THE HALSWELL FLAX WORKS.

Press, Volume XII, Issue 1590, 11 December 1867, Page 2

THE HALSWELL FLAX WORKS.

We some time ago published an account of the flax works at Kaiapoi which had then been' lately brought into successful operation by Mr Ninnis ; we have now the pleasure of adding an account ofvsome similar workß which have been established with equal success by <he Halswell Flax Company. The managers of the company, having got their machinery into working order, and finding the result answer their expectations, were naturally desirous that the progress made in the establishment of this new industry should be widely known, and they accordingly invited a number of gentlemen interested in the advancement of the provinoe to visit their works and inspect the process by which the flax is prepared. In pursuance of this invitation a large party, including his Honour the Superintendent, Messrs W. Wdson, J. Anderson, Recce, Duncan, Maude, and others, visited the works yesterday. The company have chosen as the site for their operations a very pleasing and picturesque spot on the river Halswall, some distance , beyond Lansdown, late the residence of: Mr Guise Brittan. What the manager, no doubt, thinks more to the purpose is that it is in the midst of a flax producing country, the swampy lands in the neighbourhood affording an ample supply of the raw material. The road from thence to Craythorne's is in a very rough state, and m places, we should imagine, would be hardly passable in winter; this, however, is a difficulty tor which the Road Board will in due time provide a remedy. Arrived at the flax mill?, the first thing to be done was to inspect the machinery. The whole process of preparation is extremely simple, and may be described in a few words. The cut leaves of flax are placed lengthways at one end of the machine on an endless travelling bed; as this revolves they are passed under a series of rollers, and then in their flattened state are exposed to the blow of a heavy iron stamper, composed of a number of plates fastened together. The stamper weighs 30001bs, its fall is nine inches, and when at working speed it gives eighty blows a minute. The flax is beaten on a revolving cylinder of six tons weight, above which a jet of water is continually playing, so that in fact it is beaten in the water. After passing inch by inch under the stamp the flax leaves are drawn off on a second travelling bed, and removed by the workmen. The theory of the process is that the impact of the weighty stamp smashes, without harming the fibre, the gummy matter that surrounds it, which is then washed away by the water. From the machine room the leaves are carried off to the drying ground, where they are hung on wires stretched on posts. They are quite green when hung out, but bleach after hanging three or four days. Finally, being reduced to hanks of rough fibre by the treatment they have undergone in the mill and the exposure to sun and air, they are carried into a Bhed and packed by hydraulic pressure. The stuff thus produced is suitable, after being hackled, which is done by the manufacturer, for rope-making. The process is patented by Messrs Purchas and Ninnis, and is the same, as that used at Kaiapoi, with some improvement in details. We should have mentioned that the machine is driven, by a steam-engine of eight-horse ipower, which by a simple arrangement also pumps up from the - river the water required in the operations. i After inspecting the working of the machinery, and carefully examining the quality of the flax in every stage, from what had just left the mill to what bad been., thoroughly prepared and was ready for exportation; '"and iafter having then partaken , of, hincjh\ at .which the toast of " Success, to;. the ; Halswell flax works," appropriately! , drank in wine of colonial growth, was. not; forgotten, the company broke up and returned to" Christchurch. Various .opinions,; some t very sanguine, others less so, ware expressed during the day as to the value of the results achieved at these works ; but we thjnki.all agreed that some of the principal difficulties that have been met with in the preparation of New Zealand flax has been overcome, and, that whatever imperfections existed were such as it was reasonable to hope would be removed by gradual improvement in the machinery. The calculations set forth in the prospectus of the company, confirmed by practical experience, are very encouraging. It seems that the flax costs at present] 8s a ton to cut and deliver, though as the price will be higher-in the winter it may betaken at 10s a ton all the year round. Men are employed to cut it now, and are expected to deliver a ton a day, but of course this part, of the business will be done by contract. Nine bands are employed on the works, and the total cost of preparing the flax, which is turned out at the rate of one cwt. an hour, is from £11 to £12 a ton. On the other hand it has been sold at Melbourne at the rate of £52 a ton. That, however, was an exceptionally high price, but the company calculate on being always able to sell any quantity at prices ranging from £30 to £40 a ton. The refuse tow finds a sale in Christchurch at £30 a ton, for stuffing mattresses, &c, but we presume the demand for that purpose is limited. Altogether there seems little reason to doubt that the concern will prove remunerative, and that it is at least a good beginning on the fight road. Whether the finer fibre suitable for textile manufacture can be produced, remains to be seen. If it can, then the problem j is solved. We wish tlie. Halswell Company ! —and any other company that is or may be formed tor die same purpose—every success in their undertaking; for if successful, they will both open up la new field of labour for the working population of New Zealand, and provide a moat valuable and jnost abundant article.of export, and will thus in a twofold degree promote the prosperity of the colony.

FINANCIAL REFORM ASSOCIATION. A publio meeting, called in accordance with a resolution passed at a previous meeting of this association, was held in the Town Hall last evening. The Provisional Committee appointed at the previous meeting brought up the rules adopted by them for the sanction of the members of the association. Near the entrance a table was placed, at which the names of members were enrolled ; and before the meeting was commenced upwards of seventy names were given in. Mr Wm. Wilson was called to the chair ; and on the platform we noticed Messrs W. Reeves, M H.R., E. C. J. Stevens, M.HR, Wm. Montgdmery, M.P.C., H. Wynn William-,, JH.P.C.,- Captain Halfcett,.. and several others. The hall at the commencement of the meeting was not well filled, but later in the evening there was a large attendance. The CHAiBMAN r in opening the proceedings, stated that they had met that evening to consider the resolutions and rules drawn up by the Prpyisional Committee appointed at the last general meeting of the association. It would be remembered that the committee were then empowered to frame rules for the future guidance of the association. That work had been done, and it remained for the meeting to say whether they were satisfactory or not. By means of the newspapers the rules had already been before the . public, and no doubt the public would have availed themselves of the opportunity of reading them. [Mr Wilson then read the rules as published in our issue of the 26th of November.] He would, if no objection was offered, put them as a whole. Mr Hewitt thought that it would be I preferable if the rules were put seriatim. j The Chaibman Baid that he had no objection. He would now put resolution No. 1, • as follows :—" The object of the association shall be to collect and diffuse accurate information respecting the finances of the | colony, and of this province in particular; to promote all well-considered improvements in the mode of raising the public revenue, and to enforce by all constitutional means the practice of economy in the public service without j detriment to its efficiency." I The resolution was carried nem. con. Resolution No. 2 was then carried as follows:—" In the event of similar associations being instituted in other parts of the colony for the attainment of the same objects, the committee shall be empowered to effect a union with such associations, in any manner they may be agreed upon, and to adapt the name of this association to such alteration of circumstances in any way that may be expedient." The third resolution—" That every subscriber of one shilling or upwards shall be admitted as a member for the current year"— was also carried unanimously. On the fourth resolution being put, which was as follows : —" The business of the association shall be conducted by a committee, consisting of a president, vice-president, treasurer;,;, and. ,not less than ten or more than seventeen other members, all of whom shall be elected annually by the subscribers, but vacancies occurring during the year may be filled up by the committee; the committee shall have power to appoint a secretary and to make by-laws." , A gentleman in the body of the hall asked what officers were to be paid ? The Chairman stated that some slight remuneration; would have to be given to the secretary of the association. No other officer would be paid. Resolution No--5- was- then carried-i«— " Besides an annual meeting, the subscribers shall be called together from time to time by the committee as occasion may arise, and upon representation to the president of a requisition signed by twenty members requiring a meeting of the association, and stating the objects of such meeting, the president shall convene a meeting accordingly within a week." On resolution No. 6 being put to the meeting—"That in order to secure the adherence of the public at large for the common object of a reform in the financial system of New Zealand and the Province of Canterbury, all proceedings partaking of a merely party character, except as regards financial questions, shall be avoided," Mr Smith objected, as he did not see why financial questions should be excepted. The Chaibman having explained to Mr Smith, that the exception was in favour of all financial questions being fully considered, put the resolution, which was passed. The seventh and last rule carried was as follows:—" 7. That all general or special niesCings required by the above resolutions shall be advertised in one or more of the local newspapers." The Chaibman then said that during tho short interval which had elapsed since the opening of the doors more than the fifty members requisite to constitute the society had enrolled themselves at the door, and their next duty would, therefore be to proceed to the election of officers. All present who had paid their subscription would be entitled to vote. He would call upon Mr Reeves to propose a president for the association. Mr Reeves said that the gentleman he was about to propose was, he thought, and no doubt they would agree with him, the most fitted to fulfil the post. He was the first gentleman in the province who had entertained the idea of starting the association. Mr Stevens had also given a great deal of attention to financial affairs, and had in the House of Representatives gained the reputation of being a very sound financier amongst those who were the best able to judge, and the Government had failed altogether in disproving his assertions, although it was evident that they looked with no very favourable eye upon his talents. He could not altogether agree with Mr Stevens upon all his ideas of finance. That gentleman held very peculiar I views upon what might be called the incidents i of taxation. He had propounded a view which he hadnp.hesi.tationjn_ saying would fall heavily and clumsily on the province for thenext twenty years, but he had no objection to Mr Stevens on that account,-but thought that Mr Stevens.from his thorough knowledge of finance, was [the best man to put in the position He Tras a gentleman who well knew how the taxes were raised, and how disbursed ; and however well persons might be acquainted with accounts,few. had. that, accurate knowledge to 'see that the money when raised was properly spent. It required a very close istudy to find out what became of the money after it had been raised. They had all jbeen told, and were probably aware, that •£1,000,000 of money had to be raised every, year by taxation, and that this sum amounted 1 ,to £5 per head for every one in the colony, and therefore that a man with a wife and five children had to pay to the' Government £35 per annum; and it therefore was ( the duty of every one to try and find out what became of the money, and to see that it was spent in the most economical manner, to See what saving could be made, and whether any other system would not prove a more beneficial one. He would like to say a few words upon the rules as pasßed. He was not very sanguine that under rule No. 1 much good might be done. The present system of the colonies was a very expensive one. The colonists must have' the Government brought to their very doors, and insisted upon a very expensive system being carried out. Tbey will have plenty of justice, and paid magistrates must be posted in every place or town of any pretensions. Rapid communication with other colonies, with the mother country, and with the country districts, were all demanded, and had to be provided for. J The cost for the postal services alone amounted to £200,000 per annum. He did not wish to say that the whole of that sum was thrown away, as he looked upon an efficient postal service as one of the chief arteries of commerce. The public also would* have a telegraphic system, and they must also bear in mind that to do so a great amount-of money must be expended. In fact it seemed to be the idea of the colonies to keep pace with the mother country regardless of the expense. They also required that the volunteers and militia should be kept up at a cost of some £30,000 a year. He thought that he had said enough to prove that the provinces were most luxurious in their habits, and that therefore there was a.necessity for the formation of the present association. He would respect any proposal to do away with- the present taxation, hut the same time would state that few Governments have

ever conducted their affairs onamoreeconomical basis than the present one. It was a well-known fuct that any Government officer who exceeds the vote passed for his office does not escape detection ; and that, however obnoxious the officer may be, immediate inquiries are made, proving that the present Government have the whole system under their eye. in regard to the expenditure, a very large amount was that payable on loans, a matter which perhaps few present had anything to do with, but still they were bearing the expense. The amount for interest on it was fixed, and they could not save a single sixpence on it. It was therefore necessary that they should give up the luxuries or conveniences of government which they had now so dearly to pay for. He would say no more on the incidents of taxation. Political economy was as yet in its infancy, and he was sure that if Mr Stevens was elected he would give it his fullest consideration. He was opposed to direct taxation further at present adopted. An income and property tax would be the means of clearing out one-half of the persons already in the province, and would be in collection utterly impossible. The easiest means of collecting a revenue was the most indirect way. Customs duties were the least felt. He had nothing further to say, but would propose Mr E. C. J. Stevens as president. Mr Wynn Williams said that he had much pleasure in seconding the nomination of Mr Stevens as president. It had been urged against Mr .Stevens that he was too young a man, to hold the office; but if no other objection could be found he held that that was rather in his favour. Mr Stevens had shown in the House of. Representatives that he was as fully acquainted with the financial affairs, of the colony as any other man, and his ideas had there been listened to with no small amount of concurrence. He agreed with Mr Stevens in his ideas of financial reform, although Mr Reeves might not. Political economy was, as had before been stated, as yet in its infancy, but if the they read Mill's political economy they would find that Mr Stevens's ideas were pointing in the right direction. He was opposed to indirect taxation by Customs duties, as it fell more heavily on the class less able to bear it ; it also bred apathy on the part of the a family, as he did not know what amount of taxes he was actually paying. If he were told at once that he had £35 a year 'to pay for himself and family, he would be much more likely to look after his domestic economy, and would exercise his franchise in a more careful manner. He considered that the sooner they had direct taxation the sooner they would have prosperity. It had been urged that if they would have postal communication, tunnels, &c, they must pay for them ; of course they must, and expected to do so, but that was no reason why they should not find out the cheapest and best means of paying for them. £800,000 out of £1,000,000 collected came from Customs alone, no part of which fell upon absentees ; and why should they not pay as well as some of the poorer classes of farmers who were struggling for an existence. At any rate, he considered that the Financial Reform Association would be able to throw some lighf upon the subject, and by ventilation some remedy might be found at leaßt for many of the minor evils The society, if it had no direct effect; would be able to bring to bear a very considerable indirect influence, and the people would be led to take an interest in a subject which so very nearly affected them, and, when the proper time came would return men to look after the finance of the colony. He.had much,pleasure in seconding the nomination of Mr Stevens as president pf the association. Mr Stevens'was then unanimously elected president of the association. Mr W. Montgomeby said that he had great pleasure in proposing Mr Wynn Williams as vice-president of the association. He had great pleasure in doing so as Mr Williams had from the very first been instrumental in bringing the association into existence. Mr Williams was a very straightforward man ; he was one of those who believed in, calling a spade a spade, and if elected he was sure that he would do his best for the association independently of any outside influence. He had heard the differences of opinion expressed between Mr Reeves and Mr Williams, and between the two some very radical reforms might be effected. He (Mr Montgomery) thought that the Customs, duties might be lowered to a very considerable extent, say by £170,000 or £200,000 per year. He could not see that the provinces should get back from the Government any portion of the Customs duties. The, duties should be levied bo that the General Government should be enabled, to carry on free of debt, and each provincerbe made to.rely upon its own resources. He had great pleasure in proposing Mr Wynn Williams as vicepresident of the association. Mr Fletchbb seconded the nomination of Mr Wynn Williams, which was carried out without a dissentient voice. Mr Stevens,' who was received with applause, said that before mentioning the name of the gentleman whom he intended to propose as treasurer of the Financial Reform Association he wished to offer his sincere thanks to the meeting for the honour they had conferred upon him in electing him president. He could assure them that he felt very much j gratified at so marked an expression of their confidence in him, the more so as the honour had been quite unexpected. He would propose as treasurer agehtleman who possessed peculiar qualifications for the office, he alluded to Mr William Wilson. [Cheers.] .They would all agree with him when he said that their choice could not have fallen upon a better man for the post, nor one who was more likely to give satisfaction in the performance of the duties of the., office. He would like to give his ideas upon the objects of the meeting, and the results they should keep in view in establishing the association, if he could do so without occupying their time to any great extent. ; On the, inauguration of the association he. had ' ex- 1 pressed a fear that they would not'be able to attain what they wanted, and he saw no reason to altar the opinion'"he had then given utterance to. Their -chief object was to effect retrenchment in the public expenditure, but he was afraid that it would be found -impossible for fiome time to come to make any great reduction. The colony was bound to repay a"* (very large sum of money unless it chose to f repudiate its obligations—a proceeding which would be scouted by every ; one—and after paying the interest which was reserved on the large amount that had already been borrowed, they must provide for the expenses of carrying on the Government. They would therefore require as large a revenue as' at ! present, or very nearly so. He did not mean to say that it would be impossible to save £10,000 by knocking off certain sums here and .there, and discontinuing expenditure a3 contracts fell in, but he thought,that the reduction would not be material. 'The amount paid for the steam postal services might be .reduced, but not to any "great extent. ' There was 'as- very large sum to be met for interest alone" before anything else could be ' thought of. The country was burdened with seven millions sterling of debt, and the interest on that money had to be paid and the cost of Government in addition. He would quote from a paper he held in his hand the chief items of expenditure to meet which so. large a revenue was required. Under the head of law. and justice £69,000 was spent; the very moderate sum of £4000 was devoted to public domains ; J,h& expenses of public departments absorbed £43,000; and for the postal services no less than £148,000 to £L 49,000 was set apart. He therefore thought that his hon. friend, Mr Reeves, was justified in saying that the colony was indulging in luxuries. But the public could not manage with much less postal accommodation than they possessed at present. They had' grown into the habit of expecting their mails to be carried at short intervals, and their letters to be delivered with punctuality, and it would not be easy to persuade them that such things were an unnecessary luxury. He had said that they could hardly expect to make any great reduction in the expenditure, bat at the same time he thought that such an association as they had now formed would prove very beneficial in watching over their interests, in being able to take.notice ,pf all that was going on, .and. to bring under the attention of their representa*

tives in the strongest light whatever they considered should be carried out. Tho institution would bo a valuable check on any acts of which the people of the province had reason to disapprove, and it seemed more than probable that had a Financial Reform Association existed some years the three million loan would never havo been contracted, and the country would still have been free from the enormous debts which had been incurred. He was inclined to agree that the General Government system was an economical one, but he was sorry that he could not agree with his hon. friend as to the incidents of taxation. He had been a colonist for many years, and ho had often thought that the present form of taxation pressed unequally nnd unjstly upon a certain portion of the community. He thought that a more direct method of taxation would be infinitely better because it would be much fairer to the great bulk of tho population. He would not, however, go into the question at that time, but would be glad to meet any of those who differed from him on this matter, and fight it out on some future occasion. He should be glad to abide by the verdict of the majority, and he was sure his hon. friend would do the same. The difference of the opinions entertained by his hon. friend and himself need not interfere with their working together for the common objects of the association. The members might meet and discuss matters of' importance, and place them before the public in such a way as to give the people a practical acquaintance with many questions upon which they then found it almost impossible to obtain information. He believed that that form of taxation whioh had been duced by the Stamp Duties Act would take a strong hold, and become eventually much more extensive in its operation than at that time. Whether it wsb to be in the shape of a property tax or a tax upon securities, he thought that direct taxation would Boon be much more generally resorted to, and he confessed that he did not regret it for the reasons he had already given. Even if there were no reductions to be effected in the present expenditure or in the taxation of the country, and no grievances to be ameliorated, it would still be worth while to establish the Reform Association for the purpose of looking after the interests of the people, and to prevent the recurrence of the disastrous system that had hitherto been pursued. If the association were kept up there would be no fear of the Government adopting such a course as had lately been taken with regard to the Public Debts Act, by which, when the colony was going to take ,up its securities, the Government having previously prepared a scheme,,came down to the House and reversed their whole policy, and handed over the profit on the transaction to the holders of debentures while it ought to have found its way into the publio exchequer. Dr. Featherston had characterised this proceeding as " a fraud and gigantic swindle," but , whether it waß deserving of those terms or not he would not pretend to say. The association would be able to communicate their ideas to their representatives at Wellington, and if they did their work properly they would be the means of supplying much valuable information to the public on matters of'the gravest importance. Mr Vbel seconded the nomination, and thought that no better man could, have been chosen. The objects of the association embraced provincial as well as colonial matters, and therefore it was very advisable that some one who was thoroughly acquainted with the affairs of the province should be chosen, and for that reason he had much pleasure in seconding Mr W. Wilson as treasurer. Mr Wilson was unanimously eleoted. The following gentlemen were then, chosen to serve on the committee: —Messrs Wm. Montgomery, Geo. Gould, R. Symington, E. J. Wakefield, W. Reeves, J.. G. Hawkes, St. Quentin, Inglis, G, Macfarlan, Andrews, Potts, W. B. Tosswili; Edward Jollie, R. J. S. Harman, A. Duncan, Jameson, and Cutler. Mr Hawkes arrived just as the meeting was separating, and apologized for not have been able to attend sooner. ~ _ i The usual vote of thanks to the chairman terminated, the proceedings.