Flax. (To the Editor of the Southern Cross.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume I, Issue 31, 18 November 1843, Page 3

Flax. (To the Editor of the Southern Cross.)

Sin, — It is a very pleasing circumstance at the present time that so many efforts arc perseveringly made to find a cheap and ready method of dressing the New Zealand Flax. That the Flax may be dressed by several plans is very certain, but the only truly feasible plan in the present state of the colony is one that is cheap, allowing room for profit. It is notorious that the discoverers of important secrets in the arts and sciences, or the inventors of useful machines, are most usually robbed of the results of their labours, other persons commonly obtaining the rewards of this devoted and ingenious class of individuals who are often left to pine in the midst of the most distressing poverty, notwithstanding the merits of their services and the serious extent of their outlay and their labours, which if not according to their true value deserve not unfrequently the endowment of a fortune and the conferment of the honours of nobility. The knowledge of these facts prevents no doubt a thousand discoveries which otherwise might be made, especially in our colonies, where the very imperfect system of obtaining a -patent is attended with .so many difficulties. Could not tlie Government of this country do something at the present eventful period to encourage the prosecution of a series of experiments on the New Zealand Flax? If notice were duly given that six months after date a certain bonus or price of such a sum, or so many acres of good land in such a district, would be given to any person or persons who were most successful in discovering a cheap and efficient method of dressing the New Zealand Flax— to a first, to a second, and to a third person respectively such a sum, or so many-bores of land, as might be previously determined, should be awarded to each successful competitor. Your Correspondent, Mr. Editor, wishes rather to suggest the idea than to propose in detail the most effective way in carrying out this most important business. The preparing of the Flax by way of export, if properly managed, could not fail to do much towards promoting the prosperity of the New Zealand Colonies. If desirable I may again trouble you with some remarks on this interesting subject. Yours, &c. - D. R. Auckland, Nov. 0, 1843. [We publish the above more from a desire to keep the subject of Flax before the public

than from any hope that Government can or will in the least promote the object of the writer.— We are happy to inform our correspondent that Flax is being now successfully dressed by some of the Country Settlers, without any countenance whatever or any other expectation than the price obtained for it.-— Machinery will much facilitate the process, and two of the more ingenious of our mechanics are preparing machines for this purpose. — Ed.]