim, Leeston, Methven, Timaru, Hook, Baldutha, Tapanui, Otautau and Winton. . It is proposed to set up five tank retting mills and six natural flax mills, depending on the suitability of the districts for processing. Each of the factories will be capable of handling the produce from 1000 to 1500 acres. To facilitate the transport of straw, the areas to be sown will he within a radius of about 15 miles of the factory sites.

The scheme is a development from the promise of the Prime Minister (the Hon. P. Fraser) to the British Government that New Zealand would grow linen flax to supply fibre needed for manufacture into war supplies. As Director of Primary Production, Mr Tennent is organising a campaign in the South Island for the sowing of at least 14,000 acres of linen flax in the spring. It is hoped that 2500 acres will be grown in the Rangiora district.

The crops will be grown under contract to the Government, which is arranging for supplies of seed, and is also negotiating for the processing of straw after harvest.

“With many sources of supply cut off, it is impossible for Britain to obtain enough linen flax for its war requirements, and an S 0 S has been sent out to New Zealand” Mr Tennent said. “For the last three years the Department, has been experimenting in tlie growing of flax in the South’ Island, and it is now in the fortunate position of knowing what districts ar£ most suitable for the crop.” The poor season in Rangiora last year was caused by the extremely unfavourable weather, hr continued. In Blenheim, where conditions were good, the growers had an excellent season.

importation of Seed." “One of the difficulties facing us was that in New Zealand there was not sufficient seed to carry out the proposed programme,” Mr Tennent continued. “But the British Government is now sending 500 tons of Dutch concurrent pedigree seed, and with the 87 tons at present in the country, we will have enough seed to grow 14,000 acres of flax. The proposal will cost the Government a lot of money, hut the farmers are not going to he asked 'tc grow at a loss. In fact, they should show a patriotic profit. The Government will be responsible for directly paying farmers for the straw and seed they produce.” The crops, if moderately successful, should bring the farmer about £l2 sterling an acre. The Government wanted to put .the crop on a payable basis, commensurable with the labour put into its growing.

“The industry will ultimately be of great importance to us all,” Mr Tennent continues. “After, the war we will need much flax for our own use, and it is probable that the tank retting factories will be permanent.” He emphasised the importance of linen flax in the production of linseed oil, Mr Tennent appealed to farmers to revise their plans for the coming season, to meet the requirements for the growing of flax. “In making this appeal, I do not want you to grow linen flax at the expense of wheat, which is of such importance at a time like this. We want 300,000 acres of wheat grown this year, but the more we can mix farming the better it will be.” The Christchurch Grain and Seed Merchants’ Association had passed a resolution giving unqualified support to the Government’s project to grow 14,000 acres of flax, Mr Tennent added. Proposed Contract.

A summary of the proposed Government contract with farmers was presented by Mr Tennent, and explained by the instructor of agriculture at Itangiora (Mr A. S. Nash). The terms of the contract provide that the Government will undertake to harvest the crop by pulliijig machines, 100 of which will he available for the South Island, at '£l an acre ; a minimum payment of £5 an acre if through no fault of the farmer the crop is a failure; a payment of £4 os a ton for deseeded straw of processible quality and 30 inches in length, with an increase of lOd a ton for each additional inch in length, up to 36 inches, a reduction of lOd a ton for each lesser inch in length down to 24 inches, a bonus not exceeding 5s a ton for freedom from weeds, and another bonus not exceeding 5s a ton for straw of superior quality; payment for all seed delivered from accepted crops at the rate of £25 sterling a ton of pure seed, and payment for all seed delivered from rejected crops at the rate of £35 sterling a ton of pure seed. The Government will have the right to reject any crop with straw length less than 22 inches or otherwise unsuitable for processing. The growers will be required to thresh rejected crops and in such cases the threshed straw will become the property of ' the grower. The Government will take delivery of all accepted straw and seed on the farm, hut the grower will be required to deliver the seed from the rejected crops to the nearest railway. Seed supplied for growing will be debited at the rate of £2 5s per cwt. It was that the terms were provisional, and that the contract was binding for this year only. A legal form of agreement was at present being prepared.