THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 68, 18 September 1906, Page 2

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

'WHAT THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS DOING. IMPORTANT STATEMENT BY THE HON. MB. M'NAB. _^ SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. (From Our Special Reporter.) •SHANNON, 14th September. A number of people interested in tho flax-growing industry' took advantage of the presence of the .Minister for Lands here to-day to bring under the notice- of the Government certain proposals they had formulated for extending the industry and putting it on a more scientific and profitable basis. Incidentally, in bis reply, Air. M'Nab made an important statement regarding the future policy of .the Government in the development of this rapidly-growing industry. The suggestion made by the <deputation was that the Government should grant a bonus of £5000 for the first 500 tons of fibre produced from artificiallygrown flax in 10-ton lots. This, it was contended, would encourage the planting of flax by small landholders whose holdings were suitable for that purpose. References were also made by other speakers to tho experimental work done two years ago at the Levin State farm. Mr. John Stevens stated that he -was sorry to learn a few days ago that the plants which had been planted at Levin had lost their individuality — that is to say, varied species had been planted to ascertain which waa the most suitable and amenable to artificial cultivation, and the distinguishing labels and other distinctions which would render the experiments useful had now been lost. This was a great pity. It was suggested by another speaker that the Government should plant waste lands of the Crown with flax, by prison labour in the same way as prison labour -is at present being used for reforesting purposes. To these and other representations, the Hon. Mr. M'Nab replied that in his forest nursery on his own farm he conducted experiments in artificial flaxgrowing, both from seed and from the root. The experiments had not yet been concluded, but go far as he had been able to ascertain it would take three years longer to reap from the seed than it would, from the root. So far aa the request for a bonus of £5000 was concerned, he could tell the deputation that they (the Government) did not know how to plant flax, in fapt, they knew nothing about the plant. No experiments of an exhaustive character had been carried out, and the Government therefore could not grant the request made. They required to start right back at the beginning, as it were. Save for one or two investigations that had been made, flax and its growth was little understood. If the deputation had asked for £5000 to find out something about the growth of flux ho would say at once he was with them right up to the hilt. In connection tfith what had been done in the past, the Government responsible would have, to answer for its sins or its good ' points, as the case might be. Speaking of what it is proposed to do in the future, the Minister said that during the coming season experimental stations would take tons of waste material from various mills to see how far it could bo used for fertilising or other purposes. The Government was also preparing a scheme whereby they would ensure that a number of men who were going through a college cburee for a degree in science would make investigations into New Zealand material. It has been arranged that one thing they were to direct attention to would be ■flax, in such a way that the student so engaged would be, ,-able to concentrate his whole attention on that material. In this way the Government hoped to collect a fund of .information, not only cpnce.-ninjj the proper method of using and grooving flax, but the utilisation of the by-nroducts. He referred to the manner in which offal was converted into manure at the big freezinc works, and went on to cay that, when cattle " i*ushed at" the refuw of a flaxmill to eat it, it was plainly evident there was something in it. It was perhaps possible that growers would be able to get^ a sufficient return from the refuse to pay for the cost of manufacture. In carrying out the experiments he had outlined, the Government hoped to be able to determine which kind of flax was the easiest to cultivate, and which was the most profitable for manufacture. Tho planting of trees by prisoners was on an entirely different footing to the planting of flax. Tc- get a return from timber one had to wait 100 or 120 years j in the case of flax, it waa only a question of a few years. The planting of timber areas on this account,' he contended, made it essentially a matter for the Government^ but in the case of flax it waa quite different. The lines he indicated were those the Government intended to follow in regard to the flax and other industries. In saying this, he was not ffiving ■ utterance ' to a mere political platitude. The question of flax-growing would be kept more .than steadily in view— •(laughter)— .but he could hold out no hope to the deputation in respect to its request for a bonus of £5000. (Applause.) •