FLAX.

Press, Volume XVIII, Issue 2490, 24 April 1871, Page 2

FLAX.

.The Hvme Nervs has the following remarks on this fibre: — New Zealand flax continues to occupy a somewhat unsettled position. Our readers are already aware of the attempts being made for the purpose of rendering the fibre available for spinning purposes. Mr C. Thorne, whose process appears to be more perfect than any other* has received accounts from Dundee to the effect that "all the spinners to whom the flax prepared by Mr Thome has been shown admire the way in which it has been treated, but say they could not use it for the finer sorts of yarns." Since this report was received a second spinner has made trial of the fibre, and ■writes;—"The fibre seems too long for the largest frame we have, and too hard to draw. The frames were altered in every conceiveable way, but we could not get it' to spin,' and in order to get it' to spin,' frames very strong and long in the reach, must be purposely prepared." - Whilst the problem of turning the Phormium tenax into cloth thus remains unsolved, its rope-making capabilities become more and more developed every day. Rope spun from fibre prepared by Mr j Thome has been used on board several ships j with the best possible result. The Ramsey, from Canterbury, brought a few bales of the fibre prepared whilst green by Mr Thome's process-r-by Messrs Miles and" Co. This has been made into rope, and the spinners, Messrs Frost Brothers, have furnished the following"report: —''The New Zealand flax we spun for you is of about the same character, and in no way inferior to. the parcel we made up for you in December last. We span both lots by machine, and it ran very freely, was clean and free from dirt or shives. It works much better than the ordinary New Zealand flax, and appears to be of a different character, the yarn and fibre bearing a-much greater strain when knotted, than the usual New Zealand flax. The rope made from it , is soft, pliable, clean, and looks well in every I respect. The difference in loss of weight in manufacturing is at least 31bs. per cwt. in favor of your flax. We have tested the strength of the frwo yarne, with the following reettftß:—yara spiin from superior 2sew

Zealand flax broke at 1391b5., yarn spun from your New Zealand flax broke at 164tbs." Masters of vessels, on board of which rope made from the flax has been used, speak in the highest terms of its quality. The fibre spun by the.Messrs Frost is estimated to be worth £36 ton. Messrs Devitt and Hett '■report' -or the flax market :—2500 bales, chiefly consisting of the medium qualities. have been offered at auction, about half of which wild at rather lower rates. The shipments from Auckland do not by any means maintain the" good reputation gained by some of last year's, production. It is much to be regrettedithat shippers will not learn by experience that it is the best dressed sorts only that will pay to send to this market, which is already overstocked with the medium and lower kinds. The stock of flax on the 14th February was 11G5 tons. Imports since Ist January 202 tons. Deliveries, 226 tons.