LINEN FLAX GROWING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 158, 5 July 1940, Page 4

LINEN FLAX GROWING.

FARMERS' FINE RESPONSE.

16,000 ACRES AVAILABLE

(By Telegraph.—Prees Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. South Island farmers have more than met the request of the Government to put aside 15,000 acres for the growing of linen flax, which is being undertaken following representations recently made by the British Government. Altogether some 10,000 acres have been made available, and contract* are now being forward to the growers for their signatures. "Indeed we are embarrassed by tie reeponee, for the acreage is greater than we really require, and for which we have e«ed," said Mr. E. B. Tennent, Director of Primary Production, in an interview to-day. "The contract undertake* that the Government will grow the linen flax for the fanners. The price paid to the farmer for straw from which eeed ha/5 been taken i* £4 5/ a ton and the price which will be paid for «*eed «: For crojw accepted £23 a ton, and for crops rejected £3.3 a ton."

This appeared to be anomalous, Mr. Teunent remarked, but where the crop wae rejected the farmer had to harvest, thresh, dreee the seed, and deliver the «eed into the etore at his own cost, while for the accepted crop the Government undertook to do the harvesting, threshing, eeed-dreeeing and delivery. Bonuses would be given for quality crops. For croj» of over the standard length of 30in a maximum bonus of 5/ an acre would be paid. A bonus of 5/ would ako be given for freedom from weeds, and a further 5/ for quality etraw, making a total bonus of 10/.

An essential point made by Mr. Tennent was that the Government would undertake to pull and thresh crops, thus saving the farmer the most laborious part of the growing of linen flax, ae an added incentive. A minimum guarantee of £5 an acre would be given to every farmer, even if hie crop was a complete failure due to drought, fire, flood or any other reaeon. ThU should more than cover cost of production, Mr. Tennent said.