THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 624, 29 September 1909, Page 8

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

! .RECENT PRODUCTION: ' The/Secretory for Apiculture reporting on the/ hemp and/tow. industry ot tho Dominion ;for. the month'of August states that the total number of baios of hemp and tow 'graded during/the month was 2400, being,a decrease of 14-48 bales, as compared with- the figures for July . and '• a.' decrease of 128 ■ bales as compared' with, the. -figures,, for.. Augnst, 1308.. For .-,tho five months /of .tho year ending August 1 there' is, however, an increase oyer -the corresponding period of last year of ■1601 bales. Tile decrease for August as coin■parod with July;.is'ildt an unusual thing,, as Augustus-the .wettest and the.mojt unfavourable/month for milling, ileavy, rains, accompanied -by floods''in' the. Manawatu district, and-exceptionally : bad * weather in'tho Southland :* district,. hampered and' delayed milling operations, and ..tended to- considerably ,reduco the output.';/- iThe quality of. the. hemp submitted .for grading was very , good/ the, improvement; in'.the .higher grades 'attained in the preceding months .continuing. . The 'percentage. ;of; "line" grade was 12.12, and'"good fair"'-'46:83. of- .the total .quantity .'graded. 1 -The first:named.- percentagei is;-.the report.'states,, the highest reached for the grade, during the last seventeen mouths." •;' The'-secretary,'notes with , satisfaction thatmillers -,generally. bro - recognising the -advantageof imaking the;higher grade article: This attributed,:-to ,-the,.demands of Australian 1 and,:-American buyers, .the latter having'turned: their,'attention's.to-.high-grade New. -Zealand homp.'- Thero .havo been inquiries recently, in Wellington-for sonie vory large parcels (in one instanco 400 tons) for "spot" shipments. Un-fortunately-tho supply is ' inadequate to meet .the'demand,-iis; prices have hardened considef-' ''ablyiduring^.-the-last, few weeks: '.£24 to £2i l.feper.ton,f.d,b..fir ."good fair" grade is-now offering.locally, for ;forward shipments. . "Fine" grade "is quoted .'at.'abou't .£26- per ton. .The improved state of'the market is inducing some

millers to/instal .patent, washing'.machines ;foi'< ;the purposo >of : improving.. ,the-' colour :.of tho.' fibre,--During the., month':several; iew' niillsT li£lve. commenced .operations, arid a' number ;'of others Intond 'to'commence this month.. Generally, adds. the report, the prospects for -the coming season.are;gobd, and an 1 increased output' is : looked forward to. ' . ' . .. Eegardirig .'tohr, ; the,/.report states that the' grading figures for August show a. falling off of; 554' bales: as" compared - with , the 'preceding month. iThero . is, hbwovor, - it, is . stated, anoticeable improveinent in the quality of the tow:submitted, for t grading,, a; good,percentage of bales, reaching, the.,iirst grade." The, effect; bf the grading; of-tow, .It is. 6tated, is' already seen 'on the < Homo market, a. difference in prioe : of' about; 20s';toI.S0s. per: ton'-belween first -and."second/grades;now. obtaining.. l -For 'tiird',grade-,tow ; there':is !bnly- a poor, "demand. ! .The. hoinp' grading returns 'lor the. month .were/.'as 'follbw:—Auckland 687 bales, / Foxton--560 bales, ..Wellington 848 bales,. Blenheim 47'. bales,:; Pictori, 117./ bales, -Dunedin ;108 , bales,. 'Bluff- 33 bales: /total,, 2Wo,"including "fine": 298, "good fair".' 1124, "fair". 881, and. "common" 97. . { ' The figures for tow Auckland 240, ; Foxton, 62, . Wellirigtbri' 254,' Picton '43i. Blen'heim '7, 1 Dunedin -'46: -total <653, -.including ilirst /grado; 248, ..'secbnd'. grade 241, third, grade 148, refused 16. . -.' -. .' • ' ..': >'/.;■ ,<