SOMALILAND FLAX.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 74, 30 March 1910, Page 3

SOMALILAND FLAX.

AN INTERESTING VENTURE. NEW ZEALANDERS INVESTING. [FHOM OCA OWN COHBESPONDEKT.] LONDON, 18th February. During his stay in England, Mt- I. W. Raymond, of Invercargill, who m largely interested in flax in New Zealand, has paid much attention to a study of tho areas from which the world' supply of fibre is drawn. lie has beea directing his investigations as far afield as Manila, Yucatan (Central America), and East Africa, and has, now taken a considerable interest *in * the British Somaliland Developing Company, of which lie has been offered the position of managing director. This company enjoys the rights over 23,000 miles of ' fibre country and 10,000 stjuare miles of mineral*country in the British Protectorate of Somaliland, which lies in the horn of Africa, and is best known to fame ad the quondam demesne of tlie Mad Mullah. Tlie fibre which Somaliland produces, called Sansevieria, is coarser than sisal, but- very tenacious. "It is growing simply iii millions of tons there. ' The quantity has not been estimated. There is, however, a .smaller ' proportion of green loaf than in the case of New Zealand hemp." The price of Sansevieria is now about £23 10s per ton, or from £1 10s to £2 10s below that of New Zealand hemp. The Somaliland Developing Company's fields are about fifty miles from the port of Kerbera. The labour is native, and is paid for at the rate of 4d to 6d per day. Mr. R. R. Hollins, of the Premier Diamond Mines (South Africa), is the controlling figure in the company, and he it is who is trying to induce Mr. Raymond to join ths board. Tlie proposal is such a tempting one that it "would have been accepted forthwith bu* for the fact that ihis would necessitate Mr. Raymond's absence from the Dominion for a few years. Tfie company's factory in Somaliland employs 145 hands, besides the management, both in Somaliland and in Egland. It has been in operation for some time, but more capital is being p^t in to .open up the country^